Windows is virtually Linux?

Could this really be true? Is it possible for Microsoft and Linux to actually get along? I don't mean "get along" as in willing to quietly ignore each other, "this sandbox is big enough for both of us", but get along as in cooperation and trust!

On monday, Microsoft and Red Hat announced that they would indeed be cooperating going forward, working together to ensure that their virtual environments would be cross-supportive. That is, Microsoft would test AND CERTIFY Linux clients on Microsoft's virtual environments, and that Linux would test AND CERTIFY Microsoft client's on a Linux server.

The cooperation is really an official recognition of the fact that many data centers are operating both Windows and Linux servers, a so-called mixed operating environment. Couple this reality with a very strong movement towards virtualization, and the Microsoft / Linux hook-up makes complete sense. Going forward, this should remove one of the current obstacles to a rapid adoption of virtualization, the assumed requirement that you must be solely focused on a single OS standard to effectively deploy virtual servers.

Microsoft and LInux will coordinate technical support for the products, and there will be no licensing of any Intellectual property between the companies.

So, who feels the impact of this announcement? Primarily, that would be VMWare. Microsoft has been making inroads against VMWare's market position in the world of virtualization, but with the announcement from Microsoft / Linux, I would expect that VMWare's dominant position will continue to erode, possibly at a faster pace. At this point, VMWare will continue to go forward as a stand-alone company, but with a large and very visible target on their back.

Microsoft wants to be the big player in the virtual world, witness their introduction of Windows Server 2008, which supports a fully virtual environment, and now with coperation of Linux, will be able to increase their adoption rates.

For more on this subject, please see:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=12951&tag=nl.e539

For the Microsoft announcement, please see:

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/090216/20090216005482.html