Cisco Network Consulting and Support

Network management systems help organizations to implement network infrastructure effectively, access user information quickly, track system operation, troubleshoot issues, defend against and respond to threats, and optimize responsiveness. Network management systems can spot inefficient or inappropriate uses of network resources such as streaming media or peer-to-peer file sharing that can waste bandwidth, lower employee productivity or allow data leakage. A well planned network management solution can also help organizations to make informed capacity planning moves by showing tendencies in resource usage for various periods or tasks.

Cisco has developed a diverse and expanding portfolio of network management solutions that support centralized management for on-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid network models. With Cisco's later generation of security, switching, and wireless infrastructure products, you can run Meraki, Cisco DNA Center, or CLI management platforms for network monitoring and management. For instance, you can connect the latest Catalyst or Meraki switches and Catalyst or Meraki WiFi 6/6E APs to the Meraki dashboard to manage vital layers of your corporate infrastructure from the cloud. Progent's Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi access point consultants, Cisco Meraki Wi-Fi AP consultants, Catalyst switches consulting experts, and Meraki switches consulting experts can assist you to plan, deploy and tune a modern solution for network management.

Traditional Network Management Tools from Cisco and Others
An abundance of network management products from Cisco and third-party suppliers underscores the value and complexity of network management. Progent's Cisco qualified network management engineers are experienced at assisting companies develop management solutions utilizing on SNMP, SYSLOG services, and Cisco IOS NetFlow to build powerful tools for understanding network bandwidth usage and network latency, monitoring key router and switch performance metrics, and identifying traffic patterns, applications, and appliances utilizing network services.

Progent can assist customers to utilize a rich range of free and license-based monitoring and management tools to maintain a Cisco-powered environment. Tools used by Progent's consultants include MRTG, Nagios, PRTG, Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM), Cisco Network Assistant, CiscoWorks, Cisco Security Manager, OpenView, AlterPoint DeviceAuthority, Advent and Firewall Analyzer, Big Brother, Solarwinds Orion, and NetMRI.

Network management platforms can help organizations to be aware of current network usage and intelligently prepare for future traffic increases. Management utilities can also be deployed to identify poor or improper uses of system resources, such as streaming video, peer-to-peer file sharing, etc. that can use up valuable and limited network resources. A carefully planned network management plan can also assist companies to arrive at intelligent choices on network upgrades once they appreciate the amount of system bandwidth historically required at specific times.

Having an effective network management system in place in advance is vital to avoid severe problems that can be due to Denial Of Service attacks and dangerous viruses/Trojans. These events can render the network unusable and in the absence of appropriate tools it can be difficult, and in some cases virtually impossible, to find the source of the problem.

Network Management Products from Cisco
Cisco has developed an assortment of effective utilities that should form the foundation for any network management solution. Utilized in conjunction with appropriate outside vendor tools, Cisco's network management offerings can enhance the competitive value of network infrastructures for organizations of all sizes by helping with key areas such as resource utilization, performance, availability, security, repair, and capacity planning. Cisco's most popular network management products include:

Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) is a browser-based utility that lets you configure and monitor the management utilities built into network appliances. Cisco ASDM is installed by the adaptive security device, and allows you to set up, monitor, and control the device.

Cisco Monitor Manager is a management and monitoring solution designed for the needs of small and midsize businesses. Cisco Monitor Manager continuously tracks important device parameters on voice and data networks used by five to 250 users and equipped with as many as 250 Voice over IP phones. Monitor Manager provides:

• Real-time monitoring of important device parameters on Cisco SMB-class routers and switches, Unified Communications Manager Express, Unity Express, security appliances, access points, and Cisco Unified IP Phones
• Compatibility with the Unified Communications 500 Series for companies with up to 50 workers

• Network discovery and physical topology
• Device and process views of Unified Communications implementation
• Networkwide device identification collection and reporting
• Advanced security and dependable communication
• Device performance monitoring
• VoIP Telephony tracking
• Connection status and traffic tracking
• Immediate alarms and event notification
• Documentation
• Setup log

Cisco Network Assistant is a desktop-based management application designed for for wired and wireless LANs (WLANs) for expanding organizations with as many as 40 switches and routers. By using Smartports, Network Assistant simplifies setup, installation, and ongoing management and maintenance of Cisco networks. It offers a unified system view and permits network administrators to deploy its features among switches, routers, and WAPs.

