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by Jeff Key.
Original Post: 250 * x64 = 25
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The MSN Messenger server farm handles over 70 million concurrent sessions every single day. Until recently, they were using 250 32-bit servers to manage that load. When they switched to Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition running on x64 hardware, they reduced the size of the farm to just 25 servers.
How cool is that?
I've used XP x64 on and off at home for the past year or so, and finally switched to full time when it went gold. Honestly, the only perceivable difference between it and the 32-bit variety is the lack of printer drivers. But that was expected. I'm not a gamer and I don't do any crazy audio/video editing, so I'm really only doing it to feel the bleeding-edge pain. (Windows doesn't bluescreen or get in the way like the good old days, so I've got to do something to keep it real.)
I got my hopes up a couple weeks ago when we picked up an x64-capable Dell build machine, only to find out that they didn't have x64 RAID (F6) drivers. Maybe next time..
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