Sun's initiative will bring changes to Sun licenses as well as its product packaging.
Sun Microsystems isn't just changing the way it packages software; it's moving to a new licensing plan in which Sun will charge customers for use and availability instead of by CPU, directory entry, or number of mailboxes.
Jonathan Schwartz, executive VP of software, says Sun's "N1" initiative, which seeks to automate how the computing power of its servers gets parceled out to jobs in companies' data centers, will bring changes to Sun licenses as well as its product packaging. Schwartz wouldn't disclose details, but he says the changes could expose Sun's app server, directory server, portal-building software, and other products to more users; make its servers more attractive; and help keep CIOs from overbuying computing capacity.
Sun reported a net loss of $1.2 billion on sales of $12.5 billion for its 2002 fiscal year ended June 30.
News source: InformationWeek - Sun: N1 Will Yield New License Terms
