Data centers are the key to leveraging IT assets to maximize the business value of a computer network. For small businesses, data centers have typically grown in a haphazard fashion, resulting in a situation where servers and storage devices are underutilized, usable communications bandwidth is wasted, collaboration and knowledge sharing is minimal, maintenance requirements are high, expansion or reconfiguring is expensive, protection is patchy, nominally simple changes become giant hassles, and complete recovery from catastrophic failure is almost impossible.
Cisco's latest network devices and technologies support a new generation of data center architecture that allows ongoing improvements in processor, storage, connectivity topology, and applications in a manageable and affordable way. Progent's Cisco-certified professionals can help you to identify and deploy Cisco's network technology to create a robust foundation for your data center and to streamline your data center processes in vital areas such as:
- Processor and storage efficiency
- End-to-end security policy enforcement
- Processor consolidation
- Regulatory requirements
- Disaster recovery
The business benefits that can accrue from using Progent's network experts to optimize your data center include:
- Reduced total cost of ownership: permits IT to significantly lower acquisition expenses via consolidation and higher use of formerly isolated network resources, slash operational expenses through simplifying and automating administrative jobs, and reduce HVAC and energy costs.
- Greater Business Flexibility: enables IT to respond dynamically to evolving competitive conditions by facilitating rapid provisioning of application and infrastructure functions from shared aggregations of consolidated server, disk, and network technologies. This can improve administrative processes and support policy-based management.
- Enhanced Network Robustness: enables IT to react to disruptions or intrusions by protecting connections, applications, and information with the highest degrees of fault tolerance, comprehensive security, and business continuance.
- Optimized Service Levels: enables IT to optimize business service levels by providing safe, fast access to data center-hosted applications and data from anywhere and at any moment across the organization.
Examples of Progent's Consulting Expertise for Cisco-based Data Centers
Progent's network consultants offer a broad array of services that can enable organizations of any size build a Cisco-based environment that will give your data center a reliable and secure basis for existing applications and future expansion. Professional services feature:
- Designing effective firewall protection configurations powered by Cisco PIX and ASA firewall devices
- Installing and supporting protected Virtual Private Network access for linking data centers to other data centers, corporate offices, and mobile workers
- Planning, and integrating resilient zero-downtime LAN and Internet access environments so that single component failures do not disrupt operation of the network
- Configuring backup Internet providers with seamless transfer based on Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). Progent can help clients along the complete path of paperwork with Internet supervisors, having Autonomous System numbers and IP addresses allotted, working with ISPs to prepare their networks, and deploying and testing client equipment.
- Implementing segmented and protected VLAN architectures to support VMware and Microsoft virtual server systems
- Designing, installing and assisting clients to administer 24x7 intrusion prevention systems (IPS) so that attacks can be detected rapidly and defeated so they don't impact productivity
- Designing, configuring, and supporting load balancing systems. Working with clients, Progent can align expressed needs to the most sensible solutions and implement load balancing at the application level, server level, or network infrastructure layer. Such designs allow for seamless and convenient expansion, reliability, security, and fault tolerance.
- Progent can design effective network management strategies based on SNMP and Netflow protocols, along with Cisco Security Manager and various 3rd party solutions that allow network managers a useful look into the health of their data center's infrastructure
- Setting up and supporting advanced data center capable routers and switches such as the Catalyst 4500, 6500, and 6800 family switches, Cisco Nexus 5000, 6000, and 7000 Series switches, and Cisco 7200 and 12000 routers.
To learn additional information concerning Progent's consulting assistance for Cisco products, select a topic:
In order to get in touch with Progent about professional help for Cisco technology, phone 1-800-993-9400 or see Contact Progent.