Cisco Network Consulting and Support

Network management platforms help companies to deploy network infrastructure efficiently, look up user details rapidly, monitor network health, debug issues, defend against and respond to cyber attacks, and maximize performance. Network management systems can spot inefficient or improper uses of network resources such as streaming multimedia or peer-to-peer file sharing that can waste bandwidth, lower employee output or enable data leaks. A well crafted network management solution can also assist companies to make smart network enhancement moves by surfacing tendencies in network demand for different periods or types of tasks.

Cisco has developed a rich and expanding portfolio of infrastructure management platforms that allow centralized management for on-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid network architectures. With Cisco's later security, switching, and Wi-Fi networking products, you can run Meraki, DNA Center, or CLI management platforms for network management. For example, you can connect the latest Catalyst or Meraki switches and Catalyst or Meraki WiFi 6/6E access points to the Meraki dashboard to manage critical components of your network infrastructure from the cloud. Progent's Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi AP consulting experts, Cisco Meraki Wi-Fi AP consultants, Catalyst switches integration experts, and Meraki switches consultants can help you to design, deploy and optimize an up-to-date solution for network management.

Traditional Network Management Platforms from Cisco and Others
An abundance of network management utilities from Cisco and other suppliers underscores the value and complexity of maintaining networks. Progent's seasoned network management consultants are expert at helping businesses develop network management strategies utilizing on Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), SYSLOG services, and NetFlow protocols to create effective tools for tracking network bandwidth usage and network latency, viewing important router and switch performance metrics, and recognizing traffic profiles, processes, and devices that use available services.

Progent can assist customers to deploy a broad selection of open source and proprietary monitoring and management utilities to maintain a Cisco-powered environment. Utilities familiar to Progent's consultants include MRTG, Cacti, Nagios, Cisco Cisco ASDM, Cisco Network Assistant, CiscoWorks, Cisco Security Manager, OpenView, Wireshark/Ethereal, Concord E-Health, AlterPoint DeviceAuthority, Advent and Firewall Analyzer, Big Brother, Solarwinds Orion, and Necordia NetMRI.

Network management platforms can enable IT administrators to understand existing network usage and effectively plan for future traffic expansion. Management tools can also be deployed to identify poor or improper uses of system services, such as streaming video, peer-to-peer sharing, etc. that can waste expensive and limited network bandwidth. A well designed network management solution can also assist businesses to make informed decisions on WAN and LAN upgrades after they appreciate how much network bandwidth really required at any one time.

Putting an efficient network management platform in place ahead of time is critical to prevent major problems that can result from Denial Of Service (DoS) attacks and malicious viruses/Trojans. These events can render the network unstable and without proper tools it can be time consuming, if not virtually impossible, to identify the location of the trouble.

Network Management Tools from Cisco
Cisco offers an array of effective utilities that should form the basis for any management solution. Used in conjunction with the top third-party products, Cisco's network management software can enhance the business value of networks for companies of any size by dealing with key areas such as resource utilization, performance, availability, security, troubleshooting, and capacity planning. Cisco's most popular network management tools include:

Cisco ASDM is a browser-based utility that lets you configure and operate the software built into network appliances. Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager is installed by the network device, and enables you to set up, track, and manage the unit.

Monitor Manager is a management and monitoring solution developed to meet the requirements of small and medium-sized companies. Cisco Monitor Manager actively scans key device processes on voice and data environments used by five to 250 users and equipped with as many as 250 Cisco Unified IP phones. Cisco Monitor Manager provides:

• Up-to-date scanning of key appliance processes on small and midsize business-class routers and switches, Unified Communications Manager Express, Unity Express, security appliances, WAPs, and Cisco Unified IP Phones
• Support for the Unified Communications 500 Series communications appliance for businesses with up to 50 workers

• Voice and data network discovery and topology
• Physical and process views of Unified Communications implementation
• Networkwide inventory logging and documentation
• Advanced security and reliable communication
• Cisco device operations tracking
• VoIP Telephony monitoring
• Connection status and traffic tracking
• Real-time alerts and event notification
• Documentation
• Setup archive

Cisco Network Assistant is a desktop-based network management tool designed for for LANs and WLANS for expanding businesses that have as many as 40 Cisco switches and routers. By running Smartports technology, Network Assistant streamlines setup, installation, and ongoing administration and maintenance of Cisco-based networks. Cisco Network Assistant offers a unified network view and allows IT administrators to deploy its features among switches, routers, and WAPs.