Security Manager is a highly functional but easy-to-use application for centrally provisioning all aspects of appliance set up and policies for Cisco firewalls, VPNs, and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS). Cisco Security Manager effectively handles even small environments consisting of no more than than ten appliances, but also expands to control enterprise systems with thousands of appliances. Expansion is achieved via smart policy-based control techniques that can simplify administrative overhead. Highlights of Cisco Security Manager are:

• Allows control of Cisco routers configured with an IOS security image, ASA 5500 adaptive security appliances, Cisco PIX security appliances, Cisco IPS 4200 sensors, and Cisco Catalyst 6500 family security modules
• Reacts faster. more rapidly to threats: define and apply updated policies to many hundreds of devices in just a few steps
• Intuitive graphical user interface provides superior ease-of-use
• A variety of views that provide flexible ways to manage devices and security policies including the ability to administer the security network visually on a system topology image
• Comprehensive video training for the new user to accelerate training period
• Centrally call out which policies are common and inherited by additional appliances to make sure corporate policies are implemented consistently, while providing optional versatility to customize policies at the local appliance level
• Capability to build a common firewall rule table for Cisco firewalls with smart analysis of firewall policies to determine anomalies within the rule base
• Quickly configure location-to-location, hub-spoke, full-mesh IPsec, or extranet VPN links by means of a VPN wizard
• Compatibility with Cisco ACS for granular role based access management to appliances and management functions
• Integration with security MARS system to correlate events with related firewall rules to help with quicker management decisions and increased system up time
• Capability to assign particular jobs to each administrator in the course of the implementation of a rule, with structured change control and logging; permits the security and network operations team to act in sync as a single group with effective coordination

Progent can also show you how to use network management applications to monitor and categorize network data to implement traffic shaping, which allows you to set up Cisco routers to enforce different throughput restrictions on certain types of processes according to the priorities you assign. By storing and sorting data packets above your contracted rates, and by giving priority to the most important applications, traffic shaping can keep ISP excess usage penalties from spiraling out of reach and/or avoid lost productivity caused by indiscriminate policing of your network traffic volume limits during periods of heavy demand.

Progent's CISM and CISSP security specialists can show you how to develop an end-to-end security plan that incorporates your network management solution, and Progent's remote and in person network experts and Cisco CCIE-certified consultants can use advanced network management technology to isolate and remediate problems rapidly to keep your network in business.

To see more details about Progent's professional help for Cisco solutions, pick a topic:

• Introduction to Cisco Support
• Fast Remote Help from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Engineer
• Cisco Firepower Firewalls: Configuration and Troubleshooting Services
• ASA 5500-X Firewall with Cisco Firepower: Setup and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewalls Troubleshooting Support
• PIX 500 Series Firewall Consulting Assistance
• Cisco Routers Configuration and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco Wireless Consulting Expertise
• Cisco Aironet Wireless APs Deployment Expertise
• Cisco Small Business Wireless APs Engineering Support
• Catalyst Wi-Fi 6/6E Access Points Solution Design, Configuration and Debugging Services
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Support Services
• Cisco Meraki APs Deployment Services
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Configuration and Technical Support
• Cisco VoIP Phones and IP Video Desktop Phones Consulting Services and Wireless VoIP Phone Solutions
• Cisco Jabber Integration Expertise
• Catalyst Switches Consulting and Support Expertise
• Cisco Nexus Switches Support and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco Meraki MS Switches Consulting and Support Expertise
• Cisco Security and VPN Setup and Troubleshooting Services
• SIP and CUBE Infrastructure Solutions: SIP Trunking and CUBE Integration Expertise
• Cisco Duo MFA Two-factor Authentication (2FA) Services for Teleworkers
• Infrastructure Design for Cisco-powered Datacenters and Colocation Centers
• Data Center Optimization Services for ISPs