Symantec and Microsoft settle suit over Vista storage technology

Symantec sued Microsoft almost 2 years ago for violating licensing terms on its patented technology in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. The suit has finally come to an apparently amicable settlement.

Financial terms were not disclosed by either party, both of whom requested to dismiss the case from the Seattle U.S. District Court "without an award of costs or fees to either party."

Original demands of Symantec's suit included an injunction on the operating systems for the disputed technology to be removed, as well as monetary damages.

The technology in question was Symantec's Volume Manager data storage system. Microsoft claimed to have licensed the technology from its developer Veritas, which were acquired by Symantec in 2004, and Symantec said Microsoft's use of the technology was in violation of contract terms.

Simultaneous statements were reportedly issued from the companies, saying: "Microsoft and Symantec are pleased to have amicably resolved this dispute in a manner that reaffirms and extends our technical cooperation on volume management technologies. This agreement will produce significant benefits for our many mutual customers using mission-critical storage software technologies."