Itanium

Windows Server 2008 pricing announced

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:59:59 -0500

IT admins: this is the moment you've all been waiting for. After years of waiting, Microsoft has gone ahead and announced the availability, pricing and version info for Windows Server 2008, the long-awaited follow-up to Windows Server 2003. Version 2K8 will land on February 27th, 2008 and in classic Microsoft fashion, there are going to be five different flavors to choose from:

Windows Server 2008 Standard: $999 with five client access licenses
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise: $3,999 with 25 client access licenses
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter: $2,999 per processor
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems: $2,999 per processor
Windows Web Server 2008: $469

All versions of Windows Server 2008 will be available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions, with the exception of Windows Server for Itanium-based Systems, which will be 64-bit only. Additionally, Microsoft's home-grown virtualization technology, Hyper-V, will ship with all 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2008 and vendors like Dell, IBM, HP, and Unisys are already lining up to create solutions that will take advantage of the Hyper-V platform.

For more on Windows Server 2008:
- see this Ars Technica article

Will the market ever see a successor to x86?

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:01:37 -0400

From time to time, it's nice to daydream about what the future of hardware might have in store for us. The future of CPUs, however, might be a bit further off than we expect. Take, for example, the x86 instruction set, introduced by Intel in 1978 and still in use in over 90 percent of the world's computers today. Sure, there have been challengers: IBM's PowerPC, Sun Microsystems' Sparc architecture and Intel's EPIC Itanium project. But x86 is just too entrenched in the hardware and software market. Will support for legacy software ever allow a move away from what's sure to become a technology of diminishing returns? CNET takes a close look at x86: its history, its current limitations and the challenges that the market will face in trying to find a successor.

For more on the x86 legacy:
- see this CNET article

ALSO NOTED: HP scandal update; The 500 companies that manage information best; and much more...

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 19:01:31 -0500

> HP Update: Hurd is questioned by Congress. Article

> IBM's Virtual Manager Dashboard will allow admins to manage multiple virtualization platforms using a single web-based interface. Article

> The 500 companies that manage information best. List

> Samsung has managed to fit 16 flash chips into one memory slot. Article

> HP names Martin Fink the chief of its market-leading Itanium server group. Article

> Paul Flessner, the Senior VP in charge of Microsoft's SQL Server and storage business, will step down in 2007. Article

And Finally...Apple moves into the film festival circuit with their new "Insomnia" film festival. Article

Sparc-on-Intel translator due next week

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 20:01:36 -0400

Transitive, a start-up known for its Apple Rosetta software, will soon release software that lets programs written for Sun Microsystems Sparc chips also run on Intel Xeon and Itanium chips. When using Linux, Transitive's software also lets customers run their own scripts, not just commercial-quality applications. There's no word yet on pricing but the Xeon version will launch this quarter and the Itanium version should be ready later this year, officials said. Transitive also has Silicon Graphics and IBM as partners, so it's quickly becoming the little start-up that could. But is there enough demand for this sort of thing?

For more on Transitive's new software:
- read this cNet article

ALSO NOTED: Itanium back for anticlimactic round two; Watchfire boosts online-services security; and much more...

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 20:00:50 -0400

> Itanium back for anticlimactic round two. Article

> Watchfire boosts online-services security. Article

> Solid state drives to challenge hard drives? Article

And Finally... Net pioneers still debating neutrality. Article

Intel chief vows a serious revamp

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Intel CEO Paul Otellini said his company must make some dramatic changes to save $1 billion and better compete against rival Advanced Micro Devices. Rather than a generic large-scale layoff, "You will see us restructure, resize and repurpose Intel for the future,'' he said. There's speculation that Intel might exit some prominent businesses entirely, such as high-end processors like Itanium and memory chips. Either move would be ugly but effective.

For more on the changes:
- read this Mercury News article

ALSO: Apple guards server chip secrets. Article

C&L: AMD snags Naffziger from Intel

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 20:01:32 -0400

SAP hired Zia Yusuf as executive VP of its platform development. He replaces George Paolini who left for unspecific reasons.

Carol Wilson joined Tata Consultancy Services as an executive for the Europe, Middle East, and Asia division. She previously was CIO of SAP.

Advanced Micro Devices hired Samuel Naffziger and eight others from Intel. Naffziger was a key engineer on Intel's Itanium team and previously worked at Hewlett-Packard.

Ajei Gopal re-claimed his old job of CTO at Symantec, replacing Mark Bregman, who came from Veritas. Bregman moves to a sales role.

Rafael Diaz has been tapped to replace James Matthews as Illinois CIO.

Intel, AMD, court organize antitrust case

Wed, 29 Mar 2006 19:01:37 -0500

Microsoft v. DOJ v. EU, NTP v. BlackBerry and plenty of other high-profile IT lawsuits hog our attention. Now it's AMD v. Intel that is just getting underway, with the former accusing the latter of antitrust violations. This probably won't be as exciting as the current Apple v. Apple or eBay v. MercExchange, but it might be the first big case recently where the underdog has a fighting chance (Eolas v. Microsoft hardly counts because no one likes Flash anyway). The case's discovery process begins soon so get ready to hear some gory details.

For more on the chip case:
- read this News.com article

ALSO: AMD lures high-ranking Itanium designer. Article

HP, EMC, others hint at next moves

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 19:01:37 -0500

Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd and EMC CEO Joe Tucci both spoke of the future at last week's Goldman Sachs Technology Investment Symposium. Hurd, a rookie to the event, said HP will continue buying up-and-coming companies and that spinoffs of current businesses are still unlikely. Tucci, the veteran, said data center management will be dramatically better two years from now.

For more on the big iron:
- see this Network World article

ALSO: McNealy seeks HP-Sun Unix union. Article

PLUS: Oracle gets behind Itanium. Article

IBM chip architect guns for gigahertz

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 19:01:38 -0500

Just when everyone thought chip speeds were an obsolete metric, IBM last week started talking about 4-5 gigahertz Power chips. So is it that "the highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last-chance 'power' drive"--that IBM is a bit desperate because of the features-over-speed focus at AMD and Intel and having lost Apple's business? IBM denies that. "I don't believe there's a big role in this world for too-specialized hardware," a Power6 designer said. Power can replace the high-performance chips, IBM says. Time will tell if the chips are born to run. ;)

For more on the IBM chip:
- check out this News.com article

ALSO: Analyst offers surprising view of Itanium. Article

PLUS: Sun shares T1 specs with open-source world. Article