Slow IT – 64-bit Windows

The IT industry likes to project itself as dynamic, thrusting, rushing forward. But some things in IT take a long time. The mainstream transition of IT to 64-bit is one such example that I was reminded of today.

64-bit processors and 64-bit operating systems have been around for a very long time.

According to wikipedia the history starts in 1961, but I think I would regard the launch of the MIPS and Alpha chips in 1991 & 1992 as the launch into the mainstream of IT. That’s 15+ years.

The followers here have certainly been Microsoft, with the vast majority of Windows clients and servers still running Windows 32-bit. And 32-bit Windows isn’t going away any time soon, even on the servers. Yesterday Microsoft restated its position on Windows 64-bit and the intention that Windows Server 2008 will be the last one available on 32-bit.

The limitations of the 32-bit architecture on Windows server are evident all over the place and still there is a huge reluctance to make the move. There are thousands of servers with 64-bit processors in them willing to take up an even greater load, but being forced to work within an architecture that is to say the least limiting. Even in an industry where change is inevitable it seems that change still isn’t easy.