64-bit Xeon chips to rev up IBM, Dell servers

NEW YORK: Dell and IBM plan to introduce servers with Intel's new 64-bit microprocessor, which allows vast amounts of computer memory.

IBM Corp. said it will begin on Monday rolling out eight new servers based on the Intel Corp.'s new Xeon processor with 64-bit technology. A 64-bit computer can accommodate nearly unlimited amounts of memory and can churn through doubly large chunks of data.

Seven of the eight servers will be available immediately while the eighth server will be available later this month.

Dell Inc., the world's largest personal computer maker, said it will begin selling two servers based on the chip starting Monday. And by October, it will have two more servers based on the new chip.

Dell's servers will run on two processors and come pre-installed with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Red Hat Linux 3. They start at $1,799 and $1,899.

Intel Corp.'s new chip will be able to take advantage of 64-bit computing while still able to run current software programmed for 32-bit computers.

The 64-bit feature is already available in another Intel chip, called Itanium. Itanium, however, is built for high-end business applications and requires specialized software to run.

The new abilities of Intel's mainstream business server chip, Xeon, could accelerate the adoption of 64-bit computing in businesses. Microsoft is readying the final version of an operating system that will accommodate Intel's new Xeon, as well as Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s Opteron, which has similar features.

Though AMD has tended to play a catch-up role to Intel in chip advances, AMD's Opteron was first to the table with the ability to run in both 32-bit and 64-bit modes.