IBM reveals Windows 64 support for Opteron

AN IBM commissioned white paper ( PDF) by IDC - about its AMD Opteron-based eServer 325 - has revealed IBM plans to offer Windows 64 support for its AMD Opteron-based servers.

IBM's Windows 64 Opteron reference (bottom of page 6) says:

"Although IBM is targeting the eServer 325 specifically to HPC computing, which is predominately Linux and Unix today, IBM will also support Microsoft Windows for customers wishing to migrate to a processor with 64-bit memory access while maintaining the ability to run existing 32-bit Windows and new 64-bit Windows applications."

Big Blue's Opteron-based eServer 325 is currently available in seven models. With an IBM Opteron-based workstation coming next year, its plans to offer Opteron support for its Cluster 1350 solution, and Windows 64 Opteron support, Big Blue's Opteron offerings will target a far wider audience than today.

IBM's Cluster 1350 solution is currently only available with Intel Xeon-based technology. So IBM's intent to offer AMD Opteron support can only be described as another solid endorsement for the AMD64 platform.

Sun's AMD64 Java and Solaris support, and IBM's corresponding support with Windows 64, will cast more doubt on the mainstream relevance and future of the Intel Itanium platform.

IBM has another HPC white paper ( PDF) that makes for interesting reading. In a section titled "Decision Maker's Guidelines", a table (page 6) compares the features of four of IBM's two-way eServer offerings. The platforms are Opteron, Xeon, Itanium, and Power4. This one table really tells the story about the attributes of the AMD64 platform, and why IBM now offers it in its eServer line-up.

Whatever Intel offered Dell to persuade it from supporting the AMD64 platform, it must have been irresistible. The sad fact for Dell's customers though was that it yielded to the Intel dollar. Dell's choice to stick with Intel was not a customer-centric decision.

LINQ
IBM's Cluster 1350 details