Cisco Network Consulting and Support
Cisco VoIP Phones and Unified CM/CallManager Consulting
From Cisco CCIE-Certified Telephony Experts
Sending real-time voice and video over Internet Protocol (VoIP and Video over IP) has evolved from simply being being a shrewd method to save money on phone carrier bills to a strategic tool for productive collaboration. Unified communications, once limited to managing Internet-based voice and faxes on one system to take the place of traditional PBX systems, today encompasses rich media, mobility, messaging, presence, services, and more in a single framework that is easy to manage, scalable, protected, fault-tolerant, economical, and intuitive.
Cisco is the market leader in supplying solutions required to support the current model of unified communications (UC). Cisco's UC product line enhances the efficiency of information networks by cutting operating expenses; combining rich media features with popular software programs to improve worker output; supporting teamwork among workers, partners, and suppliers to save time and improve business outcomes; and streamlining the administration of your converged voice and data environment.
Cisco's UC technology cover these main product areas:,
- Call Control Platforms for controlling rich media calls and sessions
- Collaboration Endpoints to enhance worker engagement
- Unified Communications Software Applications for simplified access to real-time, IM, voice and video, voice messages, desktop sharing, and voice/video conferencing
- Communications Gateways for interfacing with public networks and telecommuters
Call and Session Control Software - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
Cisco's call-processing agent is the centerpiece of the Cisco IP collaboration solution and provides the flexibility to implement a centralized call-processing design, a decentralized design, or a combination of the two. In a centralized deployment, Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) extends enterprise telephony features to packet telephony devices such as VoIP handsets, media processing devices, Voice over IP gateways, and multimedia programs across the network. Unified Communications Manager enables extra multimedia services such as unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and collaborative client interaction networks.
The latest version of Cisco Unified Communications Manager, formerly named Cisco CallManager, includes a variety of improvements that expedite your return on investment by cutting administrative and maintenance costs, improving worker output, enhancing teamwork, accommodating the BYOD model of computing, fortifying data protection, and allowing optimal use of network infrastructure. Top new features include Global Dial Plan Replication (GDPR), streamlined certificate control, expanded support for single sign-on (SSO) for managers and users, device-agnostic call recording, mobile access with no need for VPN tunneling, a new self-care interface that makes it simple for users to manage their preferences for all endpoints, and support for Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile clients.
When you deploy a centralized Unified Communications Manager cluster to control voice processing for users at distributed sites, IT managers can help ensure continuous call service using Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, an IOS Software image for routers. If a WAN link fails, Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony incorporated in the router provides basic Unified Communications Manager capabilities until the connection is restored. To learn about Progent's consulting support for Cisco routers, see consulting support services for Cisco routers.
For small business networks, branch offices, and retail deployments that do not need the complete feature set offered by Unified CM, Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly named CallManager Express provides an economical solution that meets the requirements of locations with up to 450 workers. Since Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is embedded in the IOS Software operating on a Cisco ISR router, smaller offices can quickly implement a converged voice and data environment.
The Cisco Business Edition 6000 is a family of one-stop solutions that offer fundamental collaboration capabilities including routing, gateway, high definition voice/video, messaging, IM and real-time presence, teleconferencing, and paging services, enabling any end user to connect on any endpoint from any site. All BE6000 solutions come preconfigured with a virtualization hypervisor and UC applications, making deployment quick and easy and cutting operating expenses for companies with from 25 to 1000 workers. All BE6000 systems come packaged preconfigured with a virtualization hypervisor and UC applications. Organizations can simply activate Unified Communications software applications when their needs evolve.
The entry-level BE6000S supports five standard collaboration software applications preloaded on one combination router/IP gateway/virtualized blade server device and supports a maximum capacity of 150 users and 300 devices. The mid-market BE6000M supports 4 unified communications software application options enabled on a virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server platform and can handle up to 1000 users, 1200 devices, and 100 contact center agents. The top-of-the-line BE6000S Supports eight collaboration application options enabled on a single virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server and has the ability to support as many as 1000 workers, 2500 devices, and 100 contact center agents.
For additional information about Progent's support for Unified Communications Manager, see Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager planning, integration, upgrades and technical support.
