250 seats outfitted with Sun's ultra-thin client Sun Ray

Muscat, Oman, October 19, 2008: Sun Microsystems has outfitted the Oman based Middle East College of Information Technology (MECIT) with a complete Windows based desktop computing environment through its Sun Ray ultra-thin client based solution. The current deployment covers 250 seats across MECIT's campus, and this number is expected to rise as the college expands.

MECIT is among the first institutions dedicated to technology in the Sultanate of Oman. The institution partners with Coventry University UK which has an academic presence internationally.

The ease of deployment of a Sun Ray based solution, coupled with the ability to have one administrator for many hundreds of desktops are expected to help MECIT ensure that students continue to access the Windows applications they need, without incurring high expenditure in terms of desktop management. Security was extremely important as students would be using Sun Rays to take tests, write reports, etc; Sun Rays are extensively used in environments where security is paramount.

"While we needed to provide students with a Windows based desktop computing environment, we were also considering aspects such as expenditure, security, and difficulties involved in deploying PCs across campus," said Ahmed Said, System Administrator, MECIT. "Virus attacks and the ongoing management expenditure of PCs were threatening to take up substantial amounts that could otherwise be allocated to more important projects. We wanted speedy deployment, ease of management and a full Windows environment. Sun worked with us to show that a Sun Ray ultra-thin client based solution would enable MECIT to roll out the Windows based environment students needed extremely quickly and easily maintain them over time."

While students would continue to access a Windows based desktop normally, no expensive or hard to manage PCs would be needed, thereby eliminating worries around desktop patching, upgrades and viruses. Sun Ray ultra-thin clients were deployed for users' desktops and backend Sun Ray servers and Windows Terminal Servers were deployed on Sun's x64 servers. 

MECIT selected Sun's x64 due to their high price-performance and small footprint compared to other volume server vendors. The Sun Ray 2 clients are energy efficient and draw minimal amounts of power - only four watts. This means reduced power bills for the desktop environment as well as various side benefits such as quieter and cooler rooms, and reduced air-conditioning costs as well.

"The Sun Ray is a true zero management thin client in comparison to other makes on the market that contain an embedded operating system that continues to require local configuration, patching and updating," said Dr. Tarek Ayass, Education and Research Regional Manager, Sun Microsystems MENA. "A Sun Ray ultra-thin client is truly stateless, requiring no maintenance. It was clear to MECIT that with a Sun Ray based solution they would be able to deploy many hundred of seats with minimal management, zero downtime for upgrades, patching and viruses."

MECIT offers comprehensive and specialized courses catering to the needs of the students in Oman and throughout the Middle East region. The continuing education department also offers career progression courses to keep abreast of the latest developments in the world of technology.

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© Press Release 2008