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The world is full of numbers, as people work 24/7, pick up snacks at 7-11 and get the 411. In the technology arena, where digits are rampant, the number garnering the most attention now, and for some time into the future, is 64.
Operating systems based on 64-bit technology have been heralded as having the potential to set off a new wave of technology, as well as simply making enterprises faster and more efficient.
But the 64 dawn has not quite broken into full sun yet: For most users, a 64-bit system means a
Linux
platform and an
AMD
chip
.
But recently, the Windows 64-bit operating system and
Intel’s
64-bit Itanium chip opened new alternatives to at least some of the server market. Now it is up to users to decide whether making the move to Win x64 can give them the numbers they need.
Gradual Transition
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One important thing to note when contemplating the shift from 32-bit to 64-bit
computing
is that although it might feel like a dramatic leap from one to the other, Microsoft maintains that the move can be done over time.
Windows Server 2003 x64 editions and
Windows XP Professional x64
edition allow Microsoft customers to run both 32-bit and 64-bit applications, according to John Borozan, senior product manager in the Windows Server Division at Microsoft.
“Customers can easily make a gradual shift to 64-bit computing at their own pace while preserving current investments in 32-bit applications,” he said.
Hardware Store
Moving to Win 64 will require an update of all hardware drivers, but not all vendors provide 64-bit versions of their drivers, or have provided schedules of when they might be released. Because of this, some have wondered if Win 64 systems should only be used with brand new servers that have the software preinstalled.
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AMD maintains that there are many hardware vendors that have 64-bit device drivers currently available, and more are coming all the time, lessening the need to wait.
“As the Win x64 OS moves toward launch, we have seen more and more device drivers released,” said AMD senior software strategist Margaret Lewis. The company maintains a site to help users get the status of 64-bit device drivers, and where to go to download.
But some companies may choose to wait if they have a broad swath of equipment that needs to be replaced.
“Older devices are definitely the biggest issue,” said Lewis. “Even if you buy a new computer with all the necessary device drivers, there could be a problem hooking up an older
printer
, for example. Just buying new equipment won’t necessary solve the issue.”
Software Issues
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In terms of software, current Windows applications will not be able to take advantage of the 64-bit architecture. The question, then, for many I.T. departments is whether to wait until there are more 64-bit versions of the software to reap the rewards of migrating.
“No, customers can gain some immediate benefits by migrating to 64-bit OSs with 32-bit applications,” answered Stuart McRae, group manager for the
IBM
eServer xSeries.
The OS is multithreaded and can therefore yield better performance on a 64-bit system, McRae added. Also, he believes memory management is better in a 64-bit OS.
“So, for example, the 32-bit application will have access to the full 4 GB of memory it can address while the OS will run in additional memory,” he said. That is counter to a 32-bit OS and application where the OS can take 1 to 1.5 GB of memory, leaving the application with only 2.5 to 3 GB of memory to run.
Prime-Time Player
For those who fret that Microsoft’s x64 editions are not ready for a chunk of enterprise spending quite yet, Borozan noted that although this is the debut of the x64 editions, they are built from the same code base as Windows Server 2003 SP1.
“They contain all the security and reliability enhancements that are part of that release,” said Borozan. “So in that sense, the x64 editions are already at an SP1 milestone.”
Calling the x64 the “most stable release of Windows ever,” he added that the Microsoft.com site is deployed on the x64 editions, as is
MSN
Search.
“We’ve bet our business on it,” he said. “So you can see this release is fully ready for prime time.”
