Sun Gives Java Enterprise System License to Small Businesses

Sun Microsystems Inc. officials on Monday will use its iForce partner summit in San Diego to announce a special promotional program to let companies with less than 100 employees sign up for a free, one-year runtime license for its Java Enterprise System software.

That license, subject to certain criteria, terms and conditions, excludes outsourcing and service providers, government agencies, or educational institutions and does not include any support, service or maintenance. Details of the offer can be found here.

Sun President and Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Schwartz and CEO Scott McNealy will also use the summit to announce that qualified iForce reseller partners can license Suns Java Enterprise System for $50 per employee per year and the Java Desktop System product for $25 per user per year.

That pricing compares with corporate pricing of $100 and $50 for the enterprise and desktop systems, respectively, per user per year as long as companies sign up all their staff for both products.

This pricing will enable qualified iForce reseller partners to better run their own businesses and reduce costs, John Loiacono, Suns executive vice president of software, told eWEEK.

Sun will also provide further information on its per-citizen pricing plans, which will give national governments a complete network service delivery software system for a single annual price based on the number of citizens in the country and the countrys United Nations category of development, he said.

“Our partners, like our customers, need simplified, predictable and affordable licensing for their infrastructure software. Partners who use our Java Systems software to run their businesses are in an excellent position to help their customers benefit from using it,” Loiacono said.

“And with our special promotion, by offering a free one-year software runtime license, companies with less than 100 employees can now get a jump-start on building the value-added service offerings their businesses need,” he said.

Sun has been aggressively pushing its Java Enterprise and Desktop systems. Late last month officials said the desktop system is now available preloaded on Microtel Computer Systems Inc. hardware, as well as for sale online at discount retailer Wal-Mart.

/zimages/3/28571.gifRead“Sun Desktop Shines on Wal-Mart with Discount Boxes.”

In another move that emphasizes the growing importance of software at Sun, and on the same day Sun and Microsoft Corp. announced technical and legal agreements, Sun promoted then Executive Vice President of Software Jonathan Schwartz to president and chief operating officer.

/zimages/3/28571.gifRead eWEEKs interview withJonathan Schwartz.

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