The PA-RISC architecture from HP has breathed its last, as Hewlett Packard switches to Intel’s Itanium chips.

HP’s NonStop models will get the new Itanium chips, which HP helped Intel develop. In a move that will help the Palo Alto-based computer and printer maker simplify operations, the change should help the company make up some profitability.

The NonStop family of servers gains its name from its ability to retain transactions even if the system fails, due to multiple built-in redundancies. “It’s fair to say that the majority of stock transactions go through HP servers,” said Mark Hudson, vice president of marketing for HP’s enterprise storage and server division.

HP will sell the now-older systems for about three more years, and will support existing installations of HP-UX as well as the older platforms until 2013.

As the company moves away from the RISC technology, called Precision Architecture, companies that want to continue using RISC platforms will likely turn to IBM or Sun. Both of those companies have been competing heavily for businesses using HP PA-RISC currently.

For HP, the future is Itanium, and x86 processors from Intel and AMD as well. The company had already phased out the use of Alpha processors after acquiring Compaq during ex-CEO Carly Fiorina’s reign in Palo Alto.

The Itanium chip, a high-end product, has not sold in brisk numbers. Though it has mostly sold to concerns working with very high-performance needs, the company feels the Itanium will make its way to broader acceptance at the corporate level soon.

David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.