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SUN MICROSYSTEMS TO POWER PROVINCE-WIDE RESEARCH IN QUEBEC

Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc announced that the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal has chosen Sun technology to power its new MRI facility and collaborative research program, which will enable researchers from across the province to join forces to advance research on the brain. The collaborative system, based at the University of Montreal and shared by researchers at the University of Sherbrooke, the l'Université du Québec à Montréal, and McGill University, will link many of the leading neuroscience researchers in Canada.

New data resulting from this research will contribute to the advancement in knowledge and treatment of brain diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, as well as other neurological and mental illnesses like schizophrenia, depression and epilepsy. According to the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Working Group, 364,000 Canadians over the age of 65 suffered from Alzheimer Disease and related dementias in 2001, with numbers expected to continue rising. According to the Parkinson's Society of Canada, nearly one in 300 people in Canada and the United States are afflicted with Parkinson's.

"More than 60 of Quebec's leading neuroscientists work at the University of Montreal, the University of Sherbrooke, the l'Université du Québec à Montréal, and McGill University," said Julien Doyon, scientific director of the Functional Neuroimaging Unit at the University of Montreal. "Science progresses through the sharing of information among peers,and with our Sun infrastructure in place, we are now able to collaborate in real-time, boosting the speed, accuracy and relevance of our work."

Technology Extends Research Across The Province

The MRI facility is comprised of a neuro-imaging unit and supporting information architecture, built with technology from Siemens, Sun Microsystems, and other vendors. The infrastructure will enable modeling and other data analysis at the Institute, as well as the capture and distribution of data to neuroscience researchers at other academic centers across the province.

"The Regroupement Neuroimagerie/Québec, directed by Drs. Yves Joanette and Julien Doyon, accounts for one quarter of the neuroscience research done in Canada," said Stéphane Boisvert, president of Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. "By enabling a higher level of interaction and cooperative research with advanced IT systems, we have helped the Institute create a catalyst to further research, discoveries and, in the long term, cures to these debilitating diseases."

The technology backbone of the Institute's MRI facility consists of Sun Fire V240 and V440 servers for data, administration and other services, and a cluster of V20Z servers for computational modeling. A modular Sun StorEdge 6120 array powered with StorEdge Enterprise Backup software provides researchers with 4TB of high-availability storage. The StorEdge Enterprise Backup software delivers centralized management and data protection and, combined with the high availability of the StorEdge 6120 array, ensures researchers have full access to data, regardless of time, location or usage levels. Installation of the server and storage system was conducted by Sun Professional Services. The Institute has also ensured its system will continue to run at peak performance by investing in three years of Sunspectrum support.

The Institute, affiliated with the University of Montreal, takes advantage of Sun's Edusoft Portfolio, which provides access to full range of software tools, technologies, applications and product refreshes for a minimal cost. The EduSoft Portfolio provides low-cost access to Universities, Primary, Secondary and post-Secondary schools, Libraries, Non-profit Research Institutions and similar groups.

About Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc

Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems Inc, is headquartered in Markham, Ontario. The company, which employs more than 550 persons, has offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria. Sun products and services are also available through Sun Authorized Independent Marketing Organizations and iForce System Providers across Canada. For more information, visit ca.sun.com.

About Sun Microsystems Inc

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer" – has propelled Sun Microsystems Inc to its position as a provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the World Wide Web at sun.com.