Posted by Grant Foraker on April 05, 2005 at 10:56:48:
A tidbit on x64 from WindowsITPro Update. Mostly talks about XP Pro x64 but caveats cover Windows 2003 Server, etc.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- However, like all things technological, the improvements in XP Pro
x64 do come with a cost. XP Pro x64 can't use any of the thousands of device drivers that currently exist, so you'll need to ensure that all the devices you attach to your PCs are compatible when you migrate. And XP Pro x64 is incompatible with some, often crucial, 32-bit software.
Virus scanners don't work and will need to be updated. Many applications still use 16-bit installers (which won't run) or identify XP Pro x64 as being a different Windows version than XP and won't install or run. You'll need to test applications as well.
I'm not suggesting that you to move to native x64 OSs and applications immediately. But moving to x64 hardware on the server and client now--while still using 32-bit OS and applications for the time being--is a smart move that will likely pay off in the future. The x64 platform is, in many ways, a hedge against obsolescence.
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