Sun Microsystems to Sell Windows Server Systems

Microsoft & Sun have signed a strategic alliance in this brave new world of Microsoft trying to befriend Linux vendors and now the biggest Unix vendor in the market place and Microsoft are closer than ever.

The announcement means that Sun will be deliver Sun x64 based systems running Windows Server operating systems. As Sun will be starting to ship in about 90 days this will start with Windows Server 2003. The actual agreement covers 4 areas of business:

1. Sun to be an OEM Hardware Partner
2. Microsoft to support Solaris within its Virtualization solutions and Windows runs within the Sun Virtualization solution
3. Sun & Microsoft to collaborate on Microsoft's 'Mediaroom' stragie (IPTV and Multimedia platform)
4. Investment in Interoperability. Microsoft and Sun will build a laboratory at Redmond to demonstrate the interoperability. This will be used for Sales, Support and customer proof of concept activities

The full announcement can be found on the Microsoft & Sun web sites.