NEW YORK-Nearly 40 electronics manufacturers have joined forces with Sun Microsystems Inc. to
develop new devices that run Jini programming language, some of which could come to market by late this
year.
Jini, pronounced “genie,” is an enhancement of Sun’s Java programming language, which permits
platform independence. Jini is an unrestricted standard that allows traditionally and non-traditionally networked devices
to ‘talk’ to each other. Thus, it will permit previously incompatible devices, like computers, cellular phones and TVs, to
communicate seamlessly and instantly regardless of their underlying operating system, processor or application
environment, the company said.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Sun said its network management solution for managing
diverse devices, including those enabled by Jini, is commercially available. Jini programming language was released
six months ago. The licensee equipment manufacturers on board so far have had access to the Jini network
management tool during the intervening time while it was under development.
The new Jini network manager is
based on Sun’s Solstice Enterprise Management software, which already “has been deployed by
telecommunications and enterprise service providers to manage large (and) complex satellite, telephony, video,
wireless data, cellular, [personal communications services], messaging and optical networks,” the company
said.
Sun’s Jini partners to date include Adaptive Networks, America Online, Axis Communications, BEA Systems,
Bosch Siemens, Bull, Canon, Cisco Systems Inc., Computer Associates, Creative Design Solutions, Dallas
Semiconductor, Echelon, Encanto, Ericsson Inc., Funai, Inprise Corp., Kinkos Corp., Kodak Corp., Motorola Inc.,
Novell, Nokia Inc., Oki Electric, Philips, Phoenix Technologies, Quantum, Samsung, Seagate, Seiko Epson, Sharp,
Sony Corp., Symbian, 3Com Palm Computing, Tatung, Toshiba and Xerox Corp.
“Similar to the dial tone
representing continuous access to the telephone, Jini technology provides for a seamless Web tone on the network. [It]
is a radical departure … as it completely bypasses the need for bloated, complex operating system-controlled networks
and instead allows for direct plug-in to the network using intelligent interfaces,” Sun said.
“Jini
technology uses the existing infrastructure of the network so legacy devices can be sustained and brought forward as
the network evolves.”
Sun said its Jini technology operates with the support of four conceptual “pillars
of connectivity.”
The first pillar is the capability of devices to plug and fit into the network simply and
instantly while also being capable of maintaining themselves.
Next is the ability for all devices hooked into the
network to tap each other’s services.
Third, device users have the option to “create their own personal
communities of networked devices, which are mobile, can interact quickly and easily with other communities and do
not require system administration.”
Finally, Jini technology uses a distributed architecture independent of any
central computer server. Therefore, failure of any device connected to the network will not have an impact on others.
