Recently Microsoft announced that the next generation of Exchange server, codename E12, would ship in a 64-bit version only. This article will explain what 64-bit is, the benefits of moving E12 to the x64 architecture and what to look for when purchasing new hardware so that it will support E12 when it RTMs.
[Via MSExchange.org]
Funny that. Domino v6 on 32-bit is still faster than Exchange. And in moving to ND7, you get a 30-70% performance increase. On 32-bit. Or move to iSeries, and get 64-bit today, with the added bonus of a stable operating system.
Perhaps its because Exchange is still creaking along on the Jet engine – you know the DB subsystem that MS were going to rip+replace out with MS SQL back in Kodiak/2003 times ?
We all know the real reason for the 64-bit move. To spearhead and force adoption of the 64-bit windows platform for the enterprise customers. And the poor Exchange E12 customers will be the first to try out completely new 64-bit drivers, 64-bit OS, etc, etc.
Nasty. If this were NOT the case, then I’m guessing that MS would offer a 32-bit as well as 64-bit version of the operating system – as they are during the extended “beta” phase (thus confirming that its technically possible to do).
So here’s a bet. Customers who actually want to upgrade to E12 (and we know that not everyone’s upgraded to Exchange 2003 yet!) will force MS to come out with a 32-bit version in the short term..
Lets say a case of Heineken ?
—* Bill
Bill,
I am not a betting man, nor do I know what I am u against (I don’t have the juicy details of the product group, but nor do you).
A case of Heineken is fine with me 🙂
Is this line of reasoning not akin to throwing money at a problem as opposed to finding the root of the problem and solving it? Of course E12 servers will be able to support more users with Windows 64. ANY application should be able to support more users on Windows 64. Just think of the possibilities that 1Tb of RAM opens up. That is one serious RAM drive!!!
But will that make E12 any more scalable when compared to Domino? As Bill points out, the underlying problem of the archaic Jet engine still exists and it is not a problem that will go away.
I am not sure if there will be enough pressure to come out with a 32-bit version of E12. I think it is more likely that users will simply stick with what they have until they are ready to move to Windows 64 as an organization. If that is the case, the adoption rate of E12 will likely be much slower than Exchange 2003.
I mean the dominant reason that Domino 7 is being adopted so quickly is that it runs on exactly the same hardware as Domino 6, only that it runs much better. Upgrades can be done over night without impacting the users whatsoever, especially if clustering is used. If MS could do the same for Exchange, I bet the user’s would come a running with signed PO’s in hand.
Sean—
Sean,
I don’t think the objective of E12 is to make it”any more scalable when compared to Domino”. I mean this is not the goal.
I see enough reasons for organsiation to consider the migration to E12. Later this year more indepth info of E12 will become available to illustrate this.
Let MS worry about the Jet engine and its scalability ;-).
From where I am sitting the adoption of Exchange 2003 is no issue at all, nor will the value proposition of E12 any limitation to its adoption