Network Support for Midsize Companies
64-bit Computing Upgrade Help
Overview of 64-bit Processing
With the availability of Microsoft Windows 7, the business case for upgrading to 64-bit computing has never been stronger. However, many network managers are predictably hesitant to take on a sizable upgrade project when the main benefits — improved stability, capacity, and performance — are too vague to evaluate precisely. Being a Microsoft Partner with over 20 years of background assisting businesses to implement system-wide migration projects, Progent can help your company to assess the costs and rewards of moving to 64-bit processing, create an efficient upgrade scheme that minimizes business interruptions, and deliver cost-effective, high-level remote consulting as you upgrade the software running your existing computers.
With the majority of business IT systems, 64-bit computing is a giant unexploited resource. Both Intel and AMD, the leading CPU manufacturers, have been incorporating 64-bit ability in their mainstream processors for years, with the result that all types of business computers such as laptops, desktop computers, high-powered workstations and advanced servers now have the architecture to run in 64-bit format. However the majority of these computers continue to host 32-bit software platforms.
The main reason for this common reluctance to participate in the 64-bit revolution is that the real advantage for updating in-place systems has seemed to be modest in relation to the effort needed. There is no automatic path to upgrade from a 32 to a 64-bit operating system. The enhancement demands a clean installation, which means reinstalling existing applications, backing up and recovering data, and configuring new 64-bit drivers. This demands thoughtful planning to do economically. Furthermore, most desktop applications are currently available only in 32-bit versions, so where's the advantage?
Advantages of Moving Up to 64-bit Computing
The advantages of 64-bit over 32-bit processing may seem subtle and hard to define precisely, but they are significant. The RAM allocation schemes used in 32-bit systems are essentially an engineering band-aid that undermines stability. RAM-starved applications are often not allowed to access free RAM since the O/S is unable to allocate it effectively. This results in software shutting down or executing erratically even though a machine appears to have plenty of available RAM. Also, 64-bit operating systems allow much more addressable RAM than 32-bit systems and process more data per clock cycle. You can also go from one memory-intensive application to another faster when using a 64-bit system. Basically, 64-bit computing makes systems more reliable, more scalable, and more efficient, which makes businesses more productive.
Microsoft's x64 Support
Microsoft's “x64” software works with the 64-bit CPUs found in virtually all computers currently deployed in office IT systems. (Microsoft's 64-bit "Itanium" initiative is limited to special high-end processors and is designed for environments that require massive multi-processing.) Prior to the release of Microsoft Office 2010, the majority of Microsoft desktop applications including 2007 Office and Visual Studio 2005 were available only in 32-bit editions, which can still be run on x64 platforms. The new generation of Office delivers dramatic enhancements. As an example, Microsoft Excel 2010 is offered in a 64-bit edition that permits you to build spreadsheets with huge datasets that are not restricted to the 2-Gbyte file size that hampers 32-bit versions of Office Excel.
Microsoft offers true x64 editions of many Microsoft Server platforms, including Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 and 2007, Microsoft Commerce Server 2007, BizTalk Server 2006, plus Operations Manager. Windows Server 64-bit versions are priced and licensed the same as 32-bit counterparts, so in most circumstances it costs nothing extra for 64-bit server operating systems or hardware.
For desktop PCs, Microsoft offers Windows 7 and Windows 8 in same-price 64-bit versions that provide advanced dependability, scalability, and performance. Like all migrations from 32-bit to 64-bit operating systems, the upgrade can't be carried out without effort. Every workstation and server needs a clean setup that involves reconfiguring application software, saving and recovering data, and configuring 64-bit device drivers. On the other hand, for most in-place workstations, and for every PC powered by Microsoft Windows XP, even the 64-bit version of Windows 7 or 8 requires you to perform a "from scratch" installation. This being the case, there has never been a better time to migrate to 64-bit processing on the workstation, since it will require scarcely any extra work.
How Progent Can Help You to Migrate to 64-bit Computing
In addition to assisting you to evaluate the business benefits, expenses, and technical variables attached to upgrading to 64-bit processing, Progent's Microsoft-certified consultants can help you design, document, carry out, administer, and troubleshoot a system-wide move to 64-bit server and desktop operating systems and business applications. Progent can help you pilot your 64-bit infrastructure to verify that it supports all of the key 32-bit applications which you want to keep as well as the latest 64-bit versions of software you plan to install. If moving to Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 is included in your x64 migration strategy, Progent's Windows 7 engineers, Windows 8.1 consultants, and Windows 10 planning and migration experts can help your company to determine which workstation computers and applications can or ought to be preserved, and outline an upgrade process that is the least disturbing to your business operations.
Other ways Progent's consultants can help you to migrate to x64 computing include:
- Progent's experience delivering online network consulting and support can save you time and expense during your x64 upgrade, and Progent's experience working with in-house IT staffs and delivering technical knowledge transfer to them can improve the effectiveness of your network support team.
- Progent's Cisco CCIE network engineers can verify that your network infrastructure is configured to accommodate your 64-bit processing environment, that it is easy to monitor, administer, and repair, and that it provides a high level of security and reliability.
- Progent's disaster recovery engineers can help you in developing and testing a workplace recovery plan that incorporates your x64 servers. Progent's Microsoft certified System Center SCDPM consulting experts can help you to configure Microsoft System Center System Center Data Protection Manager to support near-continuous online backup with the capability of rapid system restoration.
- Progent's CISM, CISSP, GIAC, and CISA certified security experts can assist you create a comprehensive security plan that deploys some of the new security mechanisms incorporated into 64-bit servers. Progent can also provide security vulnerability checking to evaluate or confirm your company's adherence to industry or government security standards.
- Progent's virtualization experts can help you utilize 64-bit virtual server solutions to save money on hardware, streamline management, enhance fault tolerance, cut colocation costs, and speed up restoration time in the event of a catastrophic breakdown.
- Progent's online education can help bring your IT support team and your office workers up to speed rapidly and cost-effectively by providing online webinars specialized for your computing requirements and operational processes.
For additional information about how Progent can assist your business to upgrade to 64-bit processing, call
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Small-Medium Business Support Consultants
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Progent is one of the most qualified IT consulting companies for designing email systems based on Exchange 2000. Progent specializes in helping small businesses receive the full benefits of Exchange 2000 for common situations including upgrading from Microsoft Exchange 5.5, migration from an ISP-managed or POP3 e-mail environment, and jobbing out your Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server management.
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Progent's Shared Call Center service makes it possible for your IT organization to split the load for Help Desk support seamlessly between your in-house IT staff and Progent's nationwide pool of seasoned technical support engineers and matter experts (SMEs). Progent's Co-managed Help Desk service is an advanced support solution based on ConnectWise Manage, the leading shared professional services automation (PSA) tool for managing end-user service requests, ticket lifecycle, responsibility, progress tracking, and reporting.
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Computer Support Help Desk Information Technology Consulting
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The Help Desk support delivery structure adopted by Progent gives small companies an effective option to reliance on independent consultants by offering broad expertise accessible to numerous support teams, optional round-the-clock access to urgent help, fast escalation to top-level experts for solving the most difficult problems, support consistency and reliability, prompt follow through enforced by seasoned support administrators, a choice of convenient techniques for requesting support jobs, and a high level of progress visibility enabled by trouble ticket updates and accessible through a web-based portal.
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