Intel, Oracle, Sun Widen Cooperation With Israel

ZICHRON YAACOV, Israel — U.S. electronics companies continue to expand their Israeli operations.

Here to complete the acquisition of software developer Aduva for an undisclosed sum, Sun Microsystems Vice President Mike Harding said the acquisition will enable Sun to enter the communications market.

Aduva's technology enables automated patching and dependency management for Solaris and Linux servers. The deal will allow Sun to extend its services by remote update of software on customers' servers.

Harding’s said Aduva’s technology will reduce configuration time to 15 minutes a month for each server. Harding also said Sun plans to increase the size of its Israeli R&D center.

Meanwhile, Oracle is reportedly in talks with Zend Technologies to acquire the Israeli startup for $200 million. Zend provides Web development environments and languages. Oracle wants to raise its profile as an open-source software supporter at the application layer. Oracle would not comment on the expansion reports, but has said it is taking a more aggressive approach to open-source software.Finally, Intel Corp. has signed an industrial cooperation agreement with the Israeli Ministry of Industry and Trade committing it to purchase more than $810 million worth of Israeli goods and services. The agreement follows a government grant of $540 million that Intel will use to build a second plant in the southern town of Kiryat Gat at a total investment of $4.2 billion.