IT Connection Newsletter: Issue 5
Progent's Certified Experts Offer Server Virtualization Consulting Services
Virtual server software from Microsoft, VMware, and Citrix has never been more affordable or powerful. Progent can help you choose a virtualization solution that works best for your business and makes an immediate, positive impact on your bottom line.
Virtualization allows you to run many Virtual Machines (VMs) on a single physical computer, reducing the number of servers you need to run your workloads. Virtual server solutions from Microsoft, VMware, and Citrix are designed to make economic sense for networks of any size. Unfortunately, many small companies are intimidated by virtual technology and unaware of its many benefits.
In addition to the obvious advantage of cutting hardware costs by 50% or more, virtualization offers improved availability, streamlined management, better security, optimized performance for critical applications, faster recovery from unplanned downtime, lower costs for data center space and power, shortened development cycles, more thorough testing of new applications, plus faster software deployment and hardware provisioning.
Licenses for the entry-level virtual server software from Microsoft, VMware, and Citrix are free. The net result is that businesses can save 50-70% on overall IT costs through virtualization, a return on investment unmatched by any other technology initiative. When used properly, virtualization is one of the most leveraged ways to add business value to your information network.
Windows Hyper-V
Hyper-V is a role of Windows Server 2008 R2 that provides the tools to deploy and manage virtual servers. Hyper-V's hypervisor-based architecture, which requires an x64 host with hardware-assisted virtualization, offers better speed, capacity, and security than Microsoft's previous virtualization platform. Hyper-V supports enterprise-class features such as symmetric multiprocessing, live migration, dynamic storage, expanded memory, and host clustering. An entry-level edition with a single-role version of Windows, called Hyper-V Server 2008 R2, is available as a free download.
Hyper-V works along with Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) to provide a comprehensive backup and recovery solution, and Hyper-V's integration with System Center Virtual Machine Manager unifies the administration of a virtualized environment. Hyper-V Management Console and Windows PowerShell provide advanced tools for remote and automated management.
VMware vSphere
VMware is the leading source of virtualization software and offers
a free entry-level hypervisor, vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi), to provide a fast start for companies new to virtual server technology. VMware offers an easy, affordable upgrade path to vSphere Essentials to add improved management and security features or to the powerful vSphere Essentials Plus, which offers high availability and live migration.
Unlike Hyper-V, which runs in conjunction with Windows Server 2008, all editions of vSphere install on bare metal as purpose-built, low-overhead hypervisors that require only about 100 Mb of disk space. This improves security by exposing a small attack surface. Advanced versions of vSphere and its predecessor, VMware ESX, have been adopted by the world's largest enterprises.
Citrix XenServer
The entry-level version of XenServer from Citrix has advanced features that include live migration, central management of multiple servers, and unlimited servers, VMs, and memory. XenServer has a bare-metal hypervisor, like vSphere, but it also has an open architecture (proven by use in the world's largest virtual technology deployment, Amazon's Elastic Cloud). Like Hyper-V and unlike vSphere, XenServer utilizes paravirtualization to achieve near-native performance, which makes it practical to support more VMs per physical server.
Progent's Hyper-V, vSphere, and XenServer Support
Progent's certified Microsoft and VMware engineers can help you assess the potential benefits of virtualization and select a product that meets your business needs, perform pilot installations to test virtual servers with your production applications, organize your network and server architecture for optimal performance with virtual technology, help you migrate from an older virtualization platform, follow industry best practices for rolling out virtual servers, and train your IT staff to monitor and manage Windows Hyper-V, VMware, or Citrix solutions.
If you plan to deploy Hyper-V, Progent's Microsoft Gold-certified consultants can help you configure, manage, and troubleshoot all aspects of Windows Server 2008 R2.
Contact Progent for Virtualization Help
For help with Hyper-V, vSphere, or XenServer virtual server software, call Progent at
For a more detailed description of virtualization technology from Microsoft, VMware, and Citrix, visit Server Management with Virtual Servers.
Click here to go to the table of contents of the IT Connection newsletter.
An index of content::
Wireless Security Consultancy
Consultant Services Wireless Security
Progent provides expertise for security testing utilities such as LANguard from GFI for performing a set of programmed system auditing scans to identify potential security gaps. Progent has broad knowledge of network auditing tools and can show you how to understand testing reports and respond effectively. Progent can show you how to design security into your business operations, install auditing tools, plan and implement a protected network environment, and recommend procedures to optimize the security of your network. Progent's security engineers are able to show you how to configure a firewall, design safe remote access to email and business applications, and integrate virtual private network. Progent's accredited security experts can also test the protection of web-based applications and can provide extensive information security audits of enterprise-wide security to determine your company's compliance with recognized international security standards including FISMA, NIST, and ISO.