IP Phones: IP Voice and IP Video Endpoints
A communications endpoint is an end-user instrument, and can be a hardware phone set or a software phone application on a PC or mobile computer. In the IP world, each VoIP handset or soft phone is Ethernet connected. VoIP phones offer all of the capabilities that an analog phone provides, but Voice over IP phones can also have additional features including the ability to access websites or host collaboration software.
In contrast to conventional PBX systems, in a Cisco IP telephony environment you can perform almost instant relocations, adds, and changes. All you do is move the IP phone to your new location, attach it to an Ethernet jack, and the handset registers itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All user privileges and configurations are automatically re-established, eliminating the cost and hassle of sending technicians to rewire connections. Another efficient feature is extension mobility, which enables you to sign into any Cisco IP device and get your own phone extension and privileges.
Cisco offers a broad selection of Unified CM hardware endpoints. The low-cost SPA 300 family are no-frills IP and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications screenless or monochrome devices that feature wide-band voice, compatibility with hosted IP telephony systems or an IP PBX, easy installation and safe online installation, transparent software upgrades, and web-based set up. The low-end SPA301 is a single-line VoIP endpoint with no screen or speakerphone function, a base dialer that has a single Ethernet port, and a corded handset without a keypad. The SPA302D, intended exclusively for operation with Cisco's SPA232D DECT ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter), is a multiple-line wireless Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) handset that offers 10-lines, a TFT 176 x 220 pixel color screen, and a dial pad with speakerphone capability. The SPA303 is an entry-level 3-line SIP-based phone with two Ethernet ports, a 128x64 mono screen and a speaker.
The SPA500 line IP phones are affordable devices that support SIP and SPCP signaling protocols, two integral Ethernet switch ports, speakerphones, built-in web servers, Power over Ethernet, and voice conferencing support. Most models have a 128 x 64 mono screen display, The SPA501G has eight lines and has eight programmable keys but no LCD display. The SPA502G VoIP phone supports a single line and has no programmable buttons. The SPA504G IP Phone supports four lines and has four programmable keys. The SPA508G VoIP phone supports eight lines and eight programmable buttons. The SPA509G supports 12 lines and features 12 soft keys. The SPA512G VoIP phone supports four lines, no soft keys and supports 1xGb Ethernet. The SPA514G IP Phone supports four lines, has soft buttons, and supports 1xGb Ethernet. The top-of-the-line SPA525G2 IP Phone has a 320 x 240 color screen, supports five lines, and includes five programmable buttons.
Cisco's Unified IP Phones 3900 Series and 6900 Series are specialty VoIP endpoints designed for occasional-use settings such as lobbies, hallways, and conference centers. Cisco's Unified SIP Phone 3905 IP Phone features a 128 x 32 mono non-backlit screen, an integrated 10/100 Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and Power over Ethernet. The simple Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a single-line endpoint with no display and requires a hook switch for call transfer and joining a conference.
The 7800 Series of budget-priced IP phones are VoIP devices featuring backlit mono screens, four programmable buttons, 11 dedicated keys, an integral Ethernet switch with Class 1 PoE, and a speakerphone. The 7800 Series IP Phones support only the SIP call control protocol. All devices in Cisco's 7800 family incorporate the same high-fidelity speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to provide a state-of-the-art audio experience. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save feature, available on the higher end 7800 models, reduces after-hours energy usage by as much as 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a single-line phone designed for common locations as well as for workers with infrequent call requirements. The IP 7811 VoIP phone comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 screen plus a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is offered through an optional wideband handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a two-line endpoint with a 396 x 162 screen. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line VoIP endpoint with a 396 x 162 screen and is the only model in the 7800 line that provides 1xGb Ethernet. The top-of-the-line IP Phone 7861 is a 16-line device targeted for administrators, contact center agents, and managers who have heavy voice communications needs.
The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are dual-protocol (SIP/SCCP) media devices with a 320 x 240 color screen, an integral 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch, Class 3 Power over Ethernet, 10 dedicated keys and a speakerphone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G is a two-line device and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G includes four lines. Both IP phones have a 5-inch display and four soft keys. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7975G device is an eight-line media phone featuring a 5.6-inch touch screen and five programmable buttons.
