Sun Microsystems starts operations in Goa, 20 more cities soon

Panaji, Oct 18 (UNI) Global computing networking leader - Sun Microsystems - has commenced its operations in this island state of international tourist destination besides unfolding its plans to enter into 20 more 3-tier cities within three months to tap the huge untapped market.

Announcing the launch of its operations here today, the Sun Microsystems India's Partner sales and storage practice wing's director Sudhir Nayar said it had come about through its strategic regional partner (SRP) J P Computer Services based in Goa.

''Our company is sparing no effort to tap the Rs 100 crore plus annual market for its products in Goa even as the servers' market is registering 12 per cent annual growth in the country,'' Mr Nayar told media persons.

''We have identified 18 more such tier 3 cities and towns and will agressively expand our presence into these regions by the end of this current fiscal,'' he said.

The Sun, he said, will identify strategic partners for each of these regions and will conduct intensive training and enabling sessions for the partners chosen to represent Sun's business. We have at present our presence in 9 bigger cities.

Its strategic partner Mr Jitendra Kenkre, Managing Director, JP Computer Service here said the expansion of the segments in Goa include education, research, government and manufacture sector besides tapping the large base of small and medium businesses.

Its major customers included Zurari Industries ltd, BITS Pilani campus, Goa Medical College, Madgao Cooperative Bank, besides National Institute of Oceanography and Chougule industres.

India according to estimates, had Rs 101,000 crore market potential for the IT industry by the year 2010 in high-end computing sector such as servers, unix and other business.

The Sun had the distinction of selling 1.5 lakh servers during the last 15 years in the country even as it earned 20 per cent of its revenue from the servers business, with 5 million java developers.

About 90 per cent of telephone traffic, 80 per cent of internet backbone and 37 per cent of data had been routed through Sun Systems, with its presence in India since 1987.

Six of the top ben banks power their core banking, internet banking, ATM networks and other facilities world over through the Sun systems, leave alone Indian railways, Mr Nayar added.

Leading among the sectors utilising the Sun Systems included digital media and entertainment, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, telecommunications and ISPs, energy, government, life sciences/biotech, retail and education and research, he added.

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