Microsoft and Sun Expand Strategic Alliance

Sun to Become Windows Server OEM and Companies to Collaborate on

Cross-platform Virtualization

    REDMOND, Wash. and SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
 -- Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT) and Sun Microsystems, Inc. (
 JAVA) today announced that Sun has signed on as a Windows Server OEM.
 Additionally, Sun and Microsoft will collaborate to further enable
 deployment of Windows Server on Sun x64 systems.
     "Today's announcement is another example of Microsoft's commitment to
 64-bit computing," said Bob Muglia, senior vice president, Server and Tools
 Division at Microsoft. "The Sun hardware platform is an excellent
 foundation for Windows(R)-based enterprise solutions, such as Microsoft
 Virtual Server, Microsoft SQL Server(TM), Microsoft Exchange Server and
 Microsoft Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Edition. Our customers will
 have an additional choice of Windows Server OEM partners with Sun."
     "Sun is now a single source for today's leading operating systems --
 Solaris(TM) and Windows -- on the industry's most innovative x64 systems
 and storage products. Customers can now take advantage of the
 virtualization benefits of Windows and Solaris on Sun's energy efficient
 x64 systems," said John Fowler, executive vice president, Systems Group,
 Sun Microsystems. "Microsoft's recognition of our x64 systems and storage
 systems is a testament to the superior system design at the heart of our
 product portfolio."
     Key components in today's announcement include:
     Windows Server OEM Agreement -- Sun will offer Windows Server on its
 x64 hardware and will provide additional utilities and value-added software
 offerings to server systems carrying Windows Server. Windows Server 2003
 will be available on Sun x64 systems within 90 days.
     Sun x64 Systems and Storage -- Microsoft recognizes Sun's compelling
 x64 server and storage products in the market today. Microsoft and Sun will
 continue to work together to test and validate the Windows platform on
 these systems for scale-up enterprise computing.
     Solaris and Windows Virtualization -- Sun and Microsoft will work
 together to ensure that Solaris runs well as a guest on Microsoft
 virtualization technologies and that Windows Server runs well as a guest on
 Sun's virtualization technologies. Sun and Microsoft will work together on
 a support process for customers who are using the virtualization solutions.
 This joint commitment to customers ensures that Windows and Solaris will
 provide a solid virtualization experience.
     Expanded IPTV partnership -- Sun and Microsoft will continue to
 collaborate to advance the worldwide deployment of the Microsoft
 Mediaroom(TM) IPTV and multimedia platform on Sun servers and storage
 systems. AT&T U-verse digital TV offering has chosen Sun for one of world's
 largest deployments of the Microsoft Mediaroom platform, which includes
 server and client software. The combination of Sun's server solutions and
 Microsoft's TV software technology and expertise is expected to speed
 time-to-market for IPTV services, while providing superior cost and
 performance characteristics for communications service providers worldwide.
     Expanded investment in interoperability -- Microsoft and Sun will build
 an Interoperability Center on Microsoft's Redmond campus. The Center will
 include a demonstration area for Sun x64 systems, act as a working lab for
 Windows on Sun benchmarks and sales tools, and support customers running
 proofs-of-concept for projects focused on Windows on Sun x64 systems,
 including joint Sun/Microsoft solutions in areas such as: database, email
 and messaging, virtualization and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) support in
 Sun Ray(TM) thin clients. The Interoperability Center will expand Sun's
 presence on the Microsoft main campus, adding to existing Sun systems
 showcased and customer tested in the Microsoft Enterprise Engineering
 Center.
     This continued investment in interoperability builds on the initial
 cooperation agreement between the two companies initiated in April 2004.
 Since then, Microsoft and Sun have collaborated on interoperability for Web
 services, identity management, thin clients, systems management and Windows
 Server engineering. Sun offers Windows Server installation and staging
 services through its Customer Ready Systems program, providing support for
 customers with more advanced pre-integration and testing needs. The two
 companies have also created a basis for tighter interoperability between
 Java(TM) Platform Enterprise Edition (Java EE), the .NET Framework 3.0 and
 Windows Communication Foundation in Sun's Web services interoperability
 technologies (Project Tango). Sun is also a founding member of the
 Microsoft Interoperability Vendor Alliance and a Microsoft Gold Certified
 Partner.
     More information on Windows on Sun's x64 systems is available at:
 http://www.sun.com/software/windows/
     More information on Windows 64-bit Computing is available at
 http://www.microsoft.com/servers/64bit/overview.mspx
     About Microsoft
     Founded in 1975, Microsoft ( MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
 software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
 their full potential.
     About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
     Sun Microsystems develops the technologies that power the global
 marketplace. Guided by a singular vision -- "The Network is the Computer"
 -- Sun drives network participation through shared innovation, community
 development and open source leadership. Sun can be found in more than 100
 countries and on the Web at http://sun.com
     Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Solaris, Java, Sun Ray and The
 Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun
 Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
 
 

SOURCE Sun Microsystems, Inc.; Microsoft Corporation