It is easy for one to assume Microsoft makes more revenue from Windows than something as humble as servers-- but they'd be wrong. In fact, the Microsoft Servers and Tools division generated more revenue than Windows in fiscal 2012. 

The S&T division covers server versions of Windows, database software, Azure cloud services, software development tools, systems management products and enterprise services. 

As one can see in the Silicon Alley Insider chart, 2012 S&T revenues total $18.7 billion, while Windows revenue reaches $18.4bn. 

One has to keep Read more...

The Superior Court of California decides in favour of HP in the legal battle against Oracle-- ruling Oracle of breach of contract when it dropped HP Itanium server support for future database software versions.

The court demands "Oracle’s obligation to continue to offer its products on HP’s Itanium-based server platforms lasts until such time as HP discontinues the sales of its Itanium-based servers."

Worthy in the least of a made-for-TV legal drama, the Oracle vs. HP war started back in 2010, when HP kicked then CEO Mark Hurd following his re-routing expense money to soft core porn star turned B-film actress Jodie Fisher. A tennis buddy of no other than Oracle CEO Larry Ellison (who described the firing "the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago”) Hurd quickly got a job running Oracle sales and operations.  Read more...

VMware acquires software-defined networking (SDN) and network virtualisation specialist Nicira for $1.3 billion, bringing news of big purchases of young start-ups to the datacentre segment. 

Nicira is a 5-year old company with only one finished product to its name-- the Nicira Network Virtualisation Platform (NVP), a software solution allowing customers to create "thousands" of virtual networks (complete with virtual switching to virtualised layer 3-7 services) on top of existing physical networks. 

NVP users include AT&T, DreamHost, eBay, NTT and Read more...

Microsoft announces the top performing partners at the 2012 Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC 2012) in Toronto-- with 10 Microsoft Dynamics partners beating 294 global partner nominations. 

The Microsoft Dynamics winners are as follows: 

• Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year: PowerObjects
• Microsoft Dynamics Cloud Business Excellence: Zero2Ten Inc.
• Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace Solution Excellence: ClickDimensions
• Microsoft Dynamics ERP Partner of the Year: INFORMA Software Consulting GmbH Read more...

Intel lowers Q3 2012 expectations after it falls short of Q2 2012 goals, noticing softer consumer spending in Europe and the US-- even if Q2 revenues grow by 5% Y-o-Y to total $13.5 billion.

This means Intel is doing like AMD in lowering outlooks as a sign of current tepid economic conditions.

The Intel PC client group sees revenues of $8.7bn (with 3% Q-o-Q growth), while the Data Center Group sees the most growth (14% Q-o-Q) and revenues reaching $2.8bn.

The earnings call also allows the company to tell how its mobile efforts are going-- CEO Read more...

AMD's Q2 2012 shows signs of decline, with "softer-than-expected" sales in Europe and China together with a weak economy causing a -11% Q-o-Q decrease in revenues.

The company had earlier forecast 3% Q-o-Q growth for the quarter. It also expects Q2 gross margin to be "approximately in line" with earlier forecasts.

The European decline is not too surprising considering the current economic situation. Hitting AMD particularly hard is the fact it sells to the lower end of the PC market.

AMD also faces competition from the latest Intel PC and server Read more...