Provided by AWS with Stromasys, Virtualization for SPARC emulates classic SPARC V8/V9 hardware. It relies on Charon-SSP which replicates the virtual SPARC hardware on industry-standard x86 computer systems. The emulation is fully binary compatible with SPARC hardware, including storage, Ethernet, and serial line I/O. The Charon-SSP virtual layer behaves as SPARC hardware and is compatible with SunOS, Solaris, and associated applications. This compatibility allows applications to be quickly re-hosted in the Charon-SSP virtualized environment, bypassing software code conversion, changes, or replacement.

Using Virtualization for SPARC necessitates Solaris, Linux, and Stromasys skills. Rehosting and migrating SPARC-based Solaris applications requires professional services engaged as part of a migration project. Please contact and engage your AWS representative for guidance. You can also contact an AWS specialist at mainframe@amazon.com.

Virtualization for SPARC replaces SPARC systems from the Sun4m, Sun4u, and early Sun4v (pre-Oracle) family. Virtualization for SPARC supports versions SunOS 4.1 to Solaris 11.4. Solaris is Bring-Your-Own-License (BYOL) for Virtualization for SPARC, and customers must make their own Solaris ISO image available for the initial install, after which the original filesystems from the legacy SPARC system may be migrated. Please note that this solution requires customers to review their specific licensing agreements pertaining to Sun/Oracle SPARC and Solaris.