Sun, Archipelago Plan Online Power Exchange

Sun Microsystems Inc. and Archipelago Holdings Inc. plan to build the world’s first online exchange to buy and sell computing power such as electricity to reduce technology costs for customers.

Companies that buy excess computing power from Sun, the world’s third-largest maker of computer servers, will be able to resell it on Archipelago’s online exchange, said Aisling MacRunnels, Sun’s director of utility marketing.

On Tuesday, Sun unveiled a program to sell computing power online for $1 an hour, below the $6 to $16 it said traditional customers spent on computing.