Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/1999/04/29/zander_dismantles_solar_system/

Zander dismantles Solar System

Sun reigns-in subs and heads for consumers

By John Lettice

Posted in On-Prem, 29th April 1999 07:24 GMT

A year ago From The Register No. 74, April 1998 Sun's inherent loopiness was muted somewhat this week via restructuring. The outfit's five operating companies, sometimes apparently known as 'planets,' have been busted down to divisions, while two more key divisions, Network Storage and Consumer/Embedded Markets, have been added. The reorg appears to clip the wings of the divisions somewhat, tightening-up their reporting to COO Ed 'Death Star Destroyer of Planets' Zander, who says that they'll now be able to attack new markets faster and more effectively, while offering "a unified face to the customer." So Sun has decided that it's about time everybody sang from the same hymn sheet, and maybe it's also thinking it's big enough to start behaving more like a normal corporation. The divisions will lose some autonomy, and SunSoft is being rechristened Solaris Software, which sounds a little like it's going to be focussing more closely on core product lines. The other divisions are Sun Service, Sun Microelectronics and Sun Microsystems Computer Co. The Consumer/Embedded division is the biggest news, however. Sun's been pushing hard into these areas, so the appearance of the new division signals a determination to grab share in the smart phone, set-top box, in-car and appliance areas. ®