Sun Microsystems is rolling out server software that offers large-scale clustering capabilities for applications running on mail, Web, or database servers.

Sun Cluster 3.0, which runs on top of the Solaris 8 operating system, adds automated application and service creation capabilities. These features let system administrators define service management tasks and determine how applications and services fail over, guaranteeing service level availability and fault tolerance. The cluster software supports up to eight machines, each with up to 128 processors, the company claims.

"We've been working with the technology for the last year and a half," says Charles Boyle, vice president of R&D for service provider Digex. "We're using failover type clustering to provide higher levels of service. The ability to cluster any arbitrary application is where our business needs to be--managing computing as a service, rather than as a server. We'll use it first at the database level and then move into other applications, such as directory services and e-business."

In addition, Sun Cluster saves time and increases ease of operation; once a user installs and configures individual applications on one server, the applications can be run automatically on other servers in the cluster.

"Our business needs to get to the point where we can offer instant-on services," Boyle says. "If we need more of x application, we can get it immediately without waiting for applications to load."

Administration has been simplified with the addition of storage peripherals to the cluster and new cluster agents and tools that make managing the cluster easier.

Sun is also announcing Sun Management Center 3.0, systems management software that now includes Web access, group administration, and enhanced alarm management, as well as online hardware diagnostics. Group administration lets IT managers treat the cluster as a whole; when applications are installed or the configuration of a single node in the cluster is modified, those changes will be automatically duplicated on other machines in the cluster.

The management software also offers dynamic reconfiguration capabilities that minimize downtime during upgrades and system configurations, and embedded performance management, which collects system data and performs analyses.

Sun Management Center supports Sun clusters and systems including Sun's new UltraSPARC III StarFire and StarBlade systems. It also integrates with system management platforms from Computer Associates, Hewlett-Packard, BMC, and Tivoli to provide device discovery and inventory, health, and performance monitoring, and proactive fault and configuration management.

The company compares its cluster to the Compaq TruCluster and IBM's Parallel Sysplex supercomputers using PSSP software.

Sun Cluster 3.0 is available immediately starting at $2000 per server. Sun allows a limited-functionality version of the Sun Management Center to be downloaded without charge. Additional functionality is licensed on a per-node basis. The management software will be available in January.

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