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Sun Grid Utility Goes Live for Employees
museumpeace writes "CNET is reporting that Sun Microsystems turned on its Grid computing utility, hosting large ERP applications for its employees to test out the server infrastructure and user acceptance of the Computing-as-metered-utility model. General availability is scheduled for October. The rates? "Sun is offering processing and storage in a pay-as-you-go arrangement of $1 per CPU per hour, delivered via an Internet connection". Sun is still retooling its Thin Client interfaces and support SW. Experts quoted in the article wonder if Sun can make any money this way." Slashdot also covered the original announcement back in February.
to run multiple copies of Everquest simultaneously with bots and harvest tons of Gold!
Evening all, it's once again time for an EU Digital Rights Patent Pending Bullshit Theory of the Day! I ask for patience as I weave my tale tonight, for the future is never more than a dim bulb as if about to burn out and the visions gleaned will be open to wide reinterpretation.
I want to go on record as saying that I approve of the Sun Grid, and the ideal of computing utilities. While I love the fact that my Mac thinks by itself, I've been watching the wall and the graffiti has begun to get very interesting. The Sun Grid concept as it stands today is best for major academic and scientific researchers. People splitting atoms virtually who are making $300,000 US in their work efforts. Is that me? No. Is it you? Probably not. The current intended market are eggheads of a different sort. A minute of their time wasted waiting for a computer is $.50 US. Two minutes of wasted time pays for a CPU Hour from Sun Grid.
Why is this important? It isn't, not yet. The fact that Sun had a press release, issued a statement, and as geeks we saw it zoom by and have been waiting for months to see what they were talking about has nothing to do with geeks that frequent /. Doesn't even have anything to do with most geeks that don't frequent /. Frankly, there doesn't seem to be anyone who is trying to sit down and think about it like a pointy haired boss and not a geek.
But I digress. Star Trek, yes?
The Kirk vs. Picard debate aside, The Next Generation had great technology. Kind of had to if it was going to be used to save the ship every week. The main computer of the NCC-1701-D was the most massive mainframe anyone could ever think of and was pretty much the entire ship. Sure, the Galaxy class had a computer Core, but really when you think about it all that meant was massive storage arrays. Believe what you will, Star Trek has pushed (especially the American) the dreams of tech builders ever since it hit the air waves. Just look at every flip phone and tell me that isn't a Kirk age communicator. For that matter, look at any PDA and tell me that isn't a PADD. (Personal Access Data Device or something)
The big thing is tomorrow, the 4th dimensional tomorrow. There will be a computing "Grid." Whether from Sun, or Microsoft, or Apple, or Bob's House of Discount Computers. The ideal and need for one is there. Seti @ Home and Bit Torrent prove that much. Why do I say this?
Wireless Communication Technology.
When the away team beamed to a planet's surface, they were wearing sophisticated VoIP communicators on their chest. Tap the dialer, and speak the name of the person you needed to speak to, the main computer system found that buddy online, routed the call to their VoIP communicator, chirped them and allowed two way communication. Don't tell me these aren't on the way, Nextel has been using a feature that is one step removed for years now.
Pull out your PADD and let's get some work done. Integrated WiFi ensures a connection, but why does tomorrows PDA need to think all by itself? Heck, I'm not even a crazy, knee deep, senior geek anymore. Too much time spent doting on my 2 year old daughter. Yet, I still have no less than 7 UNIX systems around the house that are all accessed via a single system, terminal, ssh, X Windows server/client protocol, and for the times I need to help Windows friends VNC. Why do we think that with the move to more mobile systems, global wireless technologies and scaled down embedded processors that we all won't still do all that tomorrow? The PDA / laptop / digital paper / Bob's your uncle that will be along very soon now will be very similar to Sun's Sun Ray systems. Insert your Java Card, enter your password, and you are on your desktop. Today the Sun Ray is a thin client desktop. The protocol, in theory, will allow you to connect to your home office from any Sun Ray with your card. Provided the firewalls allow it, routing systems allow it, etc. But let's view the future as ide
"Genius may shine aloof and alone, like a star, but goodness is social, and it takes two men and God to make a Brother."