In my post yesterday about the forthcoming Ubuntu Server OS that is optimized for VMware I was also wondering what the others would do. The answer came blistering fast and was announced on Sun.com yesterday.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. REDMOND, Wa September 12, 2007 Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: 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.

In the ongoing battle (against WMware) for virtualization market shares, and most likely also to try to catch up technologically, Sun and Microsoft are now working side-by-side on cross-platform virtualization:

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.

Visit Sun’s press room for full story.