Data centers are the focal point of leveraging IT resources to optimize the strategic value of an information system. For small companies, data centers have often evolved in a haphazard fashion, resulting in a state where processors and disks are underutilized, available communications bandwidth is wasted, collaboration and knowledge sharing is minimal, maintenance demands are high, scaling or reconfiguring is expensive, protection is patchy, nominally minor changes turn into giant challenges, and full recovery from catastrophic failure is virtually undoable.
Cisco's latest network devices and tools enable a new generation of data center design that permits ongoing enhancements in server, storage, network topology, and application technologies in a manageable and affordable way. Progent's engineers can assist you to select and implement Cisco's connectivity products to build a solid basis for your data center and to streamline your data center operations in vital areas such as:
- Server and disk utilization
- End-to-end security enforcement
- Processor consolidation
- Regulatory issues
- Business continuance
The key benefits that can be realized from using Progent's network experts to enhance your data center include:
- Reduced TCO: enables IT to significantly cut acquisition expenses via consolidation and higher utilization of previously isolated equipment, slash maintenance expenses through simplifying and automating administrative tasks, and reduce cooling and energy bills.
- More Business Agility: enables IT management to react quickly to changing business conditions by facilitating rapid provisioning of application and network functions from common pools of consolidated server, disk, and network resources. This helps improve operational processes and support policy-based control.
- Enhanced Business Robustness: enables IT to react to disruptions or attacks by safeguarding connections, programs, and data through advanced levels of availability, pervasive protection, and business continuance.
- Optimized Service Levels: allows IT to optimize network service levels by implementing secure, accelerated access to data center-hosted applications and data from any location and at any moment throughout the organization.
Examples of Progent's Professional Services for Cisco-powered Data Centers
Progent's network consultants offer a broad range of services that can enable organizations of all sizes design a Cisco-based architecture that will give your data center a reliable and protected foundation for existing applications and downstream expansion. Consulting services feature:
- Building effective firewall protection configurations powered by PIX and ASA firewall devices
- Deploying and supporting secure VPN access for connecting data centers to other data centers, corporate offices, and mobile users
- Designing, and implementing complete zero-downtime switching, routing, and Internet access environments in which single point breakdowns do not disrupt productivity
- Setting up backup ISPs with transparent transfer based on BGP protocols. Progent can help customers along the complete path of interaction with Internet authorities, getting Autonomous System numbers and IP addresses allotted, dealing with ISPs to prepare their systems, and configuring and testing client devices.
- Building segmented and protected virtual LAN (VLAN environments to support VMware virtual server deployments
- Designing, installing and helping clients to administer 24x7 intrusion prevention systems (IPS) so that attacks can be identified rapidly and defeated before they disrupt productivity
- Planning, configuring, and supporting load balancing solutions. Consulting with clients, Progent can match expressed needs to the appropriate technology and implement load balancing at the application level, server level, or connectivity infrastructure layer. Progent's load balancing solutions allow for transparent and convenient expansion, dependability, performance, and redundancy.
- Progent can plan efficient network management solutions using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and Netflow protocols, along with Cisco Security Manager and various 3rd party products that present network managers a useful real-time view into the activity of their data center's infrastructure
- Setting up and supporting high-end data center capable infrastructure appliances including the Catalyst 4500, 6500, and 6800 family switches, Nexus 5000, 6000, and 7000 switches, and Cisco 7600 and 12000 family routers.
For additional information about Progent's consulting assistance for Cisco products, select a subject:
If you wish to get in touch with Progent about professional help for Cisco networking, phone 1-800-993-9400 or refer to Contact Progent.