Sun Illuminates its Web Services Progress

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With eyes fixed on winning developer adoption for its Web services platform,
Sun Microsystems on Wednesday introduced the Sun ONE Web
Services Platform Developer Edition, a package of software and tools needed
to build Web services applications.

Sun will formally unveil the integrated developer environment at a midday
press conference where a massive price cut will be offered as a six-month
promotion.

Roger Nolan, a senior director of product management for Sun’s Web
Services Platform, told internetnews.com the Developer Edition
package would include the company’s application server, portal server,
identity server and integration server. It will also feature the Sun ONE
Studio integrated development environment, its portlet builder and various
other tips and tools that developers need.

The official release of the Sun ONE Web Services Platform Developer
Edition comes with a special promotion. Starting April 1st and running for
six months, Sun is offering the package for $1329 per developer seat.
“This is a set of products that has a $36,000 list price value so this is a
steep cut price promotion we’re offering,” Nolan said.

He said the package would provide all the necessary software from Sun
that a developer would need to build Web services applications. At the
press conference, Sun’s executives are also expected to announce a new Java
specification for Web services integration.

Sun, which is locked in a dogfight with Microsoft and
IBM for developer adoption of its Web services
initiative, said a key feature in the Platform Developer Edition rollout was
the single-install capabilities.

Nolan said the Platform Developer Edition would significantly reduce the
complexities of enterprise software development and, more importantly, cut
down on costs associated with building Web services-ready applications.
“Customers want to get rid of the complexities. They want an integrated
platform that will enable development and cut down on their costs. With
this platform, everything works together. There is one price and one
install. There won’t be a need to install a dozen different software
programs to get going,” Nolan explained.

In addition to the development-ready servers, the new Web services
platform will also feature developer tools like the Sun ONE Studio
Enterprise Edition for Java (for developing J2EE applications and Java Web
Services); the Sun ONE Portlet Builder and the Sun ONE Connector
Builder.

It supports integration technology based on J2EE, including Java
Messaging Server (JMS) and J2EE Connector Architecture and all the API’s in
the Java Web Services Developer Pack including JAXM, JAXP, JAXR, JAX-RPC,
SOAP, WSDL and UDDI.

Nolan said future releases of the Sun ONE Web Services Platform Developer
Edition would implement Sun’s Java Business Integration Java Specification
Request (JSR), WS-I Web Services Profiles and other emerging integration
standards.

Separately, the announced the launch of the Sun Developer Network, a program aimed at
providing access to new content, training, support and technology access to
developers.

Sanjay Sarathy, who directs the developer program for Sun, told
internetnews.com the expanded portal would integrate community
dialog, content and access to technologies.

The program, which is free to registered developers, has been broken up
into four sub-sections covering content/communication, training, support and
software distribution. Sarathy said the content offerings would include
technical audiocasts, syndicated content from partners new sample
applications and code snippets.

The program would offer online tutorials, access to books at cut prices
and training material for developers to learn about, build and deploy
services that span multiple technologies and standards. It will also feature
an expanded list of newsgroups and connection with User Groups covering web
services.

It would also serve as a portal for software distribution, giving
developers access to Sun technologies and software through subscriptions and
evaluation downloads, and via early access programs.