RE: [cobalt-users] New Cobalt Product line on the horizon?

["Paul Johnson" <pfj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Isn't it too late for April Fools jokes this year? :)

Would certainly like to see this, though! 

-----Original Message-----
From: cobalt-users-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:cobalt-users-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Jim O'Regan
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 1:24 AM
To: cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; cobalt-developers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: cobaltfacts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [cobalt-users] New Cobalt Product line on the horizon?

I've heard from two sources that SUN has had recent discussions with a small company
concerning a new version of the Cobalt product line.  So far these are just talks, and
would included beefed-up Qubes and Raqs focusing on fewer services per box and higher
horse power.

As I understand, the concept would be a GUI running OS-independent software (I'd imagine
to have the ability to use either Linux or Solaris).
The end-user would unpack their blue box and go through the setup (same as they do now)
except they'd pick the individual services for that particular machine, and only those
services would show up in the control panel in the GUI.

For example, if an ISP wants a stand-alone DNS server, all that would show up in the
control panel would be the DNS controls (along with the backup, restore, network settings,
etc.).  If you want an "everything" box, all services would show up, just as they do now
in the Qubes, Raq4's, 550's, etc.  These services then can be started and stopped as
desired.

I was told that the idea would be to have multiple machines running few services with a 1
for N spare sitting by on warm stand-by.  If a machine goes down, the spare detects
(probably using pulse or something like that) the dead box and netboots, loads the backup
from another Raq, takes the place of the down machine, and notifies the Sys-Admin.

There were several other applications outlined, but those were the details that stick in
my mind.  I decided to mention it here on the list since the list is currently in
question... maybe SUN could donate one of these new Raq's (Raq 6 maybe?) to the cause to
host the list.  Better yet, maybe they could donate four:  One to host the list, one to be
a spamfilter, one to be a backup server, and one to be the spare... neat proof of concept
anyway...

I think the concept of working with the small company (didn't hear HOW small it was) is to
keep the project focused and cost-controlled.  If things look good, the Cobalt line could
then be brought back in house.

Once again, these are only rumors, but I did hear the same info from two different
sources.  Sounds interesting...

Jim O'Regan