Computer Network Support for Mid-size Businesses

With the majority of office networks, 64-bit processing is a great unexploited resource. Intel and AMD, the top CPU chip makers, have been incorporating 64-bit capability in their commodity processors for years, with the result that all classes of business computing hardware including notebooks, desktop computers, engineering workstations and advanced servers already have the ability to run in 64-bit format. However most of these in-place devices continue to run 32-bit operating systems.

The primary reason for this common reluctance to participate in the 64-bit millennium is that the business advantage for upgrading in-place computers has appeared to be small in comparison to the effort needed. There is no automatic path to migrate from a 32-bit to a 64-bit operating system. The upgrade demands a clean installation, which calls for reinstalling current applications, saving and restoring data files, and installing new drivers. This demands thorough planning to carry out economically. Furthermore, most office applications are currently offered only in 32-bit versions, so where's the advantage?

Benefits of Upgrading to 64-bit Computing
The benefits of 64-bit over 32-bit processing may seem subtle and hard to define precisely, but they are real. The RAM memory partitioning schemes used in 32-bit systems are basically a technical afterthought that undermines stability. Memory-hungry programs are often not able to utilize available RAM since the operating system cannot assign it efficiently. This can be the cause of software shutting down or running fitfully even when a machine seems to have ample available memory. In addition, 64-bit operating systems support far 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 more quickly when using a 64-bit system. Basically, 64-bit computing makes environments more stable, more scalable, and more efficient, which makes companies more productive.

Microsoft's 64-bit Computing Software
Microsoft's “x64” technology works with the 64-bit CPUs used in most computers currently installed in office IT systems. (Microsoft's "Itanium" software is limited to special advanced CPUs and is designed for environments that require large-scale multi-processing.) Before the availability of Office 2010, the majority of Microsoft desktop applications including 2007 Office and Visual Studio 2005 were offered only in 32-bit editions, which can still be used on x64 Windows. The latest family of Microsoft Office 2010 delivers dramatic enhancements. For example, Office Excel 2010 is available in a 64-bit edition that you permits you to build spreadsheets with huge databases that are not limited to the 2-Gbyte maximum file size imposed by 32-bit releases of Excel.

Microsoft offers native x64 editions of key Microsoft Server System products, such as Microsoft Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 and 2007, Microsoft Commerce Server 2007, BizTalk Server, plus System Center Operations Manager. Windows Server 64-bit editions are priced the same as 32-bit versions, so typically you pay nothing extra for 64-bit server software or hardware.

For desktop PCs, Microsoft supplies Windows 7 in a same-cost 64-bit version that establishes a new benchmark for dependability, scalability, and performance. Like all migrations from 32-bit to 64-bit operating systems, the upgrade can’t be done seamlessly. Each workstation and server requires a clean setup that entails reconfiguring application software, backing up and recovering data, and configuring 64-bit device drivers. In fact, for most current desktop PCs, and for all PCs running XP, any release of Windows 7 will require you to perform a clean install. This being the case, there will never be a better time to move to 64-bit computing on the workstation, since it will require little additional work.

How Progent Can Help Your Business to Upgrade to 64-bit Computing
In addition to assisting you to evaluate the practical benefits, costs, and technical risks attached to upgrading to 64-bit computing, Progent's Microsoft certified consultants can help you plan, document, implement, manage, and troubleshoot a system-wide migration to 64-bit server and client operating systems and applications. Progent can help you test your 64-bit infrastructure to make sure it handles all of the important 32-bit applications that you intend to keep plus the latest 64-bit editions of applications you wish to run. If moving to Windows 7 is part of your x64 migration strategy, Progent can assist your company to decide which desktop hardware and applications can or should be preserved, and outline an upgrade procedure that is the least disruptive to your network operations.

Additional ways Progent can help your business to migrate to x64 computing include:

• Progent's experience delivering remote network consulting and support can save your business time and money over the course of your x64 upgrade, and Progent's background cooperating with internal support staffs and providing technical information sharing to them can improve the effectiveness of your support team.

• Progent's certified Cisco CCIE network engineers can verify that your network architecture is optimized to accommodate your x64 processing solution, that it is simple to track, administer, and repair, and that it provides a high level of security and dependability.

• Progent's disaster recovery consulting professionals can assist you in developing and testing a disaster recovery plan that includes your 64-bit servers. Progent's Microsoft certified Data Protection Manager support experts can help you to deploy Microsoft System Center DPM to provide continuous remote backup with the capability of fast system recovery.

• Progent's CISM, CISSP, and GIAC certified network security experts can help you develop a company-wide security plan that deploys some of the new protection mechanisms incorporated into x64 servers. Progent can also perform network security vulnerability testing to assess or confirm your network's adherence to industry or government security standards.

• Progent's virtualization engineers can show you how to utilize 64-bit virtual server technology to conserve hardware, streamline administration, enhance reliability, lower colocation and hosting costs, and reduce recovery time in case of a disaster.

• Progent's virtual education can help bring your IT management team and your office workers up to speed quickly and cost-effectively by delivering online virtual training customized for your network requirements and business processes.