Microsoft
and
XenSource
are to co-develop technology to provide interoperability between Xen-enabled
Linux and Windows hypervisor-based Windows Server virtualisation.
The software giant claimed that the resulting technology will offer a single
virtualisation technology that will operate across Windows, Linux and
Xen-enabled Linux distributions.
Peter Levine, president and chief executive at XenSource, said: "Xen-enabled
guests will now run seamlessly on XenEnterprise and, as a result of this
agreement, Xen-enabled Linux guests will also run on Windows Server
virtualisation.
"XenSource will also deliver additional products based on the collaboratively
developed technology, further expanding the value of the relationship."
Microsoft anticipates providing a beta release of Windows Server
virtualisation by the end of 2006, and plans to release the solution to
manufacturing within 180 days of Windows Server Longhorn, which is targeted for
the end of 2007.
XenSource has previously licensed the Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk format to
enable interoperability with Microsoft virtualisation technologies.
For customers with Premier-level support agreements, Microsoft said that it
will use "commercially reasonable efforts to address potential issues" with
Microsoft software running in XenEnterprise.
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