Cisco's IP Phone 8800 Series is a line of SIP-based IP phones that features desktop devices, a conference phone, and wireless IP Phones. The desktop models are five-line IP phones with a 5-inch 800 x 480 display, a Gigabit Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, four soft buttons and 12 dedicated keys. Cisco's IP Phone 8811 features a backlit monochrome display and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet (PoE). Cisco's IP Phone 8841 has a WVGA color screen and supports Class 2 PoE. Cisco's IP Phone 8845 has a WVGA color display, 720p HD video, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, and supports Class 2 PoE. The Cisco IP Phone 8851 features a WVGA color display and one USB connection with charging capability, supports Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice and Class 3 PoE, and is available in Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth versions. The Cisco IP Phone 8861 includes a WVGA color display, Bluetooth, dual USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Class 4 PoE. The Cisco IP Phone 8865 includes a WVGA color screen, 720p HD video, an adjustable camera, Bluetooth, dual USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, Wi-Fi, and Class 4 PoE.
Cisco's wireless IP phones are industrial-grade Wi-Fi handsets designed for workers who are mobile within office, hospitality, retail or other environments where management wants user endpoints that offer more administrative control, data security and durability than is achievable with the Bring-Your-Own-Device style of mobile communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless IP phones provide mobile onsite workers the advantages of voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) communications in workplaces that support 802.11x Wi-Fi. The 8821 Wireless IP Phone features a 2.4 inch color screen, a rugged shell designed to withstand dropping and IP67 for dust and splash resistance, long-life batteries, a built-in full-duplex speakerphone, and a Bluetooth 4.0 transceiver for hands-free operation with wireless headsets. Cisco's 8821-EX Wireless VoIP Phone adds protection against sparking for use in hazardous environments. Cisco's 8821-EX also has a case composed of industry-standard yellow plastics, which makes it easy to locate in a crisis. Learn about Progent's Cisco Wireless VoIP Phone integration support.
Cisco's discontinued 9900 line of powerful IP phones mix high-quality voice with business-grade color screens to deliver a rich multimedia communications solution for knowledge professionals and executives. Both models in this line feature a Standard Definition 24-bit color display, a Bluetooth 2.0 radio to work with a broad selection of headsets, and a built-in 1 GE Ethernet switch. Cisco's EnergyWise feature is optional and can reduce off-hour energy use by as much as 90 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch display and supports up to 2 Cisco IP Expansion Modules for adding programmable line and function keys. The Cisco IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch screen, a built-in 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi radio for connecting to Voice-over-wireless LAN (VoWLAN) environments, and four soft-label touchscreen keys to invoke Cisco UC features. The 9971 allows up to 3 IP Expansion Modules for adding customizable line and function keys.
Cisco Unified Communications Application Software
Under Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP voice, video, and other UC applications are physically independent from the call-processing and voice-processing infrastructure, and they may reside at any location within the system. A cohesive connectivity framework provides an open platform for powerful business applications and serves as a firm basis for downstream convergence-based software. Cisco works with leading technology partners to provide a wide range of IP voice and IP video software applications and devices. Cisco also enables the capability to develop and manage specialized internal applications.
Unified Communications applications offered by Cisco and supported by Progent include:
Cisco Jabber
Cisco Jabber is a UC application that provides presence, instant messaging, business-quality voice, HD video, voice messaging, desktop sharing, and real-time conferencing capabilities for Windows PCs, Macs, tablets as well as smartphones. Cisco Jabber is an evolution and combination of the Cisco Unified Personal Communicator soft phone, Cisco Mobile, and WebEx Connect, with major enhancements to video capabilities and desktop sharing, and extending the collaboration environment to additional operating systems and devices. Jabber operates with Unified CM for call management, Cisco Unified Presence for IM and presence, Unity Connection for voicemail and programmable attendant, and WebEX Meeting for conferencing.
Because Cisco Jabber utilizes key industry protocols, it can communicate with a broad selection of third-party platforms. For instance, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) allows Jabber users to trade instant messaging and presence information with various XMPP clients such as Adium for Mac OS, Sametime, and Microsoft Lync. Jabber features are available from Microsoft Office applications including Outlook and SharePoint. This cross-platform compatibility maximizes productivity by providing a consistent end-user experience and fully enabling the BYOD paradigm of networking. Progent can provide the assistance of Microsoft-certified Exchange and Outlook consultants and SharePoint programmers who can show you how to integrate Jabber with Microsoft's popular collaboration products. Progent also offers help with iPhone integration and management and Google Android smartphone integration to assist you to increase the business value of your BYOD ecosystem.
