What You Need to Know About the Future of Windows Server

Due in late 2005 is Windows 2003 SP1, which includes the relevant Springboard security technologies as well as some important new features, such as the roles-based Security Configuration Wizard (SCW). Windows 2003 SP1 also adds support for the new 64-bit platforms, AMD64 and Intel's Xeon Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T). Along with Windows 2003 SP1, Microsoft will release a new Windows Server version, Windows Server 2003 for 64-Bit Extended Systems. Unlike the Windows Server versions that target Intel's Itanium platform, this OS will run 32-bit applications at full speed or better (Muglia reported a significant performance boost simply by running 32-bit applications on 64-bit systems that are running a 64-bit OS) and will include every feature that is found in the 32-bit editions. This marks the first time Microsoft has included a complete 32-bit feature set in its 64-bit OS—an indication that these new 64-bit platforms are going mainstream faster than you might expect. "It's only a matter of time before we get to the point where it doesn't make sense for a server vendor to ship anything but 64-bit machines based on AMD64, EM64T, or Itanium," Muglia noted.

Recommendations
Although we might wonder what took the company so long, we should commend Microsoft for finally delivering the news and information its corporate customers so desperately need. Microsoft's product roadmap for Windows Server is logical and clear and should help IT decision makers plot their migration and upgrade strategies over the next decade. The only question, of course, is implementation: Microsoft doesn't exactly have a proud history of sticking to release schedules. But clearly, the company has undergone an attitude change about product deliveries since the interminable Win2K development, and this roadmap should be fairly easy to follow, barring any unforeseen changes in customer requirements. Let's hope that the company's inevitable fine-tuning of this plan doesn't wipe out the usefulness of such a tool.