Canonical to support Sun Fire Servers with UltraSPARC T1 “CoolThreads”

Ubuntu GNU/Linux is First Operating System to Join Solaris on Massively Threaded SPARC Processors

Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) and Canonical Ltd. today announced that Ubuntu 6.06 LTS (Long Term Support), the upcoming release of the widely popular GNU/Linux distribution, will support the UltraSPARC(R) T1 processor on Sun Fire(TM) T1000 and T2000 servers. Ubuntu GNU/Linux has achieved strong recognition on the desktop through its focus on ease-of-use and “it just works” user experience. With this announcement, Canonical brings that same focus to the server market, having chosen the UltraSPARC T1 processor as its vehicle into the datacenter.

“Ubuntu is arguably one of the most important – if not the most important – GNU/Linux distribution on the planet and will soon blaze new trails in support for SPARC-based servers,” said John Fowler, executive vice-president, Systems, Sun Microsystems. “The availability of both Solaris and Linux-based operating systems on the Niagara platform will further expand our lead in delivering chip multi-threaded innovation and choice to customers.”

“There has been a vibrant community working with Ubuntu on SPARC for some time. Given the broadening of our offering from desktops to servers, and the power and promise of CoolThreads servers, official support for SPARC was a natural fit with our upcoming enterprise-ready release of Ubuntu 6.06 LTS,” said Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Ubuntu. Ubuntu 6.06 LTS is due to be released at the beginning of June 2006.

According to Distrowatch.com, Ubuntu has long been the world’s most popular GNU/Linux distribution for desktop users. The next release of Ubuntu, version 6.06 LTS, will include a dedicated server edition with an extended support period to meet the needs of enterprise customers, independent software and hardware vendors (ISVs and IHVs.) With the release of Ubuntu 6.06 LTS, SPARC will become one of Ubuntu’s officially supported server architectures. Ubuntu is available free of charge and includes free security updates for all officially supported architectures. Ubuntu 6.06 LTS server support will be available for a period of five (5) years. Canonical will also offer technical support for SPARC-based systems on a paid, commercial basis.

Through the OpenSPARC initiative, Canonical engineering and the Ubuntu community were given open access to the design of the UltraSPARC T1 processor and quickly completed the porting process. The release of the Ubuntu GNU/Linux distribution on UltraSPARC T1 processor-based systems merely ten weeks after the open source release of the chip design point validates the open hardware approach pioneered by SUN with the UltraSPARC T1 processor, and demonstrates the Ubuntu community’s excitement at the benefits of Sun’s SPARC processor-based CMT architecture for next-generation Web, communications and transactional services.

Introduced in December 2005, Sun’s CoolThreads(TM) server line has been embraced by leading Internet and Web 2.0 companies like eBay, Bank of America and Chinese Web giant Sina.com that now use the industry’s first 8-core, 32-threaded server in their datacenters.

About Canonical

Canonical is the commercial sponsor of the Ubuntu project and the leading provider of support services for Ubuntu deployments in the enterprise.

Ubuntu is a free, open-source platform for client, server and cloud computing. Since its launch in 2004, it has become a natural choice for users of all kinds, from Fortune 500 companies to hardware makers, content providers, software developers and individual technologists.

With developers, support staff and engineering centres all over the world, Canonical is uniquely positioned to help its partners and enterprise customers make the most of Ubuntu. Canonical is a privately held company.