Microsoft customers face 64bit question

How will buyers react as the software giant makes key future applications 64bit only?

Microsoft to push 64bit server apps

Microsoft’s decision to make Exchange and other key future products exclusive to 64bit servers could delay buyers switching to the new programs.

Earlier this month, Microsoft said that “to help customers take full advantage of the power of 64bit computing”, forthcoming products including Exchange Server 12, the Centro infrastructure software for mid-sized firms and the R2 update to Windows Server Longhorn would be exclusively 64bit.

That could deter some buyers happy to sweat their 32bit hardware, especially as Intel only began shipping 64bit Xeon chips under 18 months ago. “The [64bit server] situation now is like when colour TV first appeared - you need a driver to advance it,” said Kerry Hoskin, network manager at Plymouth Marine Laboratory. “Microsoft’s announcement will help but I can’t see many IT managers replacing kit on the back of it.”

Peter McCartney, Microsoft business manager at UK services giant Computacenter, said many firms are only now moving from Exchange 5.5 on NT 4.0 to XP, Windows Server 2003 and Exchange 2003. “[The 64bit-only plan] is really complicating things, especially as customers are getting their heads out of the sand with support for Exchange 5.5 running out this year,” he added.

Mike Altendorf, chief executive of services firm Conchango, added that some customers are “quite alarmed at Microsoft mandating them spending large amounts of money”.

But AMD channel marketing manager Richard Baker predicted the move could set up “the biggest hardware upgrade cycle since the millennium”.

US-based startup Azaleos hopes to help firms make the transition by offering a 64bit Exchange appliance server that firms can plug into their networks to minimise disruption.

Meanwhile, British Computer Society spokesman Andrew Meyer predicted Microsoft could suffer a backlash. “Putting 64bit as the only option may open the door for open-source,” he said.