While we are realizing the next computer world will be 64bit enabled soon, Microsoft is migrating many of its internal servers to the new 64bit version of Windows Server 2003.

“Our MSN search engine is actually built on several thousand systems running the x64 version of Windows,” Danny Beck, Microsoft Windows client senior product marketing manager said. In addition, “the entire Microsoft.com site has been migrated, and we serve 30 million unique visitors every day.”

It’s to believe that 64bit system can definitely improve overall performance of their services. As Beck said, performance of the MSN Messenger servers has improved 10 times since they went 64bit. (But how come I always don’t receive email-received notification? )

However, some application like Outlook Express and Windows Media Player will not have 64bit version anytime soon. This is because some applications such as non-memory intensive applications, do not necessarily benefit customers by being 64bit native.

Furthermore, Microsoft’s Beck said most Microsoft applications such as the Office suite will not be available in 64-bit versions until the end of 2006, when the company’s next-generation operating system, Longhorn, is due for release.

[Source]