New Windows Server Will Lead March to 64-Bit OS

[Capper]

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is due to launch two major product upgrades at an event tomorrow in Los Angeles -- the Windows Server 2008 OS, which is due for release next week, and its SQL Server 2008 database, expected in the third quarter after delays. He's also expected to discuss Visual Studio 2008, which shipped in November.
The launch of a new family of Windows server products this week will kick-start a broad shift among customers to 64-bit versions of Microsoft's server software, analysts and customers said.
Like their predecessors, the new products will be offered in both 32- and 64-bit editions. But several factors this time will prompt more customers to choose the 64-bit versions, including the broad availability of 64-bit x86 server hardware and the trend toward consolidating and virtualizing server workloads to reduce power consumption and improve efficiency.
The shift will happen gradually, since most customers are not expected to deploy the products widely until next year. But it will mark a significant maturation for Microsoft's server products, which long were seen as an also-ran in the datacenter beside 64-bit Unix OSes from companies such as Sun and HP. It should also mean better performance for Microsoft customers.
"This will absolutely tip the scales in terms of more 64-bit deployments moving forward," John Enck, a vice president and research analyst with Gartner, said of the new products. The move will be driven by a desire among customers to get the most out of their 64-bit server hardware, he said, which means using a 64-bit OS.

New Windows Server Will Lead March to 64-Bit OS