Offers Resellers Incentives Of Up To $750
AUSTIN, TX (August 26, 1997) - IBM today announced pricing and special customer and reseller promotion offerings for its upcoming WorkSpace On-Demand* product, which was formerly code-named Bluebird. WorkSpace On-Demand, the newest member of IBM's eNetwork Software family, is IBM's Intel-based network operating system optimized for network computing.
"WorkSpace On-Demand is ideal for customers wanting the potential to reduce the cost and complexity of managing their networked environments without sacrificing existing hardware and software investments," said Donn Atkins, vice president of marketing, IBM Personal Software Products. "As a member of IBM's eNetwork Software family, WorkSpace On-Demand helps enterprise customers begin exploiting network computing technology today."
WorkSpace On-Demand, expected to be generally available in November through approved IBM Business Partners and IBM direct sales teams, will be priced at $729 per shrink-wrap copy, which includes the server administration and management utilities, the WorkSpace On-Demand client code, and one client access feature. Customers may purchase additional server licenses for $699 and additional client access features for $249. Special upgrade pricing will be available for customers using previous versions of OS/2. UPOs (Upgrade Protection Options) will also be offered.
WorkSpace On-Demand, part of the continuing roll-out of eNetwork Software products that allow users to quickly and securely extend their networks, will help customers transition from a traditional client/server model to a network computing environment optimized for 100% Pure Java, providing the potential for reduced cost of management. In addition to supporting newer network computing technologies such as Java, WorkSpace On-Demand will provide support for customers' existing application and hardware investments. More information on WorkSpace On-Demand can be found at http://www.software.ibm.com/workspace.
"Modular has for years combined IBM software technology with Modular's Network Client hardware technology to implement turn-key solutions that help customers effectively manage their long term cost of ownership," said Dave Taylor, director of field operations, Advanced Modular Solutions, Inc., Boxborough, Mass. "WorkSpace On-Demand is exciting because it allows us to deliver that same type of solution, but with a new generation of technology where Java provides the freedom to create enterprise-ready network computing applications."
WorkSpace On-Demand Promotions
Also announced today are special promotion offerings for customers and resellers. Customers who purchase $500,000 or more worth of WorkSpace On-Demand, OS/2 Warp or OS/2 Warp Server software from Aug. 26 through Nov. 28, 1997 are eligible for a pilot implementation of WorkSpace On-Demand fully supported by IBM's Rapid Deployment Team and IBM Business Partners. At the completion of the pilot, customers will be provided with a full implementation plan for a widespread roll-out of WorkSpace On-Demand. If a customer does not wish to participate in a pilot, that customer may instead choose to receive free defect support for an extended period of 12 months for OS/2 Warp V3 and OS/2 Warp Connect V3. Defect support allows customers to receive from IBM fixes to product malfunctions.
Beginning in October, IBM will hold a series of three-day, no-charge WorkSpace On-Demand workshops in major cities around the world open to all IBM Certified LAN Server and OS/2 Warp Server Engineers. All attendees will receive 90 days of free telephone technical support, defect support and NFS (Not For Sale) code for pilot implementations. Resellers completing the workshop will also be able to participate in the WorkSpace On-Demand Quick Start Promotion. This promotion will award qualified resellers $250 for each customer pilot implemented, and an additional $500 for each pilot that results in a full scale customer roll-out of WorkSpace On-Demand.
"Over the years IS managers have been forced to move from the low-cost, high-control dumb terminal to the high-cost, no-control of the PC desktop," said Robert J. Sakakeeny, director of field research, Aberdeen Group. "In many environments, WorkSpace On-Demand provides a great balance between users wanting the freedom to run many applications on demand, and IS's need for lower cost of administration through a reasonable amount of control over where those applications reside. For many, this is IBM's response to the dilemma of providing the latest technology to users in an easy to implement and affordable way."
IBM eNetwork Software and On-Demand Networking
WorkSpace On-Demand is part of IBM's eNetwork Software family of networking communications products that provide enterprise-class universal connectivity and information access for cost-effective network computing.
The On-Demand initiative is focused on offering customers a communications platform that provides services for server-based components that are dynamically downloaded when needed by clients. These services will include centralized administration, delivery and network optimization across multiple platforms. The result will be reduced cost of software management and support and more effective application performance across the network. WorkSpace On-Demand and IBM Host On-Demand*, a Java-based emulator for Web access to host applications, are the first steps in this direction.
Why is it unique in bringing huge cost savings to PC owners?
The following article was excerpted from WarpFM
The Architecture of the Technology Code-named Bluebird
It takes only two conceptual changes to transform the elements of today's client server systems into the components for a network computing based infrastructure. The first transformation comes from letting the server provide the operating system, applications and configuration information for all its clients rather than relying on local hard drives. The second adjustment is to the notion of the client as an indivisible combination of hardware and end user. The new view separates the machine from the person using it into two distinct entities, each of which functions differently.
