As 64-bit computing becomes increasingly prevalent, many IT decision-makers are now asking, why should I care about it, will it truly make such a difference and what makes it so special anyway?
The architecture matters for two reasons: memory and processing power, it`s a simple as that. Today`s 32-bit chips work with 32 bits of data at a time and can address up to 4GB of memory, Intel`s Itanium 64-bit processor by contrast works with 64 bits of data and can theoretically address up to 1 024 terabytes of memory.
64-bit processors dramatically increase processing speeds of complex math and applications - computing equations that use to take days are now done in a matter of minutes.
Also, when looking at 4GB memory addressed by 32-bit processors, many business-critical applications such as ERP (enterprise resource planning) and datamining often exceed the 4GB limit.
This means that 32-bit processors require additional clock cycles and cumbersome programming techniques to access memory beyond 4GB, thus negatively affecting performance.
It`s important, however, to remember that a 64-bit address space doesn`t inherently improve a processor`s performance for those applications that require less memory - performance will not increase when moving from a 32-bit processor to a 64-bit with the same instruction set.
Interestingly, Intel will start shipping its Xeon processors with 64-bit extension from mid-2004. In addition to offering full native 32-bit performance, expanded on-chip cache capacity, new 64-bit extension technology instructions, new power management features, and a faster front-side bus, this new Xeon processor will also extend the virtual address space for the Xeon family of processors from 32 to 64 bits.
Intel is, therefore, offering two 64-bit processor product lines: Xeon processors with 64-bit extensions and Itanium processors.
OK, so what to implement then? Intel Xeon processors with 64-bit extension provides full native 32-bit performance for a large number of 32-bit applications while also allowing code that is recompiled for 64-bit processing to access more memory.
Intel Itanium on the other hand, not only provides larger address space but brings larger caches and new performance-enhancing technologies - such as the EPIC (explicitly parallel instruction computing) architecture - to market.
Therefore, IT planners should weigh the relative strengths of Xeon with 64-bit extensions and Itanium, before making a decision. Xeon processors are best suited for infrastructure, workgroup, workstation, web and IA-32-applications in the datacenter.
Itanium processors are best suited for enterprise-scale database and transaction processing workloads as well as technical computing applications. In many cases, Itanium is deployed in large symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) server to provide greater performance.
Why is Intel introducing another 64-bit processor you might quite rightly ask? The company believes a "one size fits all" approach doesn`t address the unique computing needs of companies, hence two architectures to choose from.
Additionally, research authority, IDC recently predicted a significant consolidation among manufacturers of processors and argues that, at the system level, this consolidation would neither reduce consumers` choice nor increase price.
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