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center
WebEX Meeting Center enables web conferencing for users with a browser or almost any desktop or handheld computer. Cisco WebEx is delivered as software as a service through Cisco's WebEx Cloud. This makes it simple to deploy and scale, streamlines administration, avoids high initial investment, offers high availability and enterprise-grade data protection, and provides consistently high performance. Key capabilities include support for sharing specific content or your entire screen display with remote participants in real time, the ability to embed multimedia into presentations including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash animations, network-based recording plus playback for future reference and training, single sign-on (SSO) and integration with Cisco collaboration applications such as Jabber and Cisco TelePresence, plus stringent data privacy and encrypted connections with strict policy control.
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center runs on Windows, Apple Mac, and Linux-powered desktops and allows mobile workers to launch, schedule, and attend meetings on Android smartphones and tablets, Apple iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry phones, and Windows Phone. Users can also initiate web conferences with a few clicks from Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Notes, and a selection of IM applications.
Cisco TelePresence Products for In-house Video Conferencing Environments
For midsize businesses and larger enterprises who wish to build an in-house or hybrid on-premises/cloud solution for video conferencing, Cisco offers a selection of Cisco TelePresence products that enable high-definition video conferencing for participants with virtually any endpoint device at any site. Cisco TelePresence Server is an expandable video conferencing bridge that runs in conjunction with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to bring multiparty video, audio and content sharing to UC deployments and can extend conferences to incorporate cloud-based WebEx Meeting Center participants. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software streamlines the control of how conferencing resources are allocated for every individual participant, enabling administrators to specify the exact service level and experience required for each user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server captures video conference presentations for real-time distribution and on-demand viewing.
Cisco's Unity Connection Platform and Unity Express for Unified Voicemail
Cisco's Unity Connection, an integrated extension of Cisco Unified CM, is a converged voice messaging system that facilitates productive collaboration by offering a variety of options for retrieving calls and messages within an environment that is simple to implement and manage. Cisco Unity Connection allows you to read and manage voicemail from your email inbox, web browser, Cisco Jabber messaging integration platform, a Cisco Unified IP Phone, an iPhone or other smartphone, or a tablet. Cisco Unity Connection also provides sophisticated speech-recognition capabilities for hands and eyes free operation and extensive Automated Attendant functions that include smart routing for inbound phone calls and custom call-screening and message-notification settings. The Unity Connection platform runs as a fully virtualized system that can be hosted on a Business Edition 6000 server or a Cisco Services Ready Engine 910 router blade service module and can support up to 20,000 mailboxes on each server.
Cisco Unity Express (CUE), available in certain Cisco Integrated Services routers, offers cost-effective voicemail, integrated messaging, IVR, and automated-attendant services for small to medium businesses (SMBs) and corporate branch offices with up to 500 users. Unity Express permits users to manage voicemail using a Cisco Unified IP Phone display, your web browser, or your email client. Integrated Services Routers for which Unity Express is available as an advanced integration module include Cisco's 1861, 2800, 2900, 3800, and 3900 Series. Progent can provide comprehensive consulting and troubleshooting services for all Cisco routers.
Cisco Unified Contact Center
Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE or UCCE) integrates with Unified Communications Manager and agent desktop applications like Finesse to provide automatic call distribution (ACD) capabilities that allow an organization to connect customers with the proper sales or service agent. Unified CCE features smart call distribution, computer telephony integration (CTI), multiple channel customer contact management, network-wide call queuing, IVR and advanced company-wide reporting to simplify the creation and management of a modern contact center. Cisco platforms incorporated in UCCE's client contact management ecosystem include Unified IP Phones, Voice, and Cisco network infrastructure.
Cisco Unified Contact Center Express (CCX) offers an out-of-the-box solution for creating a customer interaction management center for mid-scale systems that handle as many as 400 agents. Several bundles are available, plus a variety of optional advanced features. Cisco Unified CCX works with Cisco Unified Communications Manager and provides intelligent call distribution, contact interaction management, integrated reporting, interactive voice response, and the ability to manage voice, email, chat, and social media requests. Cisco Unified CCX comes with Cisco Finesse, a browser-based desktop agent that needs no client software setup. Advanced options include conditional routing, estimated-wait-time announcements, and workforce quality management.
