Will Allow Customers to Address Almost Unlimited Memory
CHICAGO, June 4, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. said today it intends to support 64-bit data in the Windows NT
®
operating system to meet the needs of customers who require efficient access to extremely large databases. This functionality is targeted for availability in the
Windows NT
“Cairo”
time frame and will be supported initially on Digital Equipment Corp.’s Alpha platforms.
Paul Maritz, group vice president of the platforms group at Microsoft, made the announcement in his keynote speech at Spring COMDEX/Windows®
World here today.
Windows NT already supports applications up to 2 gigabytes in size, more than sufficient for most high-end business solutions. Some applications, however, especially extremely large databases, can benefit from 64-bit very large memory (VLM) support, with which data of virtually any size can be mapped directly into addressable memory. Examples are a back-end system for processing millions of credit-card transactions per day, and a worldwide airline reservation system.
“Windows NT, Microsoft®
SQL Server
™
and other Microsoft BackOffice
™family applications are designed for intensive transaction processing and scale up to meet most significant customer needs,”
said Maritz.
“We are working with partners in a number of areas to improve the scalability and performance so we can take our platform into even more demanding parts of the enterprise. Providing 64-bit data support for customers is one of these efforts.”
“This development effort is in direct response to the growing customer demand for high-performance, 64-bit applications across the enterprise,”
said Robert Bismuth, Digital’s vice president for the Microsoft-Digital Alliance for Enterprise Computing.
“Digital’s 64-bit Alpha platforms and Microsoft’s 64-bit Windows NT are strategic technologies that will enable customers to achieve a competitive advantage.”
Digital’s Alpha RISC architecture employs full 64-bit capability for high performance, scalability, dependability and longevity in client/server computing across the enterprise. Customers will be able to take advantage of Windows NT on Alpha today with a smooth upgrade path to 64-bit support in the future.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
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