The major benefits of the technology code-named Bluebird originate from these two transforming principles. The first concept enables the centralized management of Bluebird clients. All client code is maintained on the server just as it would be kept on the C drive in a desktop system. Any necessary updates to operating system, application or device driver programs are made once for all clients on the network. Any code and data the client needs is downloaded from the server as it needed. Downloading code just-in-time ensures that the client is always using the most recent updates.
The second idea forms the basis for a roaming client user -- that is, a user can log onto any machine and have access to the desktop layout and applications as specified in his profile. When the client is viewed only as the hardware, the client becomes a stationary element in the system, rather than a virtual desktop that can be accessed from anywhere in the network.
The Bluebird architecture follows logically from the two transforming principles. It is comprised of a server and a client component. The server functions can be categorized into three areas:
The Client System Software Installation and Configuration functions consist of the tools for managing the client. These include graphical programs that install new applications, define new users, and fine tune client system elements such as video resolution. System administrators can access these utilities either from the server or from a workstation set up as an "Admin Client." This server centered design enables "roaming administrators" who can sit at any connected workstation to manage the other clients in the network. The system design reflects the expectation that administration will be done from either an OS/2 Warp client or Warp Server workstation.
The Remote Boot Service manages the hardware initialization process. The server is constantly on alert for client boot requests. Client machines are set up to request service from the network when they are powered on. The server responds by sending the operating system and configuration information to the requester. The server also determines and then downloads the device drivers needed to properly initialize that particular system. Once the boot is complete, the screen displays a logon panel.
Conceptually the boot is the same as on today's OS/2 systems. The main difference is that instead of booting from a local hard disk, the machine boots from a remote storage device connected to a server system. And of course, the server's work is more complicated. First of all, it must determine from its list of connected machines, which physical set up is sending the request. And secondly, the messages and instructions must navigate the network to get from the server to the targeted machine's random access memory (RAM).
The Roaming Application Access works because the technology code-named Bluebird has separated the machine aspect of the client from the user. The application access services ensure the user gets the desktop specified by his requirements from any PC connected to the Bluebird server's network. When a person enters a userid and password, the information is authenticated with a profile maintained at the server. The server checks a domain control database to determine what applications are assigned to populate the user's desktop.
The User Authentication and logon management system works in conjunction with the three base functional areas. It is involved in a lot of the work that the server performs. For example, when an administrator adds a new userid to the network, this system allows him to allocate required network resources. This system also handles the logon process.
The Bluebird technology based client can run a number of application types -- Java, OS/2, DOS or Windows 3.x all from a simplified server-managed desktop. A Bluebird client can also run Win 32 applications when it is configured with the Citrix Windows 3.1 Client. It can also be used for 3270 or 5250 terminal emulation to hook up to a mainframe server.
The uniqueness of the client based on the technology code-named Bluebird is its ability to be defined with a number of different desktops. The system is architected so that an administrator can configure the client interface to be the Netscape Browser or a customer defined application. The default network user interface (NUI) consists of icons defined from the server that cannot be altered by the end user.
Users launch applications by clicking on an icon. This initiates the download of the executable code from the server to the client memory, where it runs like on today's desktop systems. The difference is that instead of using a local disk drive, the server is used to remotely move code from storage into memory. Since the code executes locally applications should have generally the same performance level that they have on current operating systems.
For all intents and purposes, the system treats the server hard drive as it would the C drive. So when a user creates a file, for example a personal address book for Lotus Organizer, the system writes the data to the server as if it was writing it to a local drive. But since the file is on the server, the user can access it from any machine on the network after proper authentication.
The client does include a base operating system but it restricts local disk access. Another difference is that at the end of the boot sequence, the user sees a logon screen rather his desktop. The logon interface allows the user to identify himself to the server.
It's remarkable that an architecture resulting from a simple change of perspective can yield such significant benefits without taking away from what existed before. The targeted population for the technology code-named Bluebird, which is about 70% of all enterprise users, will see no change in functional capabilities from their current systems. Yet the conceptual changes implemented in the this technology will profoundly affect the total cost of ownership of a company's computing infrastructure.
According to PC Data's list of the 10 best-selling business software titles in June, IBM's Antivirus (#8) pulled ahead of McAfee Viruscan (#9) as the top-selling antivirus software. The PC Data list is compiled from 42 retail and mail order chains representing more than 70% of the U.S. market.
