 |
|
||
|
|||
Intel's 32/64-bit chips will create even greater pricing pressure, says Nathan Brookwood, an analyst at research firm Insight 64. "This gives customers incredible power," he says. "We'll see a migration away from classic RISC platforms toward industry-standard systems."
As Intel rolls out the new chips, beginning sometime next year, virtually all computers, from the desktop to high-end data-center systems, will be 64-bit-capable, whether they're based on an X86 architecture, Intel's Itanium, or a RISC processor. The relative low cost of systems based on Intel and AMD chips could speed a transition to 64-bit computing that will be faster than the shift from 16-bit to 32-bit systems, which took almost 10 years to complete, analysts say.
Important to this transition will be the introduction of applications and operating systems that can take full advantage of 64-bit extensions to the X86 platform, including Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 and SQL Server for the extended X86 environments, which are expected in the next 12 months.
Applications with memory-intensive requirements, such as database servers and systems used for content creation and graphics, will be able to take advantage of 64-bit computing most fully, Brookwood says. In 32-bit based systems, memory addressability is limited to 4 Gbytes. In 64-bit systems, memory addressability will be a terabyte or more.
Joe Bentivegna, VP of video development and operations at Avid Technology Inc., a provider of digital content-creation tools and solutions, says 4 Gbytes of memory addressability hasn't been adequate to create the 3-D graphics capabilities customers demand. "The ability to move large models into memory will change the way users interface and interact," Bentivegna says. "We'll be able to deliver more complex composites and improve rendering times."
Discover the benefits of scalable backbone and network services for application and cloud providers.
Network automation is gaining momentum. Here's how you can drive this powerful technology to its full potential.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
