Novell and Microsoft open joint Windows Server/Suse Linux lab

Microsoft and Novell have opened a joint development lab focused on improving the interoperability between Microsoft Windows Server and Novell's Suse Linux Enterprise server.

The Microsoft/Novell Interoperability Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts builds on the two firms' agreement to make Linux adoption easier for end-users working in a Windows environment.

The development facility will design and test software and work with customers and the developer community to build and support technologies that allow Microsoft Windows Server and Suse Linux Enterprise to work well together.

Tom Hanrahan, director of Linux interoperability at Microsoft, said, "We are pleased to be working with Novell on this joint interoperability effort and are eager to roll up our sleeves and continue the challenging technical work required to make Windows Server and Suse Linux Enterprise interoperability a reality for our customers."

The first priority for the lab team will be to ensure interoperability between Microsoft and Novell server virtualisation technologies. Additional work will include standards-based systems management, identity federation and compatibility of office document formats.