Microsoft Corp. strengthened its hand in the database market Thursday by releasing the first 64-bit version of SQL Server. The product should help Microsoft address a broader segment of the database market, although it hasn't yet matched the high-end capabilities of market leaders IBM Corp. and Oracle Corp., analysts said.
SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition (64-bit) offers faster performance and the ability to support more concurrent users than did previous versions of the product, said Sheryl Tullis, a product manager for SQL Server. Perhaps as important, she said, it provides customers with an alternative to products from IBM and Oracle, which have offered 64-bit databases for years.
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