Data centers are the key to utilizing IT assets to maximize the business value of an IT network. For small businesses, data centers have often evolved in a piecemeal manner, resulting in a situation where servers and storage devices are underutilized, usable communications bandwidth is wasted, teamwork and knowledge sharing is minimal, maintenance requirements are high, scaling or reconfiguring is expensive, protection is patchy, nominally minor changes become giant challenges, and full recovery from disastrous failure becomes almost undoable.
Cisco's most recent connectivity devices and technologies enable a new model of data center architecture that permits continual improvements in server, storage, network infrastructure, and application technologies in a maintainable and economical way. Progent's consultants can assist you to identify and deploy Cisco's connectivity technology to build a robust foundation for your data center and to streamline your operations in vital areas such as:
- Processor and storage utilization
- Comprehensive security enforcement
- Server proliferation
- Regulatory issues
- Disaster recovery
The key benefits that can be realized from using Progent's network consultants to enhance your data center include:
- Lower ownership cost: permits IT management to substantially reduce acquisition costs through integration and more efficient use of previously isolated network resources, slash operational expenses through streamlining and automating administrative tasks, and reduce air conditioning and power costs.
- Greater Business Flexibility: enables IT management to react dynamically to changing business demands by allowing rapid deployment of application and infrastructure functions from common aggregations of integrated processor, storage, and connectivity resources. This helps improve administrative procedures and enable policy-driven management.
- Better Network Robustness: allows IT management to respond to disruptions or intrusions by safeguarding connections, applications, and data with the highest levels of availability, pervasive security, and disaster recovery.
- Optimized Service Levels: enables IT management to improve network service levels by implementing secure, fast access to data center-hosted applications and data from anywhere and at any moment throughout the organization.
Examples of Progent's Consulting Assistance for Cisco-based Data Centers
Progent's certified Cisco consultants can provide a wide range of consulting services that can help businesses of all sizes implement a Cisco-powered environment that will give your data center a resilient and protected foundation for existing applications and future growth. Consulting services include:
- Designing efficient firewall security configurations powered by PIX and ASA firewall devices
- Deploying and supporting secure VPN access for linking data centers to other data centers, corporate sites, and mobile workers
- Designing, and integrating resilient non-stop switching, routing, and Internet connectivity environments in which single point breakdowns do not interrupt operation of the network
- Setting up backup Internet providers with seamless failover based on BGP protocols. Progent can guide customers along the complete chain of paperwork with Internet authorities, getting Autonomous System numbers and IP addresses allocated, dealing with ISP carriers to set up their systems, and deploying and testing customer devices.
- Implementing segmented and secure virtual LAN (VLAN environments to support VMware and Microsoft virtual server deployments
- Planning, installing and assisting clients to administer 24x7 intrusion prevention systems (IPS) so that assaults can be identified quickly and remediated so they don't disrupt your business
- Designing, configuring, and troubleshooting load balancing systems. Consulting with clients, Progent can map expressed needs to the most sensible solutions and deploy load balancing at the application level, server level, or connectivity infrastructure layer. These designs permit transparent and scalable expansion, dependability, security, and fault tolerance.
- Progent knows how to plan practical network management solutions using Simple Network Management Protocol and Cisco's open Netflow protocols, along with Cisco Security Manager and CiscoWorks and various 3rd party solutions that allow network managers a powerful real-time view into the activity of their data center's infrastructure
- Configuring and supporting advanced data center class routers and switches such as the Catalyst 4500 and 6500 Series switches, Nexus 5000, 6000, and 7000 switches, and Cisco 7200 and 12000 family routers.
For more details concerning Progent's consulting assistance for Cisco products, select a subject:
In order to contact Progent about professional assistance for Cisco technology, call 1-800-993-9400 or see Contact Progent.