Gloves are off as fight for server O/S supremacy intensifies
Gloves are off as fight for server O/S supremacy intensifies
Feb 15, 2005: Red Hat has used the launch of version 4 of its Enterprise Linux software to launch a blistering offensive on Sun Microsystems' Solaris operating system, claiming that it is set to force its rival into extinction.
Gus Robertson, general manager, Australia and New Zealand, Red Hat said: "We have been talking about the demise of Unix for some time and had our sights set firmly on Solaris. Now with the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, we are banging the final nail in the coffin for Solaris."
Paul Cormier, executive vice president of engineering at Red Hat, added: "Red Hat Enterprise Linux in 2002 marked the entrance of Linux in the enterprise. The second version one year later put us at par with Unix in terms of reliability, and ahead in terms of value. Red Hat Enterprise Linux v.4 has the performance, scalability, security and application portfolio needed to make Linux the sensible choice for every deployment, from servers connected to client and desktop systems."
Such is Red Hat's determination to go after Sun's customer base that it has also extended the capabilities of its management platform to ease the migration process from Solaris to Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
It is to extend the functionality of the Red Hat Network to manage software distribution and configuration for systems running the Solaris O/S.
Not surprisingly, Sun is having none of it when it comes to Red Hat's claims of superiority and greater value.
James Eagleton, product manager, Solaris, Sun Microsystems Australia, countered that Sun's latest offering is more than a match for Red Hat.
"From our point of view, I think we're perfectly placed to take any challenge from Red Hat with our own Solaris 10, which was released in January. On the benchmark testing we have run, we have seen performance that far outweighs similar testing we have run on Red Hat (systems), and when you look at the cost of ownership of Solaris, it beats Red Hat hands down.
"Solaris 10 has had $500 million of investment in it and 3000 man years of engineering effort. We think we offer features and benefits that far outweigh Red Hat."
Eagleton was quick to emphasise that despite the competitive stance of open source player Red Hat, Sun remained a strong supporter of the open source movement and would continue to be so.
"Open source Solaris is pending and with this we will cater for those people in the community who need to be able to see, use and modify the source code, so whereas in the past Red Hat may have been able to hold that against us, that has definitely been addressed."
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