Sun Microsystems To Set Up Infotech Support Centres

Global computing major Sun Microsystems will open two development support centres in Mumbai and New Delhi, introduce iForce initiatives in the country with the information technology (IT) ministry and expand the country's engineering centre.

These announcements were made by Sun Microsystems president and CEO Ed Zander during IT minister Pramod Mahajan's visit to the Sun headquarters. Mahajan is on a week-long visit to the US to promote the country as a major IT investment destination.

The company, according to an official release, plans to invest a significant amount for opening new offices. These will support development groups from iPlanet E Commerce Solutions, a Sun Netscape Alliance.

 

The iForce initiatives will provide dotcom companies broader access to Sun's technologies and services. The company will invest several million dollars for the initiative and work closely with local partners to help Indian organisations dotcom themselves for the new economy.

As part of its global engineering development initiatives, Sun will also expand the India Engineering Centre. The centre, launched in 1998, primarily provides core competency in support of Sun's engineering operations. The centre, at present, supports 160 engineers and is scaled to grow to 400 engineers in two years time.

Meanwhile, ERNET India, an autonomous society under the IT ministry, and Cisco systems have signed a memorandum of understanding that includes a strategic collaboration on advance training and research in networking and Internet technologies.

The agreement was signed between Mahajan and John Chambers, president and chief executive officer of Cisco Systems at Cisco's headquarters.

As per the pact, ERNET will build the infrastructure for a centre of excellence that will showcase technologies, including the leading networking solutions of Cisco. The Centre's main aim will be to raise technology awareness in the country, especially among government organisations.

Both ERNET and Cisco will also explore various means of providing networking and Internet training in the country, to support the IT ministry's strategy to increase the number of trained professionals.

"While India has excellent educational institutions and produces nearly 100,000 engineers a year, a partnership between India and Cisco to enhance and develop the data and telecommunications infrastructure would truly be a win-win situation for the country," Mahajan said.