"When it comes to innovative design, performance and scalability, Sun is an x64 industry leader", stated John Fowler, executive vice president, Sun Microsystems. "With today's announcement we're expanding our virtualization portfolio and giving customers who want VMware virtualization software a great hardware platform for maximizing their utilization and their IT investment."

"The benefits of lower capital and operating expenses, business continuity, security, and a greener data centre are driving strong demand for VMware virtualization software on Sun x64 server and storage systems", stated Diane Greene, president and chief executive officer of VMware. "This new milestone in our ongoing relationship with Sun gives customers what they want: a combination of advanced technologies that deliver strong business value."

Sun and VMware will continue their robust qualification program of VMware products on Sun systems. The companies will also work to ensure that the Solaris Operating System (OS) will continue to be a first-class guest operating system on VMware virtualization software, and VMware Infrastructure will be a first-class data centre virtualization run-time and management stack on Sun x64 systems. The two companies plan to also collaborate on system management configuration, deployment and monitoring for each other's products.

Selected Sun x64 servers are available for a free 60-day trial as part of Sun's Try-and-Buy programme, which includes a free 60-day evaluation of VMware Infrastructure. Sun also offers its own complete virtualization portfolio that includes unified software management tools and virtualization of operating systems, servers, storage, desktops and chips - both inside and outside the box.