Network Help for Mid-size Companies

For most business networks, 64-bit processing is a giant unexploited resource. Intel and AMD, the top CPU chip manufacturers, have been delivering 64-bit capability in their commodity CPUs for years, so that all types of business computers such as notebooks, desktop PCs, engineering workstations and advanced servers now have the architecture to operate in 64-bit format. However most of these in-place computers continue to run 32-bit software platforms.

The primary cause for this widespread reluctance to participate in the 64-bit millennium is that the business advantage for upgrading existing systems has seemed to be small in comparison to the work needed. There is no automatic path to upgrade from a 32 to a 64-bit operating system. The upgrade requires a clean install, which means reinstalling existing applications, saving and restoring data files, and installing new 64-bit drivers. This requires thoughtful planning to carry out efficiently. Meanwhile, most office productivity software are currently offered only in 32-bit editions, so what's the benefit?

Benefits of Upgrading to 64-bit Processing
The benefits of 64-bit vs. 32-bit computing may appear to be subtle and difficult to quantify, but they are real. The memory management schemes used in 32-bit operating systems are basically an engineering afterthought that limits stability. RAM-starved programs are sometimes not able to access existing RAM because the operating system cannot assign it efficiently. This results in software freezing or executing fitfully even though a machine seems to have plenty of unused memory. In addition, 64-bit software platforms support far more addressable memory than 32-bit ones and crunch twice as much information per CPU cycle. You can also switch from one RAM-intensive program to another faster when you are running in a 64-bit system. Fundamentally, 64-bit computing makes environments more stable, more expandable, and more efficient, which makes companies more productive.

Microsoft's 64-bit Computing Software
Microsoft's “x64” software supports the 64-bit CPUs found in most servers and desktop PCs currently installed in business IT environments. (Microsoft's 64-bit "Itanium" platform is restricted to special high-end Intel/AMD CPUs and is intended for environments that need massive multi-processing.) Prior to the availability of Microsoft Office 2010, most Microsoft client applications including Microsoft Office 2007 and Visual Studio 2005 were offered solely in 32-bit editions, which can nevertheless be run on x64 platforms. The new family of Microsoft Office 2010 offers dramatic enhancements. For example, Microsoft Office Excel 2010 is offered in a 64-bit version that allows you to build spreadsheets with huge datasets that are not limited to the 2-Gbyte maximum file size imposed by 32-bit editions of Microsoft Office Excel.

Microsoft has developed native x64 versions of many Microsoft Server platforms, including Windows Server 2008 and 2003, SQL Server 2008 and 2005, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, Commerce Server, BizTalk Server 2006, plus Operations Manager. Microsoft Windows Server x64 versions are priced the same as 32-bit editions, so ordinarily you pay nothing extra for 64-bit server software or machines.

For client computers, Microsoft supplies Windows 7 and Windows 8 in same-price x64 editions that offer advanced dependability, capacity, and performance. As with all upgrades from 32-bit to 64-bit operating systems, the move up can't be carried out without effort. Every workstation and server needs a clean installation that involves reinstalling application software, saving and recovering data, and configuring 64-bit drivers. In fact, for typical in-place workstations, and for all PCs powered by Windows XP, even the 64-bit release of Microsoft Windows 7 or 8 requires you to perform a clean install. Consequently, there will never be a better time to upgrade to 64-bit processing on the workstation, since it will require scarcely any additional effort.

How Progent Can Assist You to Migrate to 64-bit Processing
Besides helping your organization to understand the practical benefits, expenses, and technical risks associated with upgrading to 64-bit computing, Progent's Microsoft-certified engineers can help you plan, document, implement, manage, and repair a system-wide migration to 64-bit server and client OS software and business applications. Progent can help you pilot your 64-bit environment to verify that it supports all of the important 32-bit programs that you want to keep as well as the latest 64-bit editions of software you wish to run. If adopting Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 is part of your x64 migration plan, Progent's Windows 7 engineers, Windows 8.1 consultants, and Windows 10 planning and migration experts can help you to determine which desktop computers and applications can or ought to be preserved, and design an upgrade process that is minimally disruptive to your network productivity.

Other ways Progent can help you to upgrade to 64-bit computing include:

• Progent's expertise providing remote network consulting and troubleshooting can save you effort and money over the course of your x64 upgrade, and Progent's experience cooperating with in-house support personnel and delivering technical knowledge transfer to them can improve the efficiency of your network support staff.

• Progent's Cisco CCIE network consultants can make sure that your network infrastructure is optimized to support your 64-bit processing environment, that it is simple to monitor, manage, and troubleshoot, and that it offers a high level of security and robustness.

• Progent's disaster recovery consultants can help you in developing and testing a workplace recovery strategy that incorporates your 64-bit servers. Progent's Microsoft certified System Center SCDPM consulting experts can help you to configure System Center System Center Data Protection Manager to support automated remote backup with the advantage of rapid system recovery.

• Progent's CISM, CISSP, GIAC, and CISA network security consultants can help you develop a company-wide security strategy that implements some of the powerful security mechanisms incorporated into 64-bit server platforms. Progent can also carry out network security vulnerability checking to assess or validate your company's compliance with mandated security standards.

• Progent's virtualization consultants can show you how to utilize 64-bit virtual server technology to conserve hardware, streamline management, enhance dependability, lower hosting costs, and speed up restoration time in the event of a catastrophic breakdown.

• Progent's live online training classes can help bring your network support team and your office employees up to date quickly and cost-effectively by providing remote webinars customized for your network environment and business processes.