If you are still not using 64-bit operating systems you should read this

From time to time I meet customers that are using older operating systems that are not 64-bit. Before I go any further let me give you the perspective:

· X86 Platform: This is the original PC platform that we used to use back in 1980’s. It has a maximum support for 4 GB RAM.

· I64 Platform (Itanium): This is the 64-bit platform which appeared first on stage and was modeled after a different architecture. It has support for much higher memory but is only available on expensive hardware. Due to architectural differences it needs to emulate x86 instructions in software and old applications written for x86 run much slower.

· X64 Platform: This is the 64-bit platform that has now become mainstream. It is using a similar architecture with x86 and can run older applications on hardware. It does support much higher memory. The rest of this blog this is the platform that I will refer to when I use 64-bit.

When we talk about the reason for not moving, it generally boils down to incompatible hardware or software that does not run properly under 64-bit operating systems. I have seen several customers using old fax add-on cards that is leaving them behind and several software that simply refuse to run. Maybe its time you should think of leaving fax as a communications technology. Some of the readers will jump saying that they depend on fax for their everyday operations. Although this seems like a valid reason for not moving to 64-bit, the point is there are valid alternatives both technically and politically that can be used that can help you use 64 bit systems. There is something more subtle but more important than this.

Organizations tend to use technology as long as it works and does not cause any trouble. These technologies become brittle in time and become obstacles to innovation to your business. The way we do business is changing for everyone starting from coffee shops to large enterprises. You can not keep selling the same services and products forever. Nowadays success for organizations is measured by how much profit you are generating from the new products and services you are offering. This means adapting to change should be in your DNA as a company. This includes both planned changes and abrupt changes. If you do not embrace the change, you are losing adaptability to new conditions. If you do not adapt to change, your competition will and you will less likely to be fit and finally you will be extinct. This is the most important lesson organizations should borrow from evolution.

Now the new problem organizations are facing is the rate of change which is increasing even faster each year. In order to remain competitive, you need to have a framework which makes technological change easier. See my earlier post on agile organizations. You should choose the right technology and put necessary processes to track its usefulness. Measuring usefulness can be difficult when you think of implementing this but when you do you will see that most of the technologies are replaceable with better ones after some time even though they are still functioning and providing value. When you change your mind set on change in technology you need to invest on technologies that are modular enough to change when needed easily and seamlessly.

When you are investing in a new technology, you should definitely evaluate the contribution to your business. However you should also think about how adaptable the new technology is to the changing conditions. If it is not, account for this, during in your decision. If you don’t we will have the same conversation when you plan to implement IPv6 or any other disruptive technology on the horizion.