Intel enhances 32-bit capability on Itanium 2 with new software

Intel Corporation announced the availability of IA-32 Execution Layer (EL)
software for systems powered by the Intel Itanium 2 processor running Microsoft
Windows operating systems. The technology provides greater flexibility for
customers by increasing the performance of many 32-bit software applications and
facilitating customer migration to Itanium 2-based platforms running Windows.

"CIOs wish to run legacy 32-bit applications and this technology
improves that capability without sacrificing their primary goals," says
Mike Fister, Intel Sr VP and GM of Enterprise Platforms Group. "Though
Itanium architecture-based processors have always supported 32-bit applications,
this new approach enhances the performance and provides greater flexibility for
future updates and scalability."

IA-32 EL is supported in Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition for 64-bit
Itanium-architecture-based systems, Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition for
64-bit Itanium architecture-based systems, and Windows XP 64-Bit Edition.

The software is available for download at
www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/64bit/ipf/default.mspx, and will be
available in the second half of this year in Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Service Pack 1.

Says Bob Muglia, Sr VP, Windows Server Division, Microsoft Corp. "The EL
enhancement will be of great help to customers who are primarily running 64-bit
applications, but also have a need to run 32-bit supporting software. This
enhanced capability will help customers in their decision to deploy 64-bit
Windows for their end-to-end enterprise computing needs."

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