The new Windows editions are designed to take advantage of 64-bit extensions to the standard x86 instruction set in processors from both Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) and Intel Corp. 64-bit systems offer users greater computing power as systems can process more data per clock cycle and have greater access to memory.

Build 1830 has been deemed worthy of release after 18 long months of beta testing of a product that many companies showed inital reluctance to install after Microsoft let slip that Service Pack 1 was already in the works at the release of Windows Server 2003 itself. The service pack offers a compilation of updates as well as new security enhancements and originally was due in the first half of 2004. Windows Server 2003 SP1 is currently available via Windows Update.