In a surprising announcement last week, Microsoft announced it released 20,000 lines of device driver code to the Linux community. The code, which includes three Linux device drivers, has been submitted to the Linux kernel community for inclusion in the Linux tree. The drivers will be available to the Linux community and customers alike, and will enhance the performance of the Linux operating system when virtualized on Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V or Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V. The move is seen by observers as a savvy business move-versus an altruistic gesture-since it helps assure interoperability within Microsoft virtualized environments. However, the move demonstrates recognition, even from the most anti-Linux circles, that Linux is an enterprise force to be reckoned with. To stay on top of all the trends, subscribe to Database Trends and Applications magazine.