Cisco Mobile Connect for Single Number Reach
Mobile Connect, popularly referred to as Single Number Reach (SNR), allows users to be called via one phone number that rings at the same time on their Cisco IP Phone and their mobile phone. Users can transfer live calls between their desktop VoIP phone and their cell phone seamlessly. Calls that are not answered can be redirected to a Unity or Cisco Unity Connection account. Users can create their own access lists that specify which calls get directed to different phones.
Prime Collaboration
Prime Collaboration offers an automated process for first-time installs and for follow-on moves, adds, changes, and deletions. An intuitive interface provides a unified view of a subscriber and the user's services. Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning substantially accelerates company-wide rollouts and reduces the effort required for ongoing updates. Prime Collaboration in addition provides management analytics that show application adoption and consumption trends, enabling administrators to make more efficient use of resources and further reduce TCO.
Cisco Collaboration Gateways
Cisco's collaboration gateways allow Cisco Unified Communications networks to communicate with public networks and with users working outside the firewall. Cisco's line of gateways provide UC services for all types of gateway as well as session-border-control deployments.
Collaboration gateways available from Cisco and supported by Progent include:
Cisco Expressway Converged Communication Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is a powerful collaboration gatekeeper that enables organizations to allow team members, vendors, customers and prospects, or partners who are working on various outside network environments, workgroup platforms, or endpoint equipment to connect to Unified Communication functions. The Expressway collaboration gateway works in conjunction with an enterprise Cisco CM deployment or Cisco BE6000, or can be accessed via the cloud with Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution to help make collaboration more universal. Key features of Expressway are include:
- Mobile and Off-site Access: Off-site workers with any Jabber-compatible device or teleworkers with Cisco TelePresence endpoints get the benefit of single-sign-on (SSO) plus Transport Layer Security (TLS) and can access all their Jabber applications (high-definition video, voice, data instant messaging, and realtime presence) without the inconvenience establishing a VPN. In addition, telecommuters can use their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without a VPN tunnel, providing a user environment at home that is identical to the office.
- Jabber Guest Support: Cisco Expressway is integral for enabling Cisco's Jabber Guest, which permits “guests” to communicate with your business simply and securely using streamlined browser and mobile video phone calls.
- Cisco Cloud Access: Expressway can act as a gateway that creates a path between onsite Cisco or third-party collaboration solutions and Cisco's WebEx cloud. By supporting Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms (CMRs), Cisco Expressway offers an advanced, extensible meeting experience that seamlessly integrates voice, high-definition video, and content sharing to anyone, anywhere, on any device.
- Interoperability: In case your organization already has non-Cisco video technology, Cisco Expressway can assist you to move efficiently to Cisco products when you choose. Cisco Expressway provides video compatibility with standards-based H.323, H.264 SVC, or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) environments. Internetworking capabilities supported by Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to SIP, and Microsoft Lync H.264 Scalable Video Coding to MPEG-4/H.264 AVC.
Cisco Unified Border Element is an enterprise-class session border controller that interconnects unified communications systems to the IP public switched telephone network. Beyond offering session border control, Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE) delivers simple and cost-efficient collaboration beyond the enterprise firewall. Important collaboration features enabled by CUBE include:
- WebEx Cloud Connected Audio for high-capacity SIP-based audio conferencing
- Voice and Video recording
- Enterprise Call-center and IVR applications
- Policy-based security evaluation of phone calls
- Business-to-business immersive telepresence over SIP
Cisco's Legacy UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Gateways
The end-of-life Cisco Unified Communications 500 (UC500) Series is an early VoIP communications appliance and software package for small businesses. UC500 models deliver voice, data, voicemail, automated attendant, IP video, firewall, and wireless functionality, work with older Cisco VoIP phones, and support PSTN interfaces.
All UC500 packages include a compact switch appliance with 8 PoE ports and additional FXS and foreign exchange office (FXO) interfaces, a firewall, and VPN support. Built-in WiFi is an option. User capacity can be increased by attaching Cisco Catalyst Express companion switches. Each UC500 model also includes software licenses for Cisco Unified Communications Manager for VoIP call processing and Cisco Unity Express for voice messaging and automated attendant. The Cisco UC520 system supports 8 to 16 VoIP users and include 4 FXS and 4 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC540 package supports 24 to 32 clients and provides 8 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC560 package supports 48 users and 12 FXO ports.
