Sun denies Ultrasparc III chip switch

Sun has quashed rumours that it has been considering licensing the Fujitsu GP7000 sparc chip, rather than waiting for the belated Ultrasparc III chip.

The vendor said at CeBIT in Hanover, it was aware of the rumours - circulating since Sun's delays first became apparent last year - but was sticking to the Ultrasparc III, which will not appear in Sun workstations until late summer, despite launching the chip last year.

Even though Sun had integrated chips from Fujitsu Microelectronics into its products as recently as 1997 because it was so compatible, Michael Schroeder, product marketing manager, computer systems at Sun said this time it would not be so straightforward. The GP7000F is not compatible with either Ultrasparc II or III, because, according to Schroeder, "Fujitsu decided not to make it so."

All of Sun's Unix rivals have taken the opportunity to capitalise on the tardiness of Ultrasparc III and are quick to point out favourable benchmarks of their newer chips against Sun's mark II version. In addition, Gartner Group analysts, have voicing their concern to Sun customers thinking about buying into the older architecture.

Whilst the vendor is waiting for the new processor, which will not be a simple processor upgrade, but a total box swap, rivals like Fujitsu Siemens are attempting to woo both customers and channel partners away from Sun.

Schroeder said, Sun was aware that Fujitsu was trying to persuade fellow members of Fujitsu group - Siemens Business Services, Amdahl and ICL - away from selling Sun products in favour of Solaris on the Fujitsu GP7000F platform.

"Why buy this when you can have the real thing," he told customers.