SunRay 2
Gallery
Image of OSfOM.org Collection's SunRay 2.
Technical Specifications
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| Processor: Math Copro: |
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Refining the Revolution: A Deep Dive into the Sun Ray 2
Sun Microsystems introduced the Sun Ray 2 thin client family in 2004 as the successor to the Sun Ray 1. The line retained the stateless architecture and smart-card-based "Follow-Me-Desktop" model of the original design, but updated the hardware with faster internal components, lower electrical power consumption, and a smaller chassis.
The family included several variants: the base Sun Ray 2, the graphics-focused Sun Ray 2G, the dual-display Sun Ray 2SG, and the integrated-display Sun Ray 270. Hardware and protocol updates across the line included:
- Faster processing and video hardware for smoother video playback and graphical applications
- Dual-monitor support on the Sun Ray 2SG
- Support for industry-standard network protocols alongside Sun's Appliance Link Protocol (ALP)
- USB 2.0 ports to support peripherals such as mass storage devices, webcams, and specialized input hardware
- Reduced power consumption compared to the Sun Ray 1
- Smart card readers for hot-desking, allowing users to move between terminals and resume active sessions immediately
The Sun Ray 2 contained no local storage and did not run an operating system locally. Units booted over the network and connected to central servers—typically running Sun Ray Server Software on Solaris—where application execution, software deployment, and system security were administered centrally.
Organizations deployed Sun Ray 2 clients across several sectors:
- Corporate offices, call centers, and financial trading floors requiring standardized desktop environments
- Healthcare settings for clinical workstations where staff accessed patient data across multiple rooms
- Government agencies and secure facilities where local data storage presented a security risk
- Educational institutions for student computer labs and libraries
Oracle discontinued the Sun Ray hardware line following its acquisition of Sun Microsystems. The centralized, network-managed desktop architecture used by the series preceded modern desktop virtualization (VDI) platforms, cloud-hosted desktops, and devices such as Chromebooks.