Postini Managed Service Provider Technical Support
Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Administration
Progent's Microsoft-certified experts have two decades of experience providing electronic messaging and integrated telecommunications/email solutions for businesses. Progent offers economical Microsoft Exchange 2007 Server consulting services to strengthen email security and virus defense, provide fault tolerant email, and implement remote and wireless email connectivity. Progent’s Microsoft Exchange consulting and support services can assist you in planning and implementing a Microsoft Exchange upgrade or a move from a legacy SMPT server or older Microsoft Email product such as Microsoft Exchange 5.5 to Microsoft Exchange Server 2010.
Setup and Support Exchange 2013 Active Directory
Exchange 2013 Backup and Restore Consulting Services
Exchange 2013 incorporates significant improvements to the capabilities of Microsoft Exchange 2010 and delivers powerful innovations plus a redesigned architecture. These improvements affect vital IT areas like manageability, high availability (HA), security and compliance, operational costs, collaboration, expandability, performance, cross-version interoperability, and productivity. Progent's Microsoft-certified Exchange 2013 consulting professionals can assist your organization to evaluate the potential advantages of migrating to Exchange Server 2013, design a cost-effective test and deployment strategy, and train your IT team to manage your Exchange 2013 solution. Progent can also provide affordable remote consulting and management services for Microsoft Exchange Server 2013.
Hybrid Configuration Wizard Online Support
Hybrid Exchange Online and Exchange on-premises Professionals
Office 365 is Microsoft's extensive suite of productivity applications and cloud services offered on a subscription basis. Office 365 apps and cloud-based services are available in an array of product bundles targeted at markets from students and households to enterprises. Progent can provide fast and easy online access to consultants with expertise in Microsoft, Mac, Apple iOS, and Google Android platforms. Progent can assist you to understand the many subscription plans offered with Office 365 and integrate your network with Office 365 so you realize top business value. Progent supports multi-platform networks that include Windows, macOS, and Linux software. Progent can also help you to create and manage hybrid ecosystems that transparently integrate local and cloud-based products and services.
XenMotion Consulting
Citrix XenCenter Technology Professional
Progent's Citrix-authorized consultants can help you to evaluate the strategic benefits of XenServer and additional Citrix products, and can help you to design, validate, execute, troubleshoot, and maintain a Citrix XenServer solution. Progent can also assess your existing XenServer environment and help you to optimize consolidation, responsiveness, security and compliance, uptime, and recoverability.
Active Directory IT Consultants
Windows 2008 Active Directory Outsourcing
Windows Active Directory demands significant field experience to integrate efficiently across a large corporation. Progent’s Microsoft Certified engineers are experts in planning, deploying, and supporting complex Enterprise Active Directory installations. Progent’s areas of proven competence with Microsoft Windows Active Directory include replication problems, multi-domain partition configurations, correcting corrupted Active Directory objects, dealing with legacy beta version configuration objects in online AD systems, and fixing unsuccessful configurations of Active Directory and AD-integrated programs.
Windows 10 Training IT Consultant
Professional Windows 10 Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
Progent's Windows consultants can assist organizations of all sizes to assess Windows 10 or to migrate to Windows 10 from any older version of Microsoft Windows. Online and on-premises assessment and migration services for Microsoft Windows 10 provided by Progent include Return on Investment analysis, project coordination, compatibility testing, test lab systems, Hyper-V virtualization architecture, Cloud integration, mobile management, teleworker connectivity, security and compliance, streamlined provisioning and administration, infrastructure design, Wi-Fi support, disaster recovery planning, webinar training for IT support personnel and end users, and post-migration consulting support.
Local Government Engineers
Open Now County Government Exchange Consult
Progent has a long background providing a broad range of remote network consulting and emergency troubleshooting services to local governments and schools across the United States. Progent is one of the pioneers in providing expert online network support and has delivered IT support to clients in every state. Online support saves travel costs and solves problems more quickly than onsite service calls.
Windows 2003 Server Integration Services
Microsoft Experts Consultants Windows 2003
Progent's Microsoft-certified Windows 2003 Server consultants offer computer help and expert consulting for the entire family of Microsoft .NET Servers, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, and Microsoft Windows Server 2000. Progent's Windows Server 2003 upgrade, configuration, administration, and maintenance services include network planning, deployment, project management, in-person and remote network support and repair, Call Center services, expert security services, turn-key outsourcing, and cost-effective co-sourcing.
