Intel has hurdled one barrier to adoption of 64bit Itanium processors by introducing software that it said will let legacy 32bit applications run at acceptable speeds.

Last week, Intel and Microsoft released IA-32 EL software that lets 32bit applications run as if on a 1.5GHz Xeon MP system, according to Intel. That could attract firms that have avoided Itanium due to fears that older 32bit software would run too slowly. The software is available at the web site below and supports Windows Server 2003 Enterprise and Datacenter editions, as well as Windows XP 64bit Edition.

Rival AMD has presented its Opteron processor as offering uncompromised 32bit and 64bit performance. Although Intel intends Itanium to replace Risc-based Unix systems, it agreed IA-32 EL could remove the perceived risk of switching from its own Xeon. "IA-32 EL is really for dependency applications," said Tom Garrison, Intel director of enterprise solutions. "It's a technology that makes it easier to get Itanium to market. [Slow 32bit performance] has been the argument the competition has used against us."

Intel hopes to increase Itanium performance sevenfold over the next three years by packing in cache RAM and using multiple cores on each chip die.

Further out, Intel said that by 2007 it will build motherboards that can house either Xeon or Itanium processors.

Itanium has been selling in moderate numbers - Intel reported that 100,000 chips were bought last year.