IBM Doubles Incentive to $8,000 for Ditching Sun

By Jane McEntegart
published

IBM has doubled the incentive for users to ditch Sun equipment.

According to a report on InformationWeek, Big Blue is taking advantage of the uncertainty surrounding the Sun-Oracle merger and upped the offering for those willing to switch from Sun to IBM.

IBM’s rewards program was launched last April and applied to Sparc-based Sun hardware, such as the Sparc, UltraSparc, and Sparc 64 servers, as well as Fujitsu systems that run on Sparc chips. Previously the company offered $4,000 in software and services for every Sun Spar processor replaced with an IBM Power server. The company will now offer $8,000 in software or services for every Sun Sparc processor replaced with an IBM Power server. IBM has helped 1,640 customers migrate from other manufacturers' hardware in the last year, thanks to the rewards program.

The aggressive offering comes after IBM made significant movement towards acquiring Sun Microsystems. The company missed out when Oracle swooped in and bought the struggling company in late April. Expected to be stitched up this summer, Oracle will fork out $7.4 billion for the company.

Jane McEntegart
19 Comments Comment from the forums
  • timaahhh
    Is this basically a rebate to not use Sun gear? Isn't this basically what Intel is in huge trouble for?
    Reply
  • JMcEntegart
    timaahhhIs this basically a rebate to not use Sun gear? Isn't this basically what Intel is in huge trouble for?
    Yes and yes. I'm wondering how this will pan out. That said, IBM has been doing it for a year, with no trouble from the antitrust police so who knows..
    Reply
  • Byebye sun java?
    Reply
  • astrotrain1000
    Too me this sounds no different than buying a dell and getting 2 years of free tech support or free dvd burning software. I don't see why they would get in trouble for it.
    Reply
  • bill gates is your daddy
    blahblahblah...IBM..Sun..computers..antitrust. whatever.

    That is all good and wonderful but I think we need to understand why amidst this great and powerful news is seems that H|OCP is putting out even more hard hitting news such as the following (actual link on their site...Thank you God)

    http://www.esquire.com/the-side/video/megan-fox-video?bcpid=21913413001&bctid=21845810001
    Reply
  • megamanx00
    Bwa ha ha, we don't need to buy you when we can just buy your customers instead.

    Seriously because of the things Sun was complaining about on their offer, you can't really blame IBM.
    Reply
  • verenos
    This is not the same as Intel. IBM is not going behind SUN's back and paying people not to use them. They are giving rebates for you to buy migrate to their product. It is more on the level of a Car Dealer giving you $1500 for any trade in.
    Reply
  • JMcEntegart
    bill gates is your daddyblahblahblah...IBM..Sun..computers..antitrust. whatever.That is all good and wonderful but I think we need to understand why amidst this great and powerful news is seems that H|OCP is putting out even more hard hitting news such as the following (actual link on their site...Thank you God)http://www.esquire.com/the-side/vi 1845810001
    I'll be the first to say that despite her trashy tattoos, Megan Fox is a slammin' hottie but seriously, at least try and keep it tech related.

    If you want to look at videos of pretty girls go ahead, but don't complain that IBM/Sun are not pretty girls in bikinis.
    Reply
  • mtyermom
    ProDigit80Byebye sun java?
    Here's to hoping...


    Though, it's funny to read this while downloading Win 7 RC with a Sun Java applet from the MS site.
    Reply
  • bill gates is your daddy
    JMcEntegartI'll be the first to say that despite her trashy tattoos, Megan Fox is a slammin' hottie but seriously, at least try and keep it tech related.If you want to look at videos of pretty girls go ahead, but don't complain that IBM/Sun are not pretty girls in bikinis.

    Hey...I was just running through the news at H|OCP and this is what they posted. She claims to be a nerd so i figure it's more relevant than IBM antitrust blah. I wonder what would happen if IBM used her to coax companies from Sun?
    Reply