Cisco Security Manager is a powerful but simple to operate application for managing all aspects of appliance set up and security policies for PIX and ASA firewalls, virtual private networks (VPNs), and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS). Cisco Security Manager effectively handles even small environments with fewer than ten devices, but also expands to control large-scale networks with thousands of appliances. Expansion is achieved via smart policy-based management procedures that can simplify administrative overhead. Key features of Cisco Security Manager include:

• Supports provisioning for Cisco routers running a Cisco IOS security image, ASA 5500 family firewalls, PIX security appliances, Cisco IPS 4200 sensors, and Cisco Catalyst 6500 family security modules
• Respond faster. more rapidly to threats: define and assign updated policies to thousands of appliances in a few easy steps
• Intuitive graphical user interface provides exceptional ease-of-use
• Multiple looks that offer versatile ways to manage devices and security policies including the option to administer the security network visually on a system topology map
• Extensive video training for the novice operator to reduce training period
• Centrally call out which policies are shared and automatically inherited by new devices to ensure corporate policies are implemented consistently, while providing optional versatility to customize policies at the individual appliance level
• Ability to build a common firewall rule database for Cisco platforms with smart analysis of firewall policies to determine anomalies within the rule table
• Easily set up location-to-location, hub-and-spoke, full-mesh IPsec, or extranet Virtual Private Network connections with a few mouse clicks
• Compatibility with Cisco ACS for granular role based connection control to devices and management functions
• Operation with security MARS system to correlate events with related firewall rules to help with faster management decisions and enhanced system up time
• Ability to allocate particular jobs to every administrator in the course of the implementation of a policy, with formal change control and tracking; allows the security and systems operations team to act in sync as a single unit with efficient teamwork

Progent can also help you to utilize network management tools to analyze and categorize network data to enable traffic shaping, which allows you to set up Cisco routers to enforce a variety of bandwidth restrictions on certain classes of activity according to the priorities you specify. By buffering and sorting data packets that exceed your contracted rates, and by giving priority to critical processes, traffic shaping can keep ISP overage charges from spinning out of control and/or avoid lost productivity resulting from brute force policing of your network bandwidth restrictions during peak demand.

Progent's CISM and CISSP security consultants can assist you to develop an end-to-end security strategy that encompasses your network management solution, and Progent's remote and on-site network experts and Cisco CCIE-certified consultants can use advanced network management tools to isolate and repair problems rapidly to keep your IT system running smoothly.

To learn more details concerning Progent's consulting assistance for Cisco technology, pick a subject:

• Overview of Progent's Cisco Consulting Services
• Fast and Affordable Online Assistance from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Network Engineer
• Cisco Firepower Series Firewalls: Integration and Management Services
• Cisco ASA 5500-X Firewall with Firepower Services: Setup and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewall Management Support
• Cisco PIX 500 Firewall Consulting Services
• Cisco Routers Engineering Expertise
• Cisco Wireless Engineering Services
• Aironet Access Points Consulting Expertise
• Cisco Small Business WiFi Access Points System Design Services
• Catalyst 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6/6E Wireless APs Planning, Configuration and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Support Services
• Meraki Wireless Access Points Engineering Help
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and CallManager Integration and Technical Support
• Cisco Voice over IP Phones and IP Video Phones Expertise and Wireless VoIP Phone Configuration
• Cisco Jabber and Management Services
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Nexus Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Meraki Switches Deployment Expertise
• Cisco Security and VPN Engineering Expertise
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and CUBE Integration Expertise
• Cisco Duo MFA Two-factor Authentication (2FA) Services for At-Home Workers
• Design Expertise for Cisco-powered Datacenters and Colocation Centers
• Network Optimization Expertise for Service Providers