Technology Consulting Services Hybrid Office 365 and Exchange
24-Hour Exchange Online and on-premises Exchange Computer Consulting
Microsoft Office 365 Exchange Online allows you to use cloud-based virtual machines, mailboxes and other Exchange infrastructure to lower capital costs and management overhead. You can use Office 365 Exchange Online to run all your Exchange mailboxes, or you can integrate a hybrid solution that incorporates on-premises as well as cloud-hosted mailboxes. Progent's Microsoft-certified consulting experts offer budget-friendly remote technical support to assist your small businesses to assess the potential advantages of Office 365 Exchange Online, design a network topology that makes sense for your business needs and IT budget, carry out a non-disruptive move from your current Exchange organization to one that includes Office 365 Exchange Online, train your management staff and end users, and provide as-needed consulting and technical support.
SQL Server Capacity Planning Programming Firm
SQL Server Replication Engineer
Microsoft SQL Server 2000 is a complete, web-aware database and data analysis package that opens the door to the fast development of cutting-edge enterprise-class applications that can give your company a significant competitive advantage. SQL Server provides built-in support for XML and the capability to query across the Internet and beyond the firewall. The experience of Progent's certified SQL Server 2000 engineers, averaging more than over 10 years of work helping with Microsoft integration, ensures you success in planning, installing and supporting Microsoft SQL Server solutions that are seamlessly connected with other applications based on Microsoft's .NET platform.
24x7 Exchange Server 2016 Upgrade Planning Consulting
Computer Consultants Exchange 2016 Mailbox migration
Progent can help you in all facets of your upgrade to Microsoft Exchange 2016 such as designing HA infrastructure for a local, cloud-based or hybrid deployment; CAL licensing compliance for Exchange Server and Windows Server 2012 R2 or later; migrating mailboxes; Windows Hyper-V design; specifying mass storage capacity required for your VMs, mailbox databases and logs; setting up hardware load balancing for fault-tolerant client access services; planning, building and testing Exchange and Windows Servers and DAG groups; setting up collaboration with SharePoint Server or SharePoint Online; preparing your firewall; creating SSL certs; performing client integration with Office 2010 or greater or Office 365; and setting up Outlook on the web (formerly Outlook Web App).
Help and Support SCDPM 2012 and Azure Backup
Data Protection Manager 2012 Specialists
Progent's Microsoft-certified consultants can provide remote or onsite expertise to help businesses of any size to plan, implement, administer, and repair a backup/recovery system based on System Center 2012 Data Protection Manager. Progent's consultants can assist you to migrate from earlier releases of SCDPM or from another backup platform, and Progent can optimize your SCDPM 2012 implementation for on premises, cloud-based, or hybrid datacenters. Progent offers occasional support for resolving especially stubborn issues, or full project management services. Progent can also assist you to incorporate Data Protection Manager into an enterprise-class disaster recovery strategy.
IT Consulting Microsoft Exchange Upgrade
Microsoft Exchange Upgrade Computer Consultant
Progent is one of the most experienced network consulting firms for designing email and messaging systems powered by Exchange 2000 Server. Progent is skilled in helping small and mid-size businesses receive the full benefits of Microsoft Exchange 2000 under typical situations including updating from Exchange 5.5 Server, moving from an ISP-managed or POP3 e-mail system, and jobbing out your Exchange 2000 Server support.
Network Consultant Telecommuter Cloud Integration
Offsite Employees Cloud Integration Support Outsourcing
Progent can help small and mid-size organizations to set up their home-based workforce with transparent integration with cloud applications and services.
IT Training IT Consultants
IT Training Remote Support
Progent practices information transfer from Progent's consultants to clients. By teaching clients to deal with problems that are within their scope, Progent can focus on delivering hard-to-find skills where Progent faces few competitors. Small companies who work with trusted freelance service providers or who maintain internal support personnel benefit when Progent transfers information about new technology and proven methodologies to make their IT environments more robust, secure, and efficient.
Remote Employees Cybersecurity Consultant Services
Technology Consulting Services Remote Workforce Security
Progent can help small and medium-size businesses to set up endpoint security protection solutions and provide cleanup expertise for offsite workers.
Microsoft Certified SMS Migration Computer Consultants
Online Troubleshooting SMS Server Migration
Progent’s Microsoft certified consultants provide small and medium size companies enterprise-grade consulting services for Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003. Systems Management Server is Microsoft's standard tool for change and configuration management. SMS 2003, included in Microsoft System Center 200, enables companies to deliver important applications quickly and reliably to specified users, reduce software expense and stay compliant by determining usage profiles, enhance Windows security by increasing your awareness of vulnerability and by delivering critical patches, manage your mobile workforce through industry standards independent of connection or location, and lower operational costs by efficiently exploiting the management functions incorporated into Windows. Progent’s SMS consulting professionals can show you how to use SMS economically for automated software and application installation, security patch control, and asset tracking management including software and appliance inventory.
Top Ranked Firesight Remote Troubleshooting
ASA and PIX Remote Technical Support
Progent’s experