Cisco Expert Network Consultants

An abundance of network management utilities from Cisco and third-party vendors underscores the value and complexity of network management. Progent's Cisco qualified network management consultants are experienced at assisting companies design management strategies based on Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), SYSLOG services, and Cisco Netflow protocols to build effective mechanisms for network bandwidth usage and latency, viewing important router and switch performance characteristics, and recognizing traffic patterns, applications, and appliances that use network resources.

Progent can help businesses to utilize a broad range of free and proprietary monitoring and management utilities to maintain a Cisco-powered environment. Tools used by Progent's consultants include Cacti, Nagios, Paessler Router Traffic Grapher, Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM), Cisco Network Assistant, CiscoWorks, Cisco Security Manager, OpenView, AlterPoint DeviceAuthority, Advent and Firewall Analyzer, Solarwinds Orion, and NetMRI.

Network management platforms can help organizations to understand current network usage and effectively plan for downstream capacity expansion. Network management tools can also be deployed to detect poor or improper uses of system resources, for example streaming audio and video, peer-to-peer file sharing, etc. that can eat up expensive or scarce network bandwidth. A carefully designed network management solution can also aid organizations to arrive at intelligent choices on WAN and LAN improvements after they recognize how much network resources historically required at specific times.

Putting an effective network management platform in place in advance is critical to avoid severe disruptions that can follow Denial Of Service attacks and dangerous viruses/Trojans. These events can render the network unusable and without proper tools it can be difficult, and sometimes virtually impossible, to identify the source of the trouble.

Network Management Products from Cisco
Cisco offers a variety of effective tools that should form the foundation for any network management solution. Utilized in combination with the top third-party tools, Cisco's network management software can improve the business value of network infrastructures for organizations of any size by helping with key areas such as system utilization, throughput, availability, protection, repair, and scalability. Cisco's most popular network management tools include:

Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager is a browser-based Java applet that permits you configure and monitor the software built into security devices. Adaptive Security Device Manager is loaded by the adaptive security appliance, and allows you to configure, track, and manage the device.

Cisco Monitor Manager is a comprehensive management solution designed to handle the requirements of small and midsize businesses. Monitor Manager continuously scans important device processes on voice and data environments used by 5 to 250 workers and equipped with as many as 250 Voice over IP phones. Cisco Monitor Manager provides:

• Up-to-date monitoring of key device processes on Cisco SMB-class routers and switches, Communications Manager Express, Unity Express, security devices, WAPs, and VoIP phones
• Compatibility with the Unified Communications 500 appliance for companies with as many as 50 users

• Voice and data network discovery and topology
• Device and service level looks at Cisco Unified Communications implementation
• System wide inventory logging and documentation
• Highly secure and reliable operation
• Appliance operations tracking
• VoIP Telephony monitoring
• Connection status and traffic monitoring
• Immediate alerts and event notification
• Documentation
• Setup log

Network Assistant is a PC-based network management tool optimized for wired and wireless LANs (WLANs) for growing businesses with up to 40 switches and routers. By using Cisco's Smartports technology, Cisco Network Assistant streamlines configuration, deployment, and ongoing management and support of Cisco-based networks. Network Assistant provides a centralized system view and allows network administrators to deploy its features across Cisco switches, routers, and WAPs.

Security Manager is a powerful but easy-to-use solution for managing all aspects of appliance set up and security policies for PIX and ASA firewalls, VPNs, and IPS. The solution effectively handles even small environments consisting of no more than than ten appliances, but also scales to manage enterprise networks with thousands of devices. Scalability is achieved through intelligent policy-driven management procedures that can simplify administration. Highlights of Cisco Security Manager are:

• Supports control of Cisco router platforms running a Cisco IOS security image, ASA 5500 Series firewalls, PIX security appliances, IPS 4200 Series sensors, and Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series security modules
• Reacts faster. more rapidly to attacks: define and assign updated policies to many hundreds of devices in a few easy steps
• Intuitive graphical user interface offers exceptional ease-of-use
• Multiple looks that provide flexible methods to control appliances and policies such as the option to manage the security network visually on a topology image
• Comprehensive video training for the first-time operator to accelerate training time
• Globally specify which policies are shared and inherited by new devices to make sure corporate policies are implemented consistently, while providing optional versatility to customize policies at the individual appliance level
• Capability to build a single firewall rule database for all Cisco firewalls with smart evaluation of firewall policies to determine anomalies within the rule base
• Easily set up location-to-location, hub-and-spoke, full-mesh IPsec, or extranet Virtual Private Network interfaces by means of a VPN wizard
• Integration with Cisco ACS for granular role based connection management to devices and management services
• Operation with security MARS to compare monitored data against related firewall rules to help with quicker management decisions and increased network up time
• Ability to allocate particular tasks to every administrator during the implementation of a policy, with formal change management and tracking; allows the security and systems operations team to work cooperatively as a single unit with efficient teamwork

Progent can also help you to utilize network management applications to monitor and categorize system data to implement traffic shaping, which permits you to set up Cisco routers to enforce a variety of throughput constraints on certain classes of processes based on the importance you assign. By storing and sorting data packets above your contracted rates, and by giving priority to business-critical processes, traffic shaping can prevent Internet Service Provider excess usage penalties from spinning out of control and/or avoid gaps in worker productivity resulting from brute force enforcement of your network bandwidth limits during peak demand.

Progent's CISA and ISSAP security professionals can show you how to create an end-to-end security plan that incorporates your network management solution, and Progent's remote and on-site support specialists and Cisco CCIE-certified consultants can utilize the latest network monitoring and analysis tools to isolate and remediate trouble rapidly to keep your IT system productive.

To learn additional information about Progent's professional expertise for Cisco products, pick a subject:

• Overview of Progent's Cisco Expertise
• Fast and Affordable Online Support from a CCIE Engineer
• Cisco Firepower NGFW Firewalls: Configuration and Troubleshooting Services
• ASA 5500-X Firewall with Cisco Firepower Services: Consulting and Management Expertise
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewall Upgrade. Migration Expertise
• PIX 500 Firewall Consulting Assistance
• Cisco Routers Engineering Support
• Cisco Wireless Engineering Services
• Aironet Wireless APs Consulting Support
• Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Wireless APs Consulting Services
• Cisco Catalyst 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Access Points Solution Design, Configuration and Debugging Consulting
• Cisco Wireless Controllers Consulting
• Cisco Meraki Access Points Design Expertise
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Configuration and Technical Support
• Cisco VoIP Phones and IP Video Phones Consulting and Cisco Wireless IP Phone Configuration
• Cisco Jabber Consulting and Support Expertise
• Catalyst Switches Deployment Expertise
• Nexus Switches Deployment Expertise
• Cisco Meraki MS Switches Consulting and Support Expertise
• Cisco VPN Integration Expertise
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP Trunks and Cisco CUBE Integration Expertise
• Design and Support for Cisco-based Data Centers
• Infrastructure Optimization Expertise for Service Providers