IT Technology News and Progent IT Solutions

Cisco unveiled innovative products intended specifically for small business IT networks and engineered to provide high levels of protection and connectivity for an affordable cost. Solutions unveiled by Cisco were the Cisco Spam and Virus Blocker, the Cisco Small Business series NSS2000 and NSS3000 Network Storage Systems, and the 1.4 version of the Smart Business Communications System (SBCS).

The Cisco Spam and Virus Blocker appliance is a purpose-built email security product that essentially eliminates email threats right out of the box. The Cisco NSS2000 and NSS3000 Small Business Network Storage Systems are affordable desktop network-attached storage (NAS) appliances that provide protection for valuable information and enable workers to exchange files effortlessly. The Cisco SBCS Release 1.4, a full collaboration and communications solution that seamlessly connects sites, workers, and clients anywhere. The latest release incorporates the debut of a cordless small-footprint IP phone with Bluetooth wireless capabilities. To read Cisco's press release, visit Cisco Introduces Networking and Security Products for Small Companies.

Cisco Spam and Virus Blocker Appliance
The Spam and Virus Blocker protects small businesses by offering powerful defense against spam, viruses and phishing as well as other email threats to guard your system and corporate data while at the same time enhance efficiency. Since the device blocks spam and viruses with minimal set up and updates on its own, it eliminates the cost and time required for initial configuration and continuing and administration. By filtering out unwanted email, Cisco's Spam and Virus Blocker appliance helps the throughput of networks, servers, and workstations. The Spam Blocker represents an end-to-end defense against email-born attacks by featuring hardware, software, continuous patches, and technical assistance in a unified bundle.

Key features of Cisco's Spam Blocker appliance are:

• Accuracy: Assists to make sure that email-borne threats and spam are intercepted and legitimate messages are accepted.
• Ongoing self-installed updates: Constant interaction with SenderBase security, an online library of email safety threats, makes sure that the Spam & Virus Blocker appliance installs the most current updates to safequard your business email.
• Easy setup and use: Easy-to-use browser-based installation wizards allow you to install Cisco's Spam Blocker in practically any network within minutes, delivering instant protection for your company.
• Effortless management: As soon as you installs the Cisco's Spam Blocker appliance, you get spam and virus filtering with minimal extra hassle demanded from your IT group.

NSS2000 and 3000
The Cisco Small Business NSS2000 and NSS3000 provide the robust security and comprehensive backup capabilities that your company needs, at a price small companies can handle. The Cisco NSS3000 supports as much as to four terabytes of data and up to 15 concurrent users per enclosure, offering the ideal answer for storing, accessing, and archiving your mission-critical corporate data. As distinct from less sophisticated network-attached storage alternatives, the Cisco Small Business NSS3000 delivers the state-of-the-art archiving, encryption, user authentication, and fault tolerance your company needs.

The NSS3000 4-Bay Gigabit Storage System enclosure handles any certified hard disk. The chassis offers a range of capabilities in a desktop form factor designed specifically for small companies. The Cisco Small Business NSS3000 Storage Chassis also provides your business the versatility to deploy the system without any connected hard disk drives, to reconfigure it easily, and to chain multiple Cisco NAS chassis with one another, providing a solution that can smoothly expand with your company.

Your company can utilize the Small Business NSS2000 or 3000 to:

• Automatically copy important information from each PC and application server in your business
• Provide unified storage and distribution of key information
• Run Continuous Data Protection (CDP) to copy automatically each version of each file saved by workers, permitting your company to restore information with ease
• Record and archive video from your video security system

Smart Business Communications System
The Cisco Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) Release 1.4 is a simple and comprehensive sharing and communications system that enables small companies to interconnect telecommuters, mobile workers and office workers in separate sites to improve their ability to communicate with clients and colleagues. In the latest release, the aggressively priced system offers enhanced wireless support including the first wireless desktop VoIP handset with built-in Bluetooth technology, the SPA525G IP device, which allows companies to expand cost-effectively by deploying handsets in places where traditional telephone wires or network wiring is not present or cannot conveniently be added.

Additional innovative components of the Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) 1.4 version are:

• The Cisco 520 Secure Router product to help protect a small business infrastructure and give workers secure access to the Internet and important business data from either side of the firewall
• The Cisco Configuration Assistant Version 1.9 to permit partners to simplify the configuration and deployment of solutions designed specifically for certain businesses

How Progent's Cisco-certified Experts Can Assist Your Company to Incorporate Cisco Technology
Progent's Cisco certified support professionals and Cisco CCIE networking experts can help your company to evaluate the latest Cisco technologies to determine their appropriateness for your environment, configure Cisco appliances to improve the security and efficiency of your network, and provide tech support for Cisco products both onsite and remotely to keep your IT network operating dependably. Progent's consultants can provide a range of cost-effective services to enhance the reliability, security, performance, and maintainability of your company's IT system:

Quick Access to Cisco CCIE Certified Network Engineers
Progent is the leading source of easy, immediate, and cost-effective help from CCIE Certified support professionals. CCIEs are elite networking gurus who are awarded this prestigious certification only after thorough testing by Cisco. CCIEs can tackle even the most sophisticated problems surrounding network architecture, implementation, repair, and service. Progent’s CCIE professionals interact closely with Cisco engineers in analyzing problems with Cisco's IOS software and developing fixes or obtaining patches to correct problems. Progent can provide immediate access to a CCIE by telephone so you can get emergency assistance for complex network troubles that are affecting business productivity but are outside the expertise of your ordinary IT service resources. Progent's CCIE support engineers can link to your network using advanced remote connectivity technology to deliver fast and affordable diagnosis and repair of critical network difficulties.

Cisco Voice over IP Phone and IP Video Phone Integration
Progent's Cisco VoIP phone and video IP phone experts can assist your business to integrate, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco VoIP phones, video IP phones and wireless IP phones. Progent offers expertise for all models of Cisco's IP phones from legacy Voice over IP devices to the newest media phones. Progent's consultants can also help you to integrate your IP phones with Cisco Unified Communications Manager, originally named CallManager, or with Cisco Unified CM Express to create a modern IP-PBX ecosystem for unified messaging and collaboration. Progent can deliver support with all aspects of Cisco IP Phone integration including designing dial plans, resolving IP phone registration issues, setting up SIP trunking, installing Cisco ISR routers with CUBE VoIP networking support, and creating Cisco UCS server clustering and Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony systems for high availability. For additional information about Progent's support for Cisco's Unified Communications solutions, go to Cisco IP Telephony and Unified Communications Consulting Support.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager Unified Messaging
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM), originally named CallManager, functions as the core of Cisco's collaboration portfolio. Unified CM and Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CME) offer an advanced IP-PBX by integrating with unified messaging apps that include Unified Communications Manager IM and Presence Service, Unity Express for voicemail management, Cisco Unified Mobility for Single Number Reach, and Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) for building an advanced customer contact center. Progent's Cisco-certified CUCM experts can assist with any aspect of Unified Communications Manager configuration and debugging in areas such as integrating Cisco Voice over IP phones and desktop video IP phones, reviewing dial plans, setting up SIP trunking and PSTN support, deploying ISR G2 routers with CUBE support, creating UCS server clustering systems for survivability, and integration with Microsoft Exchange Server and Skype for Business.

Cisco ASA and PIX Firewall Support
Progent’s certified Cisco IT security consulting professionals offer expert PIX Firewall and ASA Firewall engineering services including architecture, configuration, and management of Cisco firewall and Cisco security technology. The PIX and ASA Series of Cisco firewall products delivers robust user and software policy enforcement, mutlivector attack protection, and secure access services. Ranging from economical, plug-and-play desktop appliances for small and home offices to modular enterprise-level appliances, Cisco PIX and ASA Firewalls offer advanced protection, high throughput, and excellent reliability for IT systems of all sizes. PIX Firewalls and ASA Firewalls are based on a hardened, purpose-built operating system, eliminating common OS-specific security holes.

Security Inventory and Evaluation Packages
Progent's CISA, CISM and CISSP-premier security engineers can deliver a range of cost-effective security Inventory service bundles and security assessment service packages designed to offer businesses of all sizes an opportunity to get an impartial opinion about the strength of their security profile. The packages range from low-cost external network security scan and internal security scan options for small and midsize businesses up to a high-level network security evaluation solution for enterprises who need meet security standards required by government agencies or by customers. For each security inventory or evaluation bundle, consultants with high-level security accreditations analyze and report on collected data and make recommendations for efficient remediation.

Cisco SIP Connectivity Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and Cisco CUBE Integration Consulting
Progent's Cisco-certified SIP trunk experts and Cisco CUBE configuration experts can assist organizations of any size to design, deploy, manage, troubleshoot and enhance Cisco's SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) infrastructure technology and Cisco's CUBE-based IP PSTN trunks. Progent offers affordable online or onsite support to assist businesses to migrate smoothly to a modern communications network that delivers accelerated ROI. Progent's Gold-certified Microsoft unified communications consultants can help you to configure connections between Cisco's CUBE SBC and Microsoft's VoIP and IP video platforms such as Skype for Business Server and Lync Server for access to a SIP PSTN trunk.

Consulting Consulting and Troubleshooting Services for Cisco Wireless Solutions
Progent can provide a certified CCIE or certified CCNP to assist you to develop a comprehensive wireless network design and implementation plan that integrates a wide range of wireless devices and technologies and offers the same protection, expandability, and manageability you demand from a wired network. Progent can help you to achieve seamless integration between Cisco wireless products and wireless products from third-party vendors to offer your company the features you need as well as the most secure, reliable, and economical wireless networking solution available. Progent's CISA and ISSAP security professionals can advise you about how to design security into your WLAN and into your company's processes.

Simplified Administration Solutions for Cisco-based Small Business Networks
Progent's Cisco-Premier network management engineers offer help with Cisco's management tools alongside a selection of specialized third-party products to build a comprehensive management automation solution to keep your environment running reliably, conserve limited resources, guard your data, recover rapidly from hardware failure or malicious attacks, and allow you to expand or repurpose network components sensibly and affordably as your company grows.

To learn additional information about Progent's consulting services for Cisco networking and communications solutions, phone 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.