InformationWeek

In this Forum, explore the key issues surrounding the growth of low-cost 64-bit computing, with a specific look at the Itanium family, and learn from Business Technology executives who are already taking advantage of its business benefits. In addition, the Forum features an InformationWeek Research presentation that will probe some of the deeper business and technical issues of 64-bit computing.

Real-time business, supply-chain optimization, business intelligence and data mining – they’re all important business issues that are driving a need for companies to get more power from their back-end server architecture, but with proven return on investment. Many companies are turning to server consolidation as a way to satisfy the demand for ROI from financial executives, but they’re often finding that this plan doesn’t satisfy the demand for increased computing power.

The advent of low-cost 64-bit computing may be the answer for many Business Technology executives, as they can continue their server consolidation plans without compromising the computing power needed for increasingly demanding business requirements. But the migration from 32-bit to 64-bit processors won’t happen overnight, as some executives still need to be convinced that compatibility and scalability concerns are being addressed by processor and software vendors alike.

Topics include:

• The advantages and challenges of migrating from a 32-bit to 64-bit processing technology
• The most important steps to consider in initiating a server consolidation plan at your company
• How existing software applications fit into the Itanium ecosystem
• Associated costs and ROI of 64-bit server technology (i.e. price points, licensing fees to database vendors, etc.)?
• How current IT infrastructures scale to maximize the power of 64-bit computing while still fitting today’s scaled-back budgets