Ballmer said the shift to online software and services will mean changes for all of Microsoft's businesses, which range from desktop productivity tools to database and e-mail serversoftware.
On Sun's part, the acquisition gives the server and software company a database offering that is capable of storing and manipulating the information used by its software tools, a role it has largely handed to Oracle.
He helped build the database engine in SQL Server 2000, co-founded Spathe.com, and served as Director of Technology at Progress Software and as chief technology officer at AppZero.com.