64bit XEON Question (Blade HS20)

[royalmail]

I am about to buy another Blade HS20 for our chassis, and in Japan they only offer HS20s with 64bit XEON processors now. I have no experience with 64 bit processors...

If I have a 64bit processor do I need the 64 bit edition of Windows Server 2003?

Any other pitfalls I should know about 64 bit processors?

 

[LarryTheCucumber]

The HS20 uses the XEON EM64T CPU's You can run the Window 2003 32 bit OS. We have 6 HS20 and will be migrating them to the 64 bit Windows 2003 this summer. If you need large memory support the 64 bit option is the way to go. We currently have two 64 bit 2003 machines running and I think they have less problems than the 32 bit. But to use the power of the 64 bit you need 64 bit apps.

 

[royalmail]

Thanks.

So basically I can run either 2003 Standard 32bit or 2003 64 bit?

It is going to be used as an Exchange 2003 server running on 2003 Standard 32bit (as far as I know). Given that, am I right in thinking there shouldn't be any compatibility issues?

 

[LarryTheCucumber]

For Exchange 2003 use the 2003 Standard 32bit. No compatibility issues.