There are parallels between RightScale and MySQL. Based on open source software? Check. Sitting pretty at the front of a burgeoning market? Check. Strong and contributing community of users? Check.

MySQL and RightScale also have a venture capital firm in common: Benchmark Capital. Michael Crandall, RightScale CEO said he met Mickos through that connection, and that Mickos was an informal advisor and friend.

RightScale is almost out of the nest now, with a high profile in cloud computing. RightScale provides management and tools for cloud consumers across all the major cloud providers. It boasts buzz-worthy new-school customers like Animoto and Sling Media and old-school giants like Capgemini. But, competitors are springing up like weeds, armed with funding and new ideas, and customers already paying for computing power can be hard to sell on additional spending.

Mickos was contacted for this article but declined to be interviewed because he didn’t wish undue publicity on the move. Crandall said that Mickos will act in an advisory role on strategy and business development.

Crandall sees other parallels between cloud computing and MySQL. In its early days, developers adopted the free database without approval from higher ups because of the way it was so well suited to the new class of Web-based, interactive applications they were writing. “In a similar fashion, cloud adoption is being done through ‘Shadow IT,’” said Crandall.

Leveraging Amazon’s cheap computers instead of free software, Crandall hopes to take RightScale down the same road, fostering users of its free suite of cloud management tools and selling sophisticated extras to those who don’t have the time or the expertise to do it themselves.

Whether or not RightScale and Crandall will be successful remains to be seen. Cloud computing and the marketplace growing around it is in its formative years, and the road to maturity is littered with cast-off toys that have been outgrown.

Written statements from CEO Micheal Crandell and Mickos have a fair share of the usual blather:

“I am extremely pleased that Mårten will be contributing to the vision and direction of RightScale at a time of explosive growth for the company and the industry,” said Michael Crandell, RightScale CEO. “Mårten has proven to be one of the industry’s most innovative leaders, and we hope to tap his experience as we aggressively expand RightScale’s cloud management offerings to new markets.”

“RightScale has established itself as a leading cloud management platform, and the company continues to demonstrate tremendous momentum as its customer base and ecosystem expand with strategic partners like Sun and Canonical,” noted Mickos. “I look forward to offering my experience as a member of the RightScale board to help the company maintain and expand its leadership in a rapidly growing market.”

Mickos is a top gun in the IT world, but RightScale is only a venture-capital funded company at this point. Sun is, well, part of Oracle now, but it makes RightScale look like small fry.

What’s behind Mickos’ move? Does he really want a new challenge? Did he know about Oracle eating Sun? Inquiring minds want to know.

It’s not entirely clear what Mickos’ new role will be, but it’s always safe to assume that if they announced the news, they want you to know, whatever their reasons. Stayed tuned.