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Sun Creates Partner Growth Fund Continuing to Enhance the Partner Advantage Program

Posted on: Tuesday, 21 August 2007, 09:17 CDT

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced the launch of a Partner Growth Fund, creating a significant pool of money for the members of the Sun(SM) Partner Advantage Program, Sun's global partner program. This new program will empower Sun's network of global partners with rapid and easy access to the most current Sun technology innovations and solutions, enabling partners to expand opportunities for revenue growth.

This investment will take two forms: first, the Partner Growth Fund will become a sustaining program within the Partner Advantage Program. Depending on membership level, partners will earn dollars every month based on their revenue performance to purchase equipment that can be used for in-house demonstration centers, customer facing demo systems or even systems for application proof-of-concepts. In addition, Sun will begin shipping some no-cost seed units of our newest technology systems like Sun Blade(TM) servers, the Sun Fire(TM) x4500 and Opteron(TM) servers to Executive level Partner Advantage Program Resellers, Global Systems Integrators and many of our ISVs starting in September. This initial investment will jumpstart partner participation prior to them accruing dollars to spend from the Partner Growth Fund.

"Our partners have told us that Sun's superior technology provides them with a competitive advantage. With the creation of a Partner Growth Fund, Sun shows once again that we've taken their council by giving them easier and wider access to Sun technology," said Don Grantham, executive vice president of Global Sales and Services at Sun Microsystems, Inc. "Our Partners lead the way by selling value into existing accounts and capturing new customers. With this new Partner Growth Fund, our partners are better equipped than ever to compete in the technology marketplace and drive more revenue."

In July 2007, Sun announced the completion of the global Sun Partner Advantage Program roll-out, Sun's enhanced worldwide partner program that provides a consistent global framework for all partners. This new Partner Growth Fund will be available to partners via the Sun Partner Advantage Program. Eligible partners will have flexible access to all of Sun's hardware and software including the Solaris(TM) 10 Operating System (OS). The Partner Growth Fund will augment existing programs like the Go-To-Market Program that provides demand generation marketing dollars and training dollars to Sun's Partners. The Partner Growth Fund rounds out these other programs to significantly improve the partner business proposition.

"As a reseller, it's business-critical that we have access to the newest and most cutting-edge technology that our own customers are searching for. We recognize Sun as having the best technology in the world and with the availability of Sun's new fund and the unprecedented technology access it will provide us with, we are confident that we will enhance our value proposition to the market place and impact the bottom line," said Mike Thompson, president and CEO of Groupware Technology, Inc. "We look forward to working hand-in-hand with Sun to open doors to revenue opportunities even wider than before."

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Sun Microsystems develops the technologies that power the global marketplace. Guided by a singular vision -- "The Network is the Computer" -- Sun drives network participation through shared innovation, community development and open source leadership. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the Web at http://sun.com/

Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, StarOffice, Solaris, Sun Blade, Sun Fire, and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. AMD, Opteron, the AMD logo, the AMD Opteron logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Kim Evans Sun Microsystems, Inc. 415.762.2270 kim.evans@sun.com Contact: allpress@sun.com (650) 786-7377

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

CONTACT: Kim Evans of Sun Microsystems, Inc., +1-415-762-2270,kim.evans@sun.com

Web site: http://sun.com/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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