Companies move from UNIX to MS Windows in order to derive more competitive value from hardware and software. The consequent Windows-powered environments simplify management, improve the efficiency of workers and IT staff, minimize information replication, improve data consistency, and allow for smoother recovery from catastrophic failure. A Microsoft Windows system helps businesses create applications quickly and requires less effort to be spent on writing, integrating, and managing applications.

Progent can assist you to plan and deploy a smooth migration from a UNIX-powered IT system to a Microsoft Windows network for supporting Microsoft's popular Office software, commercial software applications, and developer technology. Progent's experienced UNIX, Windows MCSE, and Cisco CCIE engineers and application specialists can show you how to keep your data and reduce business discontinuity by creating and executing an effective migration strategy that preserves your existing investments in UNIX applications and network equipment. Progent can also help to train your users and network support group so your business stays productive.

UNIX-to-Windows migration consulting services available from Progent include:

• Evaluation of Existing Environment
  Progent will assist you understand the potential advantages and risks of transitioning an OS platform, software application, computer, storage subsystem, or information base. The exercise provides a comprehensive assessment of your information environment, establishes a baseline IT inventory, lowers technical uncertainties, and inevitably results in a more affordable transition by conserving time and avoiding costly pitfalls.

• Transition Planning and Testing
  Progent will develop a comprehensive migration deployment plan which may include pilot tests. Progent practices a phased approach with specified waypoints in order to meet economic, scheduling, and technical goals while minimizing productivity discontinuity. This process is modeled after the best industry practices outlined in the Microsoft Solutions Framework.

• Microsoft Exchange Migration Support
  Progent can create and execute a complete plan for migrating from UNIX-based messaging to Microsoft Exchange Server and can help you to migrate Lotus Notes or GroupWise applications to a Microsoft SQL application or a SharePoint solution. Progent's experienced Microsoft Exchange Server engineers can assess the costs and benefits of transitioning to Microsoft Exchange Server and generate a detailed record of your existing messaging system. Progent can also manage a pilot deployment to help validate an MS Exchange migration strategy. Progent will also audit your existing messaging protection and propose procedures and products to protect against attacks.

• Data and Application Software Porting
  Progent can design and implement an information and application transition strategy that includes descriptions of data and applications to be migrated, identification of technologies and processes to be utilized for the move, risk analysis and risk minimization strategies, complete project management support, critical path projections of the transition and anticipated operational downtime, validation techniques, and emergency back-out procedures. Progent's consultants can promote the success of your data and application porting project by providing certified Microsoft SQL Server engineers and data porting professionals who are veterans of large projects such as Great Plains migration.

• Server and Media Transition and Economization
  Server and mass storage transition and economization from UNIX to Windows can streamline network management, enhance data integrity and accelerate system performance. By removing unneeded equipment and applications and by configuring server and storage resources efficiently, you can build an information infrastructure that is expandable, secure, simple to backup and recover, and affordable to administer and support. Progent's server and mass storage migration and consolidation support features a comprehensive plan with an inventory of your current server and mass storage environment as well as for hardware, software, services, education, and consulting for proof-of-concept piloting. Progent can assist you to develop and execute a consolidated, high-availability IT architecture informed by detailed load evaluation and capacity modeling and can specify archiving and disaster recovery strategies.

If you need help migrating from a UNIX platform to a Windows-based network, call Progent at 800-993-9400 or send email to experts@progent.com.

Microsoft, Cisco, and Applications Consulting from Progent
Progent's Microsoft and Cisco certified professionals provide customers in the San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California, and in major cities nationwide a wide array of expertise covering the fundamental information technology requirements common to most small and mid-size business environments. Progent's core services include network integration, Microsoft Exchange help, system security support and HelpDesk consulting and support. Progent's Experts Team offers in-depth expertise in key application areas. By offering a single source for IT generalists and experts, Progent can deliver quick, economical and thorough network solutions that address the exact needs of your organization.