Microsoft, Xandros Cuddle Up Closer On Email

Microsoft and Linux distributor Xandros on Wednesday extended an existing partnership to include tighter integration between the two vendors' email products.

Xandros, which last month acquired Linux-based email and collaboration startup Scalix, will develop its own server-side version of Microsoft's Exchange ActiveSync protocol, allowing organizations with Scalix email servers to give users synchronized mobile access to their work email.

New York City-based Xandros will also develop a server-side implementation of Microsoft's Outlook Exchange Transport Protocol 2007, giving organizations more options for synchronizing email between email clients and Scalix email servers.

The benefits for Xandros will come in the form of closer integration with the Outlook and Exchange that is necessary in most businesses, says Frank Basanta, director of technology for Systems Solutions, a New York City-based integrator.

"It's an aggressive tactic to ensure that Scalix can compete more effectively in the market. It's basically just giving Xandros the ability to build in more functionality in Scalix and offer better integration of functionality for people coming in off of Outlook," said Basanta.

Microsoft in June reiterated long standing allusions that Linux violates several of its patents, and also inked a series of collaboration and patent agreements with Xandros that were similar to the ones Microsoft signed with Novell -- another Xandros foe -- last November.