Salesforce.com and Microsoft settle patent dispute

The software competitors have offered each other coverage under their respective patent portfolios, Microsoft announced Wednesday. 

Salesforce.com will be covered for its use of certain products and services, including Microsoft’s server infrastructure during the term of the agreement.     

Microsoft will be covered under Salesforce.com’s patent portfolio for its own products and services. 

Neither companies have clarified the details of the agreement, however Microsoft said it was “compensated” on the strengths of its operating system, cloud services and customer relationship management patents. 

The two had separately filed patent infringement cases in different jurisdictions earlier this year. Microsoft launched its case in May, alleging the company which employs a “no software” logo had breached nine of its patents. 

Salesforce.com CEO Mark Benioff labelled Microsoft a “patent troll” and likened it to a “back alley thug”. Then in June Salesforce.com fired back with its own infringement claim centred on Windows Server AppFabric, the Windows Error Reporting system for WIndows 7 and Server 2008 R2, Windows Live Delegated Authentication system and methods used by its .Net and Sharepoint platforms .  

“We are pleased to reach this agreement with Salesforce.com to put an end to the litigation between our two companies,” said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing at Microsoft.