Intel introduces new software for Itanium 2-based systems

Intel Corporation has 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 company claims that 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.

IA-32 EL is a software package integrated with the operating system. Itanium 2 processors provide support for 32-bit applications using on-die hardware. However, with IA-32 EL, support for IA-32 applications will be carried out in software. After installation, execution of the 32-bit applications is transparently run using IA-32 EL. At run time, the IA-32 Execution Layer translates the IA-32 application code into native Itanium architecture code and allows it to run as native code.

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 http://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.

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