By the way, System Commander (from V Communications) ranked #1 just ahead of DOS (#2). Red Hat Linux scored at #4. Obviously there's tremendous interest (and tremendous sales) of non-Windows operating systems, a story which perhaps should be more reported. (Neither Windows 95 nor Windows NT appeared on the list.)
OS/2 Warp Server Performance Comparisons
File and print sharing have long been an important measure of Network Operating System (NOS) performance. Various industry publications and independent test labs have made comparisons between the industry leaders in the NOS marketplace using benchmarks that simulate LAN user activities.
IBM recently commissioned Workstation Laboratories to conduct a file serving performance test using the industry standard file server benchmark *NetBench (owned by Ziff-Davis). The Workstation Laboratories tests comparing Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 and IBM OS/2 Warp Server showed that OS/2 Warp Server file and application sharing was better than NT 4.0 on the uni-processor and better-to-equivalent on the multi-processor version when running NetBench 4.01 from Windows 95 clients.
For more information on this topic, see the complete white paper at http://www.software.ibm.com/os/warp/performance/wslcomp.htm. The paper also includes an appendix with performance comparisons for loading shared Windows 95 applications from OS/2 Warp Server 4.0 and NT Server 4.0. OS/2 Warp Server performed equal or better in all nine test cases.
* NetBench is a registered trademark of Ziff-Davis Labs, Inc.
New Java Porting and Tuning Center Established
NEW YORK, NY (August 26, 1997) - IBM, Netscape Communications Corporation and Sun Microsystems, Inc., today announced the Java Porting and Tuning Center, where they will work to speed Java performance and ensure timely, consistent distribution of Java implementations to the industry.
The new center, housed at Sun's JavaSoft division in Cupertino, Calif., will initially be staffed by engineers from the three companies. Its first activity will be to tune the Java Development Kit (JDK) 1.1 class libraries for higher performance. These will be delivered concurrently during the fourth quarter of 1997 for all leading operating systems, browsers and tools.
At the same time, the Java Porting and Tuning Center will begin work on the next release of the JDK, to create extremely high performance Java implementations. The companies have set a goal of delivering these implementations concurrently on all major platforms during the second quarter of 1998.
The Center expects to provide immediate access to a high-performing Java implementation on the customer's platform of choice. Developers will have a consistent high-performance universal Java deployment environment that incorporates every element of Sun's Java reference platform. End-users can be ensured that the 100% Pure Java applications they use will perform consistently across a wide range of operating systems, browsers, tools and applications.
As an added benefit to developers, IBM, Netscape and Sun also announced that developer partners of Sun and Netscape would be able to receive 100% Pure Java pre-certification testing support for no charge via IBM's Solution Studios for Java.
In a separate announcement, Netscape and Sun unveiled plans for a 100% Pure Java version of Netscape Navigator in early 1998. As part of that announcement, Sun revealed plans to include Netscape's HTML component with the JDK and to standardize on the 100% Pure Java version of Navigator expected in Q1 1998. "The Java momentum is unstoppable, and our customers demand benefits only Java can provide -- write once, run anywhere, safe network delivery, and scalability," said Scott G. McNealy, chairman and CEO of Sun Microsystems, Inc. "The Java Porting and Tuning Center will ensure that our customers get what they want -- instantly."
"Instant ubiquity, instant quality, instant high performance. This is the environment they expect for their 100% Pure Java applications. The Java platform's place in the computing mainstream demands that we take this step -- for Java now and in the future."
Jim Barksdale, president and CEO of Netscape, said, "Today's announcement by IBM, Netscape and Sun is a landmark event that will further advance the Java platform and serve to ensure that enterprise developers can easily create and deploy Java applications that span platforms, operating systems and databases. Netscape was the first to offer Java support in its commercial software, and we remain committed to delivering 100% Pure Java to our customers. By working jointly with industry-leading partners, we can significantly accelerate the already tremendous momentum behind Java-based development."
John M. Thompson, IBM senior vice president and software group executive, said, "This collaboration by IBM, Sun and Netscape will speed the adoption of Java for use in the enterprise, where it is already gaining ground as a core technology for building e-business applications. IBM is pleased to contribute our technical expertise to the center and extend our support facilities to more developers." Other companies are invited to contact Sun about working with the Java Porting and Tuning Center via http://java.sun.com.
About IBM
IBM, the world's largest software company, creates, develops and manufactures advanced information technology products and services, including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage devices and microelectronics. IBM has been a leader in the development of the Internet since this technology began and is dedicated to helping customers and developers exploit the potential of Java. Developers and customers can find out more about IBM's Java efforts via the Web site http://www.ibm.com/java.
About Netscape
Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California. Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com/.
About Sun
Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The ComputerTM" has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc., (NASDAQ "SUNW") to it position as a leading provider of hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $8 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the Worldwide Web at http://www.sun.com/.