Network Help for Small Organizations

Meanwhile, all server, workstation, and laptop computers sold in the last few years already have the ability to run in 64-bit mode. As a Microsoft Gold Partner with years of experience helping businesses carry out network-wide upgrades, Progent can help you understand the costs and benefits of moving to 64-bit processing, design an efficient migration strategy that minimizes operational disruptions, and provide affordable, expert remote support to assist you in upgrading your existing computers and software.

The advantages of 64-bit computing go beyond gigantic spreadsheets. Software is more stable, system performance improves, memory capacity expands, security can be more extensive, and more servers can be consolidated through virtualization. These advantages equate to more uptime, increased productivity, better data protection, and lower equipment costs. Yet for most small businesses, 64-bit computing is still a great untapped resource.

Sticking with 32-bit software and under utilizing 64-bit hardware seems to make no business sense, but in fact there are serious obstacles to migrating to 64-bit computing that have prompted companies to hold back. There is no seamless path for replacing a 32-bit operating system with a 64-bit equivalent. The upgrade requires a clean installation, which means reinstalling existing applications, backing up and restoring data, and installing new 64-bit drivers. In some cases, it can be difficult or impossible to find 64-bit drivers for older peripherals. To avoid business disruption and minimize technical risk, a 64-bit migration demands careful planning and extensive experience.

Advantages of Moving Up to 64-bit Processing
The benefits of 64-bit vs. 32-bit processing may appear to be vague and difficult to quantify, yet they are significant. The RAM memory management schemes utilized by 32-bit systems are essentially an engineering afterthought that limits stability. Memory-starved programs are sometimes not able to access existing memory because the O/S cannot allocate it effectively. This results in programs freezing or executing fitfully even when a machine appears to have plenty of available memory. Also, 64-bit software platforms support much more physical memory than 32-bit ones and crunch twice as much data per CPU cycle. You can also jump from one RAM-hungry program to another faster when you are running in a 64-bit system. Fundamentally, 64-bit computing makes systems more reliable, more scalable, and more efficient, which makes businesses more productive.

Microsoft's 64-bit Processing Software
Microsoft's “x64” technology works with the 64-bit processors used in most servers and desktop PCs currently deployed in business IT systems. (Microsoft's 64-bit "Itanium" platform is restricted to special high-end Intel/AMD CPUs and is designed for environments that need massive multi-processing.) Before the availability of Office 2010, most Microsoft client applications such as Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 were available solely in 32-bit editions, which can still be used on x64 platforms. The new generation of Office 2010 delivers dramatic improvements. As an example, Microsoft Office 2010 is available in a 64-bit version that you allows you to create spreadsheets with huge databases that are not restricted to the 2-Gbyte file size imposed by previous releases of Microsoft Office Excel.

Microsoft has developed true x64 editions of key Microsoft Server System products, including Windows Server 2008 and 2003, SQL Server 2008, Exchange Server 2010 and 2007, Microsoft Commerce Server 2007, Microsoft BizTalk Server, plus Operations Manager. Windows Server x64 versions are priced identically to 32-bit counterparts, so in most circumstances you pay nothing extra for 64-bit server operating systems or machines.

For desktop PCs, Microsoft supplies Windows 7 in a same-price x64 version that sets a new benchmark for dependability, capacity, and performance. As with all upgrades from 32-bit to 64-bit operating systems, the move up can’t be carried out seamlessly. Each desktop PC and server requires a clean installation that involves reinstalling application software, saving and restoring data, and configuring 64-bit device drivers. On the other hand, for typical in-place desktop PCs, and for every PC powered by Microsoft Windows XP, the 32 or 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows 7 will require you to carry out a "from scratch" install. This being the case, there will never be a better time to upgrade to 64-bit processing on the desktop, since it will involve little additional work.

How Progent Can Assist You to Migrate to 64-bit Processing
In addition to assisting your organization to evaluate the practical advantages, costs, and technical risks attached to migrating to 64-bit computing, Progent's Microsoft certified consultants can help you design, document, carry out, administer, and troubleshoot a system-wide migration to 64-bit server and desktop operating systems and business applications. Progent can help you pilot your 64-bit environment to verify that it supports all of the important 32-bit applications that you intend to retain as well as the latest 64-bit versions of applications you wish to install. If adopting Windows 7 is part of your 64-bit upgrade plan, Progent can assist you to determine which workstation computers and applications can or should be retained, and outline an upgrade procedure that is the least disturbing to your network operations.

Other ways Progent can help your business to migrate to 64-bit processing include:

• Progent's experience providing remote network support services can save your business time and expense during your 64-bit upgrade, and Progent's experience cooperating with internal support staffs and delivering technical information transfer to them can improve the efficiency of your support staff.

• Progent's certified Cisco CCIE network engineers can verify that your network infrastructure is optimized to support your x64 processing environment, that it is easy to monitor, administer, and troubleshoot, and that it offers a high level of data protection and fault tolerance.

• Progent's disaster recovery consultants can help you in developing and testing a business continuity strategy that incorporates your 64-bit servers. Progent's Microsoft certified System Center Data Protection Manager support experts can help you to configure Microsoft DPM to provide ongoing online backup with the capability of rapid data recovery.

• Progent's CISM, CISSP, GIAC, and CISA certified network security specialists can assist you develop a company-wide security plan that implements some of the powerful security mechanisms included with 64-bit server platforms. Progent can also provide security vulnerability checking to assess or confirm your company's compliance with mandated security requirements.

• Progent's virtualization experts can help you benefit from 64-bit virtual server technology to conserve equipment, simplify management, enhance fault tolerance, lower hosting costs, and reduce recovery time in case of a disaster.

• Progent's webinar education can help get your network support staff and your desktop workers up to speed quickly and affordably by providing remote virtual training customized for your computing environment and business procedures.