SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said on Wednesday it agreed to acquire virtualization technology firm Kidaro for an undisclosed sum.


Microsoft said Kidaro's technology will be incorporated into its desktop virtualization product, which allows companies to deliver over an Internet network a "virtual" computer desktop different from the software running on the local machine.

Desktop virtualization allows computers to run more than one operating system on a computer at one time and it also allows users to run applications that may not be compatible with the operating system on the local machine.

Kidaro's technology allows an organization's technology mangers to manage and deploy virtual desktops.

Virtualization is one of the fastest-growing segments of the software industry because it expands the traditional business model that marries one machine to one piece of software like an operating system.

It has gained popularity in the management of powerful computer servers and is starting to gain momentum in managing PC desktops.

(Reporting by Daisuke Wakabayashi, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)
© Copyright 2007 Reuters.