Microsoft Formalizes Cross-Platform Collaboration With CS2C in China

In a joint event in Beijing today, Microsoft MSFT and China's leading domestic Linux operating system provider, China Standard Software, signed an agreement to jointly develop, market and sell solutions for the booming cloud-computing market in China. The primary goal of this agreement is to provide public and private cloud solutions to a diverse array of industries through a rich partner ecosystem. The mixed source solutions stemming from this collaboration will be built on Microsoft's Hyper-V Open Cloud architecture and will include support to run CS2C NeoKylin Linux Server products. While establishing market and technology collaboration, the two companies have also signed a mutually beneficial customer legal covenant agreement. "We have come together with CS2C through our shared belief that technology is both a critical mechanism for organizations to realize their potential, as well as a catalyst for innovation and economic growth," said Simon Leung, chairman and CEO of Microsoft Greater China Region. "Through this collaboration, we seek to support our joint customers in China with solutions for the cloud, which will help them build upon their existing operational investments, yet also allow them the flexibility to capitalize on strategic opportunities that may arise during this period of expansive change and growth." "Organizations are constantly looking for new ways to help them adapt and thrive in the marketplace, and nowhere is that more relevant than in the China market today," said Han Naiping, president of CS2C. "Building on our heritage of providing CS2C NeoKylin Operating System and customized solutions for customers, we are seizing the important opportunity to collaborate with Microsoft to deliver comprehensive, flexible, cloud-based solutions that will serve as a platform for business growth." "While cloud computing promises to move computing to the next level, a critical challenge that many organizations face is rationalizing diverse technologies and different platforms," said Lu Shouqun, chairman of China OpenSource Promotion Union. "The commitment between Microsoft and CS2C to provide mixed source solutions will not only allow the co-existence of different operation platforms in the cloud environment, but also enhance choice for customers." “From the perspective of users, we are glad to see cooperation between different operating system providers,” said Fu Boning, deputy director, Information Center for the China Ministry of Agriculture. “The cross-platform collaboration of multiple platforms is becoming a trend in areas like cloud computing. With more and more collaboration from vendors, the customers' entire information system will be better protected.” Microsoft and CS2C have also pledged to sponsor a joint virtual technology lab in Beijing for solution development and testing of cloud solutions that will allow customers to move to virtualization and a cloud-based IT infrastructure. The lab will focus on the certification of CS2C NeoKylin Operating System on Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V, creating Microsoft Systems Center management packs for CS2C NeoKylin Operating System application workloads, and incorporating support for CS2C NeoKylin Operating System within the Hyper-V Cloud architecture. As part of the collaboration, CS2C will also take part in the Interop Vendor Alliance, an established community of software and hardware vendors that have been working together to enhance interoperability with Microsoft systems.