Progent's seasoned VoIP consultants can help you to support your legacy UC500 VoIP system or plan and carry out a smooth upgrade to a current IP telephony and voicemail system such as the Cisco Business Edition 4000.
How Progent Can Help You with Cisco IP Voice and IP Media Phones, Cisco Unified CM, and Telepresence
Progent offers remote or onsite help from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Collaboration expert to help your business to design, implement, administer and repair converged communications environments based on Cisco Unified Communication technology in a centralized, cloud-based, or hybrid environment. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants have in-depth experience with Unified Communications Manager and CallManager, IP voice and video phones and other endpoints, UC applications such as Cisco Jabber and WebEx Meeting Center, Cisco's video conferencing technologies, communication gatekeepers, tools incorporated into Cisco Catalyst switches and routers. Progent can also offer expertise with technologies like Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, CUBE, H.323 and H.264 gateways, CAC, IP voice trunks, PSTN, and Cisco's AVVID architecture. Progent's SIP integration consultants can also help you to create SIP infrastructure solutions that incorporate SIP IP voice phones and video endpoints, SIP-based CUBE trunks, and SIP management tools via CUCM.
Progent's application programmers can create specialized IP telephony applications that will enable your business to integrate the telephony capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company operations for enhanced efficiency. Progent can evaluate your existing network and Internet access infrastructure to determine whether your system is optimized to accommodate business-quality IP voice and high-definition video, assist you to select and integrate Cisco products that make sense for your present situation and downstream expansion goals, and integrate your Cisco collaborative communications products with technology from other vendors. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified information security consultants can assist you to develop, deploy, and validate a comprehensive security strategy for your unified communications ecosystem. Also, Progent can help your organization to configure Cisco high-availability mechanisms such as Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony for cost-effective call control redundancy in remote-branch and telecommuter environments, and Progent's disaster recovery preparedness experts can help you create a sensible disaster recovery plan to ensure the availability of your crucial unified communications environment.
Cisco Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Migration Consulting
Releases of Unified CM earlier than 8.6 and every release of its predecessor CallManager have arrived at end-of-life. Therefore Cisco Engineering will no longer enhance, repair, or validate the product software. Security updates for this pivotal product will end, which in certain situations could create compliance or potential liability issues.
Progent continues to offer premier support for outdated editions of Cisco Unified CM and Cisco CallManager, but in case your company is now running an out-of-dated edition of this essential software your organization should begin immediately to prepare for your migration. Progent's collaboration consultants can help your company to upgrade non-disruptively to the latest release of Cisco Unified Communications Manager and can often save customers as much as 50% off consulting expense versus competing computer service companies thanks to Progent's documented process and hands-on experience in this practice area. By adhering to best practices, Progent can ensure that your organization sees a fast return on your investment by helping you take full advantage of the enhanced feature set, lower management and support expense, more productive collaboration capabilities, and stronger data protection offered by the latest version of Cisco Unified Communications Manager.
Progent's upgrade consulting services include return-on-investment analysis, project management, pilot testing, Cloud connectivity, setting up endpoint devices from Cisco and other providers, mobile integration, data protection services, streamlined management, business continuity planning, network architecture design, staff and user training, and ongoing consulting services and troubleshooting. Progent also has put together fixed-priced migration service bundles to make sure your costs are predictable and affordable.
For additional details concerning Progent's engineering support for Cisco technology, choose a subject:
- Introduction to Cisco Expertise
- Fast and Affordable Online Support from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Network Engineer
- Cisco Firepower Series Firewalls: Integration and Management Expertise
- ASA 5500-X Series Firewall with Firepower Services: Setup and Troubleshooting Expertise
- Cisco ASA 5500 Firewalls Upgrade. Migration Services
- PIX Series Firewall Upgrade. Migration Help
- Cisco Routers Consulting Services
- Cisco Wireless Engineering Expertise
- Aironet Wireless Access Points Engineering Expertise
- Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 WiFi APs Deployment Expertise
- Cisco WiFi Controllers Experts
- Meraki Access Points Deployment Services
- Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Configuration and Troubleshooting
- Cisco Jabber Migration and Support Expertise
- Cisco Catalyst Switches Engineering Services
- Nexus Switches Configuration and Maintenance Services
- Cisco Meraki MS Switches Deployment Services
- Cisco VPN Integration Assistance
- SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP Trunking and Cisco CUBE Integration Consulting
- Design Solutions for Cisco-based Datacenters and Colocation Centers
- Data Center Design Consulting for Service Providers
- Remote Management Strategies for Cisco-based Infrastructure
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Meraki Traffic Shaping Computer Engineer
Best Meraki Wi-Fi AP Management Help and Support
Progent's Cisco Meraki wireless AP experts offer online and onsite support to help businesses of all sizes to design, install, maintain, upgrade or troubleshoot Wi-Fi systems that utilize Cisco Meraki APs. Progent can help your business to set up and manage Cisco's Meraki-based Wi-Fi infrastructure for sites that range from a telecommuter's home or a remote office all the way to a campus or a multi-site enterprise. Progent can also help you to integrate additional Cisco technology such as Catalyst and Nexus switches, routers and firewalls to create a seamless network infrastructure that delivers identical connectivity, responsiveness, security, manageability and uptime for wired and Wi-Fi users irrespective of their location or computing device.
