Sun servers accelerate

Sun (SUNW) will speed up its line of Ultra Enterprise 2 servers with two new 300-MHz models and cut prices on current Ultra Enterprise and Netra boxes.

Sun says that the new Ultra Enterprise 2 servers, Model 2300 and Model 1300, will feature the 300-MHz UltraSparc II processor and will offer up to 51 percent better performance than servers with its 200-MHz version of the same chip.

The Ultra Enterprise servers are for use in Web server, Internet commerce, database and communications applications.

Improvements in manufacturing techniques will result in lower prices for current models, Sun says. The Ultra Enterprise 1 server Model 170 with 167-MHz UltraSparc processor is now Sun's entry-level system in the line and has had its price lowered to $7,495. Pricing for the Netra family of servers has been reduced to $7,995, according to Sun.

The new Ultra Enterprise 2 Model 1300 comes with the 300-MHz UltraSPARC processor II with 2MB of cache memory, 128MB of main memory, a 4.2GB hard disk drive, and a 12X CD-ROM drive. Pricing starts at $24,295, depending on configuration. The Model 2300 is a dual processor version of the 1300, but has 256MB of memory. Pricing starts at $36,295.

Upgrade modules with the 300-MHz processor are available for current Ultra 2 systems and are priced at $6,995.

All models are currently available.