Why is there a Server 2008 32bit?

[Nick_Parker]

I've been setting up a 2008 Server to play with, and I chose to use the 32bit version mainly because It may become a print server in the near future and I don't feel like finding 64bit drivers for all the printers.

I decided to play around with the DC roles and to test drive Exchange Server 2007 on it.

So far:

ISA Server 2006 will not work on Server 2008 and apparently, ISA 2006's replacement, is only going to work on Server 2008 64bit.

Exchange Server 2007 will not install either, I'm in the process of downloading Exchange Server 2007 with SP1 (5.6GB!) but I see that is also only available in 64bit.

and lastly, Hyper-V will only be available on Server 2008 64bit editions.

So... why have they even bothered with 32bit versions if you're not going to be able to run any actual server software on it?

[FN-GM]

Probably smaller jobs on smaller servers and virtual machines. Also there is still allot of third party software that doesn’t run on 64 bit.

[john]

Pressure from Sys Admins and developers basically, it was supposed to only be 64bit the same with Vista originally was only going to be 64 bit but the world said were not ready yet. The next versions of both are going to be 64bit only.

[cookie_monster]

Compatibility issues, printer drivers is a good example soooo many cause problems in TS environments so it's easier to provide a 32 bit version so you give customers another three years to migrate, this is before you start looking into application issues like SIMS (education specific) that still have some 16-bit modules.

[Geoff]

Yeah, Terminal Servers comes to mind here as well.

[ninja-lewis]

Pressure from Sys Admins and developers basically, it was supposed to only be 64bit the same with Vista originally was only going to be 64 bit but the world said were not ready yet. The next versions of both are going to be 64bit only.

I believe I read in amongst all the multitouch bits and pieces that Windows 7 will still have a 32bit version.

[joe90bass]

Yeah, Terminal Servers comes to mind here as well.

For me, it's 32bit TS as we have some 16bit Maths software (Microsmile) that we're going to be using in a TS environment. Would have loved to use 64bit TS, but alas it's not to be