Small Business Network Integration
Small Business Network Consulting
If you have a small business IT system with 10 to 50 desktop users, Progent's IT outsourcing services save your organization from over-reliance on an individual freelance service provider while giving you cost-effective and reliable access to high-quality technical support. By providing network consulting help when you need it, offering advanced knowledge for key applications, offering value-added services such as automated server monitoring, and charging only for services you receive, Progent gives you an affordable solution for maximizing the productivity of your small office information system. Progent is the smart way for small organizations to build and maintain a reliable and secure information network and to have quick access to the skilled support ordinarily restricted to enterprises who can support a large in-house IT group.
Small Office Small Business Specialist
Small Business Migration Companies
Progent provides the services of Microsoft and Cisco-Certified IT support experts to show customers affordable ways to help businesses optimize the benefits of Microsoft and Cisco technology. For networks that range from remote offices to large enterprises, Progent's expert engineers can show you how to enhance your information system's e-mail architecture, protection, availability, throughput, and IT administration.
Network Consulting Telecommuter Jobs
After Hours Cisco Consulting Full-Time Jobs
If you are a network consultant with technical support expertise, joining Progent and helping our customers will enhance your abilities through interaction with Progent's staff of motivated, world-class consulting experts. Progent's focus on providing IT expertise and technical help to small businesses will give you the chance to consult closely with decision makers and contribute tangibly to the success of dynamic organizations. Also, Our virtual office environment offers the most advanced tools for remote support and wireless access to allow you to come up with fast solutions when you troubleshoot mission-critical problems.
Professional Microsoft Windows Server Essentials
Windows Server Essentials Specialists
Windows Server Essentials is an affordable, entry-level OS that enables small businesses to transition from the traditional stand-alone in-house datacenter to the contemporary hybrid computing model that includes both local and virtualized cloud-based software and infrastructure. Progent's consultants offer cost-effective online consulting and technical support services for Microsoft Windows Server Essentials. Progent can assist you to assess the potential business advantages of migrating to Windows Server Essentials and implementing a hybrid local/cloud-based design for your computing ecosystem. Progent can provide comprehensive project management to help you design and carry out an efficient migration to Microsoft Windows Server Essentials, Microsoft Office 365, and other Microsoft Online applications and services. Progent can also provide as-needed consulting help, technical support, and customized training.
Remote UNIX Specialists
Solaris Professionals
Progent's Solaris family support services offer small companies and developers support for administering and supporting Solaris environments that run with Microsoft-based technology. Progent offers your business access to Sun Solaris experts, consulting professionals premier by Microsoft and Cisco, and security experts with CISSP credentials. This wide array of experience offers you an easy single consulting firm to show you how to create and manage a protected and reliable cross-platform network and communications environment that allows Sun Solaris and Microsoft coexistence by combining Microsoft Windows with major versions of UNIX including Mac OS X, Solaris, IBM AIX Open UNIX, HP-UX, BSD, SCO UNIX, and Silicon Graphics IRIX (SGI/IRIX or major Linux derivatives including RedHat, SUSE, CentOS Linux, Ubuntu Linux, PCLOS, fedora Linux, Gentoo, Mandrake/Mandriva, Debian-GNU, and Slackware.
Help and Support ISA 2004 Server
Microsoft ISA Server Consulting Services
Progent's certified ISA Server consultants have extensive experience configuring Microsoft ISA Server-based security solutions for information systems with many offices, mobile workers, and line-of-business eCommerce applications. Progent's Microsoft Firewall consultants can assist your company in planning and implementing an installation of ISA 2000 Server or ISA Server 2004 that meets your network protection requirements without adversely limiting your IT system productivity. Progent's consulting professionals can help you upgrade from Microsoft Proxy Server from Microsoft ISA 2000 to ISA 2006 Enterprise Edition Server or Microsoft ISA 2006 Standard Edition Server.
High-Availability Data Center Computer Consultant
24/7 Fault Tolerant Data Center Consulting
Progent's Data Center engineers can show you how to find fault-tolerant data centers that meet the particular requirements of your business. Fault tolerant collocation sites are especially appealing to small companies because of their low cost and simplified logistics compared to taking a do-it-yourself strategy. Trying to create an in-house data center that offers even a minimum degree of fault tolerance is financially prohibitive for the majority of small companies. Progent is ready to help you get all the benefits of non-stop data centers and fault tolerant colo sites by offering a full array of engineering and maintenance services.
Check Point NGX VPN Security Group
Check Point ZoneAlarm Security Audits
Progent's Check Point Software firewall experts can show you how to plan, integrate, and administer firewall solutions built around Check Point Next Generation firewalls and Check Point's cloud-based security services. Progent's consultants can also help you maintain older Check Point firewall models or upgrade smoothly to Check Point's modern firewalls.
SSIS Development Company
Crystal Reports Reports
Progent can provide remote and onsite consulting to help you with any facet of business intelligence reporting from debugging or enhancing applications to designing and deploying an advanced business intelligence environment. Progent's BI consultants can help you to support your current reporting system, help you to upgrade reports and databases from a legacy reporting product to a modern one, and deliver custom online mentoring to meet your individual requirements. Progent’s management reporting and analytics professionals can provide expertise in all popular business analytics reporting platforms such as Microsoft's SQL Server business intelligence suite (Integration Services, Analysis Services, and Reporting Services), Microsoft Management Reporter/FRx, Microsoft Access, Crystal Reports, Power BI, Excel BI tools such as Power Pivot and Power View, and Report Designer.
MCSE Expert Certified Engineer Small Business
Small Business Configuration
If you have a company information system with 10 to 50 network users, Progent's IT outsourcing services free your business from over-reliance on an individual freelance service provider while giving you affordable and dependable access to enterprise-class network expertise. By delivering IT consulting service when you require it, offering advanced knowledge for critical applications, delivering value-added support such as automated server monitoring, and charging only for support you use, Progent offers you an affordable solution for optimizing the business value of your small office information system. Progent is the intelligent way for small organizations to create and maintain a reliable and secure IT network and to have quick access to the experienced consulting ordinarily restricted to businesses who can support a sizeable in-house IT group.
Email Virus Signature Consultant Services
ProSight Email Spoofing Protection Professional
Progent's ProSight Email Guard solution uses the services and infrastructure of top information security companies to deliver web-based management and comprehensive protection for all your email traffic. The hybrid structure of Email Guard combines a Cloud Protection Layer with a local gateway appliance to offer complete defense against spam, viruses, Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks, Directory Harvest Attacks, and other email-borne malware. The cloud filter acts as a first line of defense and blocks the vast majority of unwanted email from reaching your network firewall. This decreases your vulnerability to external attacks and saves network bandwidth and storage. ProSight Email Guard's on-premises gateway appliance provides a deeper level of analysis for inbound email. For outbound email, the onsite gateway offers anti-virus and anti-spam filtering, DLP, and email encryption. The local gateway can also help Exchange Server to track and safeguard internal email traffic that stays inside your corporate firewall.
Biggest Aironet Wi-Fi AP Management Support Services
Aironet Wave 2 Wi-Fi AP Outsourcing
Progent's Cisco-certified wireless networking experts can help organizations of any size to plan, implement, administer and repair Cisco Aironet wireless AP environments to achieve the performance, coverage, density, scale, security compliance and ease of management needed for transparent connectivity between wireless and wired network infrastructure. Progent offers affordable remote and on-premises support for both legacy and current 802.11ac Aironet wireless access points and Progent can help you design and manage deployments of indoor and outdoor Aironet Wi-Fi access points.
