However, Brookwood says two things must happen before storage applications can take advantage of live 64-bit servers. First, Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows 2003 Server, a key software element of today's Intel-based servers, must become available. That is expected to happen later this year. Then there will be a need for 64-bit databases; that probably won't happen until around mid 2005 with the release of Yukon, a 64-bit version of SQL Server. That will be the cue for faster storage: "People will then be looking to move database workloads from 32-bits to 64-bits; and a lot of databases reside on SANs," Brookwood says.
Storage vendors have started trickling out plans to support 64-bit platforms, though they're clearly in no hurry (see Emulex Supports 64 Bits, BakBone Supports Linux on IBM and Software Management Mlange). Not only are server elements still not in place, but it's likely 64-bit computing will have a greater effect on servers than on storage systems.
Given all this, it's not surprising VMware chief architect Ed Bugnion says VMware's plans for 64-bit support predated the EMC acquisition. "This is driven by the VMware roadmap," Bugnion says. "You would have seen the same announcement if EMC didn't buy VMWare."
Dave Raffo, Senior Editor, Byte and Switch
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