Then there's the market momentum. X86 is being used for more enterprise-oriented tasks--Web, database and computing chores that were once reserved for beefier architectures. The processors can now handle the loads--and the operating systems, such as Linux and newer Windows versions, have become more stable.
Rather than enhance an existing product for timely introduction, Intel took a chance with the Itanium and is trying to steer the market along its path. Meanwhile, AMD has breathed new life into the x86 architecture, proving that it's willing to take chances, and that it's worthy beyond the consumer market.
Many enterprises will find it more convenient to use the same architecture for both low-end and high-end applications, and if they can save money by going all x86, that's the route they'll take. Still, given its enormous resources, if Intel can get the Itanium down to a competitive price, it could prevail in the long run.
Mike Lee is Network Computing's editor. Write to him at [email protected].
To realize the benefits of cloud-native software, an application must actually be cloud-native—designed to run in the cloud, interacting with disaggregated cloud services, fully manageable as code—to deliver the expected benefits.
By combining resources and expertise, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium will offer a blueprint for how industries can adapt to an AI-dominated future.
IT leaders should heed the guidance of cybersecurity insurance providers who think businesses should prioritize security education, incident preparedness, regular internal audits, and ongoing vulnerability scanning and patching.
