AMD, IBM Unveil Beta Of 64-Bit DB2 On Opteron At LinuxWorld

64-bit database Opteron processor

IBM DB2 and AMD Opteron running on Linux will provide an offering that can compete with upcoming 64-bit databases for Intel Itanium 2, such as Microsoft SQL Server, AMD President and CEO Hector Ruiz said in a keynote address at LinuxWorld on Wednesday.

"DB2 will be a powerful alternative for 64-bit database computing," Ruiz said. "And it will support 32-bit and 64-bit applications."

A demo of the IBM 64-bit DB2 beta running on SuSE Linux and AMD's planned Opteron processor was demonstrated on the LinuxWorld show floor. The next-generation database software is scheduled to become available in the second quarter, Ruiz said.

In his keynote, Ruiz hinted that AMD's upcoming 64-bit processor is more innovative than Itanium 2. "Linux and AMD processors play well together," he said. "We believe the time has come for semiconductor companies to adopt a more enlightened view."

One solution provider aligned with Microsoft's SQL Server said IBM's DB2 is more cumbersome to manage but acknowledged that the 64-bit AMD/DB2 tandem may hold a price-performance edge over the 64-bit Itanium 2/SQL Server combination.

"IBM DB2 is a pain in the butt to administer and keep running in contrast with SQL Server, but it will probably have lower cost per transaction," said Mark Alexander, president of ISC, a Tallahassee, Fla.-based Microsoft solution provider.

During Ruiz's speech, newly appointed SuSE Linux CEO Richard Seibt was on hand to laud AMD's support for both 32-bit and 64-bit applications as well as its effort to provide a low-cost alternative for the 64-bit era.

"An affordable 64-bit computing environment opens up all kinds of possibilities for Linux users," Seibt said. SuSE has developed a 64-bit Linux distribution available for Opteron, and Seibt hinted that another major enterprise ISV--SAP--plans to support the 64-bit server processor.