Microsoft and Oracle just announced details of the “startling” partnership that Larry Ellison hinted about last week, working out an arrangement to let corporate customers run Oracle software on Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud computing platform and Hyper-V virtualization technology.
The deal also officially brings the Java programming language to Azure. The companies say they will “work together to add properly licensed, and fully supported Java into Windows Azure – improving flexibility and choice for millions of Java developers and their applications.”
The two companies have been longtime competitors, particularly in the database market. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said on a conference call with analysts that they will continue to compete, but “this partnership has an immediate benefit to customers of every shape and size imaginable.”
The companies said they have worked together behind the scenes to enable similar scenarios on Windows Server, but needed to do something more public in this era of cloud computing. Oracle President Mark Hurd said on the call, “The cloud is the tipping point that has made this happen.”
Here’s the full text of the news release announcing the partnership.
REDMOND, Wash., and REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — June 24, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp. today announced a partnership that will enable customers to run Oracle software on Windows Server Hyper-V and in Windows Azure. Customers will be able to deploy Oracle software — including Java, Oracle Database and Oracle WebLogic Server — on Windows Server Hyper-V or in Windows Azure and receive full support from Oracle. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
As part of this partnership, Oracle will certify and support Oracle software — including Java, Oracle Database and Oracle WebLogic Server — on Windows Server Hyper-V and in Windows Azure. Microsoft will also offer Java, Oracle Database and Oracle WebLogic Server to Windows Azure customers, and Oracle will make Oracle Linux available to Windows Azure customers.
Java developers, IT professionals and businesses will benefit from the flexibility to deploy fully supported Oracle software to Windows Server Hyper-V and Windows Azure.
“Microsoft is deeply committed to giving businesses what they need, and clearly that is the ability to run enterprise workloads in private clouds, public clouds and, increasingly, across both,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer of Microsoft. “Now our customers will be able to take advantage of the flexibility our unique hybrid cloud solutions offer for their Oracle applications, middleware and databases, just like they have been able to do on Windows Server for years.”
“Our customers’ IT environments are changing rapidly to meet the dynamic nature of the world today,” said Oracle President Mark Hurd. “At Oracle, we are committed to providing greater choice and flexibility to customers by providing multiple deployment options for our software, including on-premises, as well as public, private, and hybrid clouds. This collaboration with Microsoft extends our partnership and is important for the benefit of our customers.”
Additional information about support and the licensing mobility changes that went into effect today is available on Oracle’s blog at https://blogs.oracle.com/cloud/entry/oracle_and_microsoft_join_forces.
Earlier: Microsoft’s Ballmer on board for ‘startling’ Oracle cloud database partnership
