News

AMD Demos Prototype System Running 64-bit Windows

AMD is demonstrating systems at Comdex and Supercomputing 2002 this week running prototypes of its 64-bit AMD Opteron processors on 64-bit Windows servers.

The AMD Opteron chip is a fundamentally different approach to 64-bit systems than Intel has taken with its Itanium line, which began shipping in mid-2001. Intel created a new architecture with new instructions for 64-bit computing. AMD is using the x86 architecture and relying on the 64-bit capabilities for performance improvements.

The result, AMD argues, is a more seamless coexistence of 32-bit and 64-bit applications on AMD Opteron-based systems. Microsoft committed in April to supporting AMD Opteron with Windows.

The system demonstrated at Supercomputing 2002 in Baltimore is a four-way AMD Opteron-based server. The Comdex demo ran 64-bit Windows, 64-bit Internet Information Services 6.0, 64-bit Terminal Services and 64-bit Internet Explorer.

AMD has committed to shipping Opteron processors in 2003.Intel is expected to deliver its third-generation of Itanium, code-named "Madison," in 2003.

Microsoft currently offers a limited edition Windows server operating system for 64-bit systems. The company's first general release of a 64-bit server operating system will come in April when it ships 64-bit versions of Windows .NET Server 2003 Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition. A 64-bit SQL Server 2000 is also scheduled to be available in April.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

Featured

  • Microsoft Appoints Althoff as New CEO for Commercial Business

    Microsoft CEO and chairman Satya Nadella on Wednesday announced the promotion of Judson Althoff to CEO of the company's commercial business, presenting the move as a response to the dramatic industrywide shifts caused by AI.

  • Broadcom Revamps VMware Partner Program Again

    Broadcom recently announced a significant update regarding its VMware Cloud Service Provider (VCSP) program, coinciding with the release of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0, a key component in Broadcom’s private cloud strategy.

  • Closeup of the new Copilot keyboard key

    Microsoft Updates Copilot To Add Context-Sensitive Agents to Teams, SharePoint

    Microsoft has rolled out a new public preview for collaborative "always on" agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot, bringing enhanced, context-aware tools into Teams channels, meetings, SharePoint sites, Planner workstreams and Viva Engage communities.

  • Windows 365 Cloud Apps Now Available for Public Preview

    Microsoft announced this week that Windows 365 Cloud Apps are now available for public preview. This aims to allow IT administrators to stream individual Windows applications from the cloud, removing the need to assign Cloud PCs to every user.