Network Help for Mid-size Businesses

For the majority of office IT systems, 64-bit computing is a great untapped power source. Intel and AMD, the top CPU chip manufacturers, have been incorporating 64-bit ability in their mainstream processors for years, with the result that all classes of business computers including notebooks, desktop computers, high-powered workstations and advanced servers already have the ability to run in 64-bit mode. Yet the majority of these in-place computers still host 32-bit operating systems.

The main cause for this common hesitation to participate in the 64-bit millennium is that the business benefit for upgrading existing systems has appeared to be small in relation to the work required. There is no automatic process to upgrade from a 32 to a 64-bit OS. The enhancement demands a clean installation, which calls for reinstalling existing applications, backing up and recovering data files, and configuring new drivers. This demands careful planning to do efficiently. Meanwhile, many popular office applications are currently available only in 32-bit versions, so what's the benefit?

Advantages of Upgrading to 64-bit Processing
The advantages of 64-bit over 32-bit computing may seem subtle and hard to quantify, yet they are significant. The memory partitioning schemes utilized by 32-bit systems are essentially an engineering afterthought that undermines stability. Memory-starved programs are often not allowed to access free RAM because the operating system is unable to assign it efficiently. This results in software freezing or running fitfully even when a computer seems to have plenty of unused memory. Also, 64-bit operating systems allow far more physical RAM than 32-bit ones and crunch more information per CPU cycle. You can also go from one memory-intensive application to another faster when running in a 64-bit environment. Basically, 64-bit computing makes environments more stable, more scalable, and more efficient, which makes businesses more competitive.

Microsoft's x64 Support
Microsoft's “x64” software works with the 64-bit CPUs used in most computers now installed in office IT systems. (Microsoft's "Itanium" support is restricted to a few advanced Intel and AMD CPUs processors and is designed for applications that require large-scale multi-processing.) Before the availability of Office 2010, the majority of Microsoft desktop programs including Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 were available solely in 32-bit editions, which can still be run on x64 platforms. The new family of Microsoft Office offers significant improvements. For example, Microsoft Excel 2010 is offered in a 64-bit edition that permits you to build spreadsheets with enormous datasets that are not limited by the 2-gigabyte maximum file size that hampers 32-bit versions of Microsoft Office Excel.

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

For client computers, Microsoft offers Windows 7 and Windows 8 in same-cost 64-bit editions that provide high stability, scalability, and throughput. Like all upgrades from 32-bit to 64-bit platforms, the move up can't be done seamlessly. Each workstation and server needs a clean installation that entails reconfiguring application software, backing up and recovering data files, and installing 64-bit device drivers. In fact, for most current desktop PCs, and for every PC powered by XP, any release of Microsoft Windows 7 or Windows 8 will require you to perform a "from scratch" install. This being the case, there has never been a better time to upgrade to 64-bit computing on the workstation, since it will involve scarcely any extra work.

How Progent Can Assist Your Business to Upgrade to 64-bit Computing
Besides assisting your organization to understand the business benefits, expenses, and technical variables associated with upgrading to 64-bit computing, Progent's Microsoft-certified engineers can help you design, document, carry out, administer, and repair a system-wide migration to 64-bit server and desktop OS software and applications. Progent can help you pilot your 64-bit environment to verify that it handles all of the key 32-bit programs which you intend to keep as well as the new 64-bit editions of software you wish to run. If moving to Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 is included in your 64-bit migration plan, Progent's Windows 7 engineers, Windows 8.1 consultants, and Windows 10 evaluation and migration consultants can assist your company to decide which desktop hardware and programs can or should be retained, and outline an upgrade procedure that is minimally disruptive to your business productivity.

Additional ways Progent can assist your business to upgrade to x64 computing include:

• Progent's experience delivering online computer consulting and troubleshooting can save you effort and money during your x64 migration, and Progent's experience working with internal support personnel and delivering technical knowledge transfer to them can increase the effectiveness of your support team.

• Progent's certified Cisco CCIE network consultants can make sure that your network architecture is configured to support your x64 processing solution, that it is simple to track, manage, and troubleshoot, and that it offers a high degree of security and robustness.

• Progent's business continuity engineers can assist you in developing and testing a business continuity strategy that includes your x64 servers. Progent's Microsoft certified Microsoft System Center SCDPM consulting professionals can assist you to deploy Microsoft System Center System Center Data Protection Manager to support automated remote backup with the advantage of rapid system restoration.

• Progent's CISM, CISSP, and GIAC network security experts can help you develop a comprehensive security strategy that deploys some of the powerful security mechanisms included with x64 servers. Progent can also carry out security vulnerability testing to assess or validate your company's adherence to industry or government security requirements.

• Progent's virtualization consultants can help you utilize 64-bit virtual server solutions to leverage your hardware resources, streamline management, enhance dependability, lower colocation and hosting expenses, and speed up recovery time in case of a disaster.

• Progent's online instruction can help bring both your network support staff and your desktop workers up to date quickly and cost-effectively by delivering online virtual training customized for your network environment and operational procedures.