Microsoft stakes claim to x64 future
WinInfo | at | by Mike
Citing the overwhelming popularity of server hardware based on the 64-bit x64 platform, Microsoft yesterday announced an aggressive roadmap for moving its server products off of the 32-bit x86 platform. The announcement, which came at IT Forum in Barcelona, Spain, specified which products would be release only in x64 versions over the next few years.
For most Microsoft customers, this news will be somewhat shocking at first. But the reality is that most server makers will cease shipping x86-based hardware next year, and even today, most new server systems are x64-based, even though they still utilize 32-bit operating systems and applications.