Linux OS version check

Is there any universal command to check Linux OS distribution name and if its 64bit?

So far i used:

uname -a

Attachment 86
(Redhat Enterprise linux (EL) version 5.x and 64 bit)


and harder to remember linux command:

cat /etc/*release

Attachment 87

there is also "lsb_release -a" command, but it dont works everywhere

I use cat /etc/*release and usually the results are correct