Microsoft Novell announces Cooperation technical details to optimize their respective products

CNET Technology Information Network February 13 International ReportOn Monday, Microsoft and Novell announced the technical aspects of their partnership. The two companies will optimize their products in the next few years.

In May last November, the two companies signed a wide-ranging agreement to enable better interoperability between Novell's Linux server software and Windows products. This transaction is also open to two companiesSource codeCustomers of the software provide legal protection.

Microsoft and Novell said on Monday that in terms of virtual technology, after Microsoft released a service package in the second quarter of this year, novell's SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 will be able to run on Microsoft's Virtual Server 2005 R2. Their cooperation in virtual technologies will improve the system performance.

According to hilf, General Manager of the strategic Department of Microsoft platform, the two companies will support web service standards so that customers can use Novell and Microsoft's server software to manage networks more conveniently. They want to connect their management tools and network directories through three Protocols, namely, donews-management, WS-federation, and WS-Security.

The two companies will also establish a mechanism to enable joint customers of the two companies to request help from one company regarding issues related to Novell SuSE Enterprise Linux server or Windows server.

In terms of document interoperability, Novell participated in an open source funded by MicrosoftCodeProject. "In the next few days, Novell plans to release a plug-in for SuSE Enterprise Linux desktop to enable users to open Microsoft Word documents," says jasin, director of Linux and open platform solution marketing, and save it as OpenDocument format.

In May, Microsoft will release a service package containing the plug-in. Later this year, it will release a converter for workbooks and slides.

Despite the support of the CEOs of the two companies, the cooperation between Microsoft and Novell still encountered some troubles. Several weeks after the agreement was signed, Microsoft CEO Ballmer claims that the legal protection terms indicate that Linux infringes Microsoft's patents. This was refuted in a public letter published in March.

The question that the market is concerned about is: does this partnership have a material foundation? There is no doubt that the answer is yes. This cooperation is substantive and we will implement these plans in the next two years.

Original article: http://cnetnews.zdnet.com.cn/2007/0213/377981.shtml