Japanese

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fujitsu Chooses Sun Solaris Operating Environment to Enter Unix on Intel Server Market

-- Fujitsu to join Sun's Solaris System Partners Business Council and strengthen collaboration with Sun --

TOKYO, April 9, 1998 -- Fujitsu Limited and Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced an agreement whereby Fujitsu will sell and support Sun(TM) Solaris(TM) software as a key strategic solution for cost-effective, reliable, ready-to-go networking systems on Intel architecture-based servers. The companies also agreed to collaborate on promoting, enhancing and supporting the Solaris operating environment.

The Intel architecture-based server market is rapidly growing, and Fujitsu is one of the leading companies in this market. Sun's Solaris operating environment provides a proven enterprise solution and is well-known for its cutting-edge technologies, Internet leadership and strong ISV support. The combination of these two companies' strength will provide customers a powerful, reliable, scalable option for 32 and 64-bit enterprise applications and will accelerate the growth of this market.

"Offering our customers the Solaris operating environment on Intel architecture-based servers means that our customers will have more choice of leading software," said Junji Maeyama, Member of the Board and Group President of Fujitsu's Software Group. "Solaris provides one of the most advanced networking environments and our customers can enjoy its high performance, scalability, reliability and security on our Intel servers."

Fujitsu and Sun Microsystems also agreed that both companies will jointly work on the Solaris software to fully exploit Intel architecture-based computers, including the Merced microprocessor when it is available.

"The collaboration between Sun and Fujitsu will help accelerate the IA-32 server market growth and contribute to the powerful momentum of the Merced processor," said John Miner, vice president and general manager, Intel's Enterprise Server Group. "Intel's IA-64 family of products will provide world-class performance and scalability in the enterprise computing environment."

The two companies will collaborate on enhancements to the Solaris operating environment for mission-critical corporate systems. The enhancements will offer customers improved RAS (Reliability, Availability, Serviceability) such as advanced systems diagnostics for quick trouble shooting.

Fujitsu will join Sun's Solaris System Partners Business Council, which sets direction for future enhancements to the Solaris operating environment and ensures that features are expertly integrated and benefit all strategic allies going forward. Fujitsu will assign a team in the United States to support the collaboration. Current members of the council include NCR and Sun's computer division.

"We welcome the strategic relationship of Fujitsu to make the Solaris software the leading enterprise server solution," said Janpieter Scheerder, president of SunSoft, and executive officer of Sun Microsystems. "Fujitsu's strong knowledge of and history with Solaris on SPARC provides an excellent base from which to build an enterprise-class software solution on the Intel architecture as well."

According to International Data Corporation, Sun Solaris software is a leading UNIX(R) operating environment for combined desktop and server platforms, with 28 percent of total UNIX unit shipments, based on preliminary 1997 data. As one of the leading UNIX Server operating environments, Solaris system unit volume grew 26 percent from 1995 to 1997, to 14.4% of all UNIX server operating systems sold. "Fujitsu, the third largest computer company in the world, has extensive experience with data-center mainframes and UNIX systems," said Jean S. Bozman of IDC. "Sun's partnership with Fujitsu should improve data-center management capabilities for Solaris, as well as broaden shipments of Solaris on Intel servers worldwide."

New Programs to Support OEM and ISV Development

The two companies will jointly promote ISV recruitment programs to expand the development of applications for Solaris operating environment on the Intel architecture-based platforms. Sun's previously announced Solaris software on Intel architecture porting and tuning centers will be of great help for ISVs to tune and optimize their applications.

The new Sun(SM) Developer Connection(SM) program, announced on March 25, will also offer extensive ISV support. The Sun Developer Connection is a simplified, comprehensive, world-wide developer program that consolidates the resources of Sun's numerous developer programs while making Sun's many services for developers customizable and easy to access.

Solaris is supported by over 7,000 ISVs which collectively deliver over 12,000 applications for Solaris. Market leading ISVs such as Oracle, Informix, Lotus, Platinum and SAS Institute choose to take advantage of Solaris on both SPARC(TM) and Intel to broaden their market opportunities. Because the Solaris application interfaces are the same on both SPARC and Intel, ISVs can easily support both markets.

"Oracle welcomes the strategic relationship between Fujitsu and Sun," said Kevin Walsh, vice president of Intel Technologies Division at Oracle Corporation. "With Oracle's market leading, award-winning Oracle8 (TM) now available for the Solaris operating environment, Intel edition, Fujitsu customers have an easy choice for scalable, reliable enterprise class data servers."

Availability

The first customer shipment of Solaris on Intel systems from Fujitsu is expected to be in the 2nd half of 1998, and will focus on the Japanese and Asian markets. Amdahl Corporation, a Fujitsu company concentrating on the world's largest enterprise level IT users, will support and sell the Solaris software on the Intel Merced microprocessor in addition to Solaris operating environment on Sun hardware platforms currently being offered. The first batch of enhancements from Fujitsu is expected to be delivered in the Solaris software in the first half of 1999 from Sun.

Solaris Software on the Intel Architecture

The Solaris operating environment on IA-32 today delivers a proven enterprise operating environment with a wealth of application support. Moving forward to the industry-endorsed 64-bit architecture, IA-64, Solaris software running on the Intel architecture gives customers an infrastructure that enables cost-effective, easy Internet-based computing for enterprise applications. In addition, Solaris software provides a strategic platform for delivering a constant, seamless, global network connection that links a company's employees, customers and partners. With this 'Webtone', the 21st century equivalent of the dialtone, the Solaris operating environment offers customers the ability to access the power of the network, from anywhere, from any device.

About Fujitsu Limited

Founded in 1935, Fujitsu Limited is an international leader in information technology, telecommunications, semiconductors and other electronics devices. The Fujitsu Group of over 400 technology, software and service companies posted global revenues of more than $36 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997. Fujitsu can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.fujitsu.com/

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The ComputerTM," has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc., (NASDAQ "SUNW"), to its position as a leading provider of hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $9 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com.

Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, Solaris and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Sun Developer Connection is a service mark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

All SPARC trademarks are used under license and are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, exclusively licensed through X/Open Company, Ltd. Oracle is a registered trademark and Oracle8 is a trademark or registered trademark of Oracle Corporation.

PR Contacts for Press and Analysts

Fujitsu Limited, Public Relations Toshiaki Koike, Scott Ikeda Tel: +81-3-3216-7952 Fax: +81-3-3216-9365 URL: http://www.fujitsu.com/

Sun Microsystems, Inc. In Japan, Eri Yagihashi Nihon Sun Microsystems K.K., Nihon SunSoft Public Relations TEL: +81-3-5717-5152 FAX: +81-3-5717-2575 e-mail: debbie@sun.co.jp URL: http://www.sun.co.jp/ In the U.S., Cecilia Denny Sun Microsystems, Inc. 650-786-7970 email cecilia.denny@sun.com URL: http://www.sun.com/