Sun Microsystems eclipses Purple Sun

A small Cardiff-based network service supplier, Purple Sun, has been forced to change its name after being threatened with legal action by Sun Microsystems, it is understood.

Acting on the advice of its lawyers, Purple Sun is rebranding as Epitiro.

The company provides network operators such as ISPs and telcos with Customer Experience Management (CEM) services that monitor the quality of service delivered to Internet users.

Purple Sun does not compete with Sun and does not sell Sun equipment or software, but this did not stop Sun from threatening Purple Sun with legal action unless it changed its name, according to those familiar with the case.

Purple Sun, now called Epitiro, says it took its name from the lyrics "still in the firelight and purple moonlight" from a Led Zeppelin song, "The Rover".

"Moonlight didn't fit the song so they changed it and eventually came up with Purple Sun," said a company spokesman.

Luckily they missed out on Purple Rain or Purple Haze, not to mention the classic Purple People Eater, but Purple Sun was enough to make the mighty Sun see, well, purple.

After three years of legal to and fro, Purple Sun/Epitiro decided to call off its efforts to establish the original name. The company would not comment on the name change or any legal action threatened Sun, but a source close to the company estimates the re-branding along with associated costs will cost them £70,000.

Sun had not responded to a request for comment at the time of writing.

Epitro's CEM product set includes iQoS agent, which allows organisations to proactively monitor and improve the level of service offered to Internet users in real-time and its flagship product ISP-I, a CEM Monitoring service to monitor the availability and performance of Internet connections. Epitiro is counting on the kindness of the Greeks to avoid trouble in future, as the word has its origins in ancient Greek.

Gavin Johns, Managing Director of epitiro said, "The new name — Epitiro — more accurately communicates our company's expertise and leadership in customer experience and network monitoring for network operators in the UK and worldwide."

Led Zeppelin's The Rover:

The fields were plenty when Heaven sent me
I saw the kings who ruled them all
Still by the firelight and purple moonlight
I hear the rusted river's call.