Cisco and Microsoft this week said they intend to work together to offer support for Windows Server 2008 on Cisco's WAN optimization products for branch offices.

Cisco says it will offer Windows Server 2008 preinstalled on virtualized Wide Area Application Services (WAAS) appliances scheduled to be available later this year. This support will let users at branch offices access Windows Server 2008 locally -- hosted on the WAAS appliance, which essentially becomes the software's server -- while also accessing applications remotely that are hosted on centralized data centers.

The Windows Server 2008 services that will be offered as part of Cisco WAAS platforms initially include Domain Name System, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, Active Directory and Print Services.

The integration of Windows Server 2008 in WAAS will help companies consolidate their remote IT infrastructure and accelerate application delivery from centralized data centers while delivering Windows Server 2008 services in the branch, the companies say. Mutual branch office customers will not have to deploy and manage a separate server to host Windows Server 2008.

Under the non-exclusive arrangement, Cisco becomes a reseller of Windows Server 2008. The two companies plan to test and validate the products and offer customers joint support, and they also plan to jointly market the integrated product.

Microsoft also has application acceleration partnerships with Citrix, Packeteer, Juniper and many others.

Scheduled to launch this week after five years in development, Windows Server 2008 is Microsoft's next-generation flagship server operating system.