SQL SERVER – 64 bit Architecture and White Paper

In supportability, manageability, scalability, performance, interoperability, and business intelligence, SQL Server 2005 provides far richer 64-bit support than its predecessor. This paper describes these enhancements. Read the original paper here. Following abstract is taken from the same paper. Another interesting article on 64-bit Computing with SQL Server 2005 is here.

The primary differences between the 64-bit and 32-bit versions of SQL Server 2005 are derived from the benefits of the underlying 64-bit architecture. Some of these are:

• The 64-bit architecture offers a larger directly-addressable memory space. SQL Server 2005 (64-bit) is not bound by the memory limits of 32-bit systems. Therefore, more memory is available for performing complex queries and supporting essential database operations.
• The 64-bit processor provides enhanced parallelism, thereby providing more linear scalability and support for up to 64 processors, and yielding stronger returns per processor as compared to 32-bit systems.
• The improved bus architecture enhances performance by moving more data between cache and processors in shorter periods.
• A larger on-die cache allows for faster completion of user requests and more efficient use of processor time.

Reference : Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)