Keith, Re: If INTEL was forced to introduce a 64/32bit hybrid chip (similar to AMD´s AMD64) for the Xeon server space next year, what do you think would that mean for Itanium?
First you have to ask yourself what 64-bits solves. It will certainly make it easier to run certain applications where 4GB is not enough and PAE is not convenient. But will it magically offer the kind of performance seen with Itanium, and the same level of RAS and feature differentiation? I think not. Itanium is far ahead of Xeon, performance wise, and even when not running apps with huge memory requirements.
Plus, I've said before that RAS features will be the strongest server selling point in the future, and Itanium is being built with the features that differentiate it for the high end. We've seen the demos at IDF for upgrading processors without powering down the system. Features like that will be in high demand, and Intel is focusing the development of those features to be Itanium specific.
So, I think Itanium has a future with or without other 64-bit chips on the market, and it's simply because 64-bits is not the only differentiating feature for the architecture.
One last thing: with future cores like Montecito and Tanglewood, I think we'll be seeing Itanium chips that run circles around what x86 will have at the time. Some of the smartest minds in the industry will be working towards that, too, so I think it will happen.
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