At a joint customer and partner forum today in Beijing, Microsoft and AgreeYa Mobility announced a protocol licensing agreement that allows AgreeYa Mobility solutions to interoperate with select Microsoft enterprise applications and services.

This licensing agreement will enable AgreeYa Mobility to create solutions for non-Microsoft mobile platforms including iOS, Android, RIM and WebOS that connect with Microsoft enterprise back-end systems. The goal of the agreement is to expand the reach of Microsoft's enterprise applications and cloud services across a broad range of heterogeneous mobile devices and tablets.

"We use Microsoft applications to support critical functions of our business including email, server management and maintenance of the company website," said Doug Eney, chief technical officer and vice president I/S Engineering at Carnival Cruise Lines. "We are pleased that Microsoft and AgreeYa Mobility are working together; it's agreements like these that will help companies like Carnival support interoperability between these applications and different mobile device platforms. Solutions like these enhance enterprise companies? mobile access to the Microsoft applications they need to do their jobs."

"A very large percentage of enterprises are utilizing Microsoft applications and are demanding access to those applications on their mobile devices and tablets," said Krish Kupathil, CEO of AgreeYa Mobility. "By entering into this protocol licensing agreement, AgreeYa Mobility obtains the rights under Microsoft patents to implement Microsoft communication protocols. In addition, customers will gain access to applications and services that work seamlessly across Microsoft technologies, allowing for a compelling unified user experience on non-Windows mobile platforms."

AgreeYa Mobility will use the protocols licensed from Microsoft to create mobile solutions that connect to Remote Desktop Services, Windows Azure, Active Directory and SharePoint.

The two sides did not disclose the financial details of the agreement.