Sun has begun adding applications to its Network.com pay-per-use grid computing utility. However, a year after its launch, non-US users are still locked out of the service.

Since at least 2004, the server giant has been talking about the potential of the grid service to change the way complex computing routines are run. Its main argument is that rather than investing capital expenditure in servers and other equipment to accommodate infrequent demand spikes, firms should outsource those routines to Sun’s datacentre, only paying on an hourly, per-CPU basis.

Sun launched the service in March 2006 but said that US rules on technology export meant that non-US users would have to wait.

At the time, Sun chief executive Jonathan Schwartz wrote in his blog: “In this first release, the Sun Grid will be available only to customers inside the US. Why? Export constraints. Stay tuned for international availability. And yes, we will be doing this globally.”

Today, Sun made available a catalogue of ready-made applications for the service to simplify and accelerate usage. The roster includes design, mathematical and pharmaceutical applications.

However, access is still limited to the US. A note on the Network.com site suggests international users sign up for notification to be “informed when service is available in your region”.