Citrix eases Web 2.0 server strain

Citrix says it will add Web 2.0 push technology to its NetScaler traffic management and content delivery line-up, according to cnet.

As rich Internet applications proliferate, data centres are becoming less efficient because they must stay connected to servers 24/7 to be useful. Those connections gobble up computing power.

All of those widgets and Web 2.0 apps may translate into new racks of servers that need to be purchased. Citrix said it will add a feature to NetScaler to push data to users so that software doesn't have to go to a server to get it. This is designed to offload the strain on servers.

Microsoft has confirmed that the next version of Office, code-named Office 14, will come in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions, reports cnet.

The 64-bit version is a first for both Office and for Microsoft's mainstream desktop applications, though a number of its server products, such as SQL Server, are already available in 64-bit versions.

Office 14, which is expected to be called Office 2010, is slated to ship next year. Among its other notable features is the fact that Microsoft will offer browser-based versions of Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and OneNote, in addition to the traditional Windows-based desktop programs.

Hewlett-Packard released a software upgrade for the MediaSmart Server that includes the ability to convert non-copyright-protected video into a lower resolution for downloading onto a mobile device, writes Information Week.

The low-resolution mobile version of video can be played on popular handheld devices, including Apple's iPod Touch and iPhone and Sony's PlayStation Portable, HP said.

The original higher-resolution file will be used to stream to devices on a home network, including PCs, Macs, and gaming systems. The video converter transcodes content into the Mpeg-4 file format.