Sun Microsystems is delving into desktop virtualization by buying a German company that specializes in open-source software that allows PCs to run applications with a range of operating systems. On Feb. 12, <A HREF="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Desktops-and-Notebooks/Sun-Acquiring-Desktop-Virtualization-Specialist/?kc=EWKNLNAV021308STR4">Sun announced that it plans to acquire Innotek</A> for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is expected to close in Sun's fiscal third quarter.

As part of the agreement, Sun plans to incorporate Innotek's open-source VirtualBox software into its own xVM virtualization and management platform, which Sun officially unveiled in November. The VirtualBox software works with a number of different operating systems, including Sun's own Solaris OS, as well as Linux, Microsoft's Windows and Apple's Mac OS, and allows users to switch back and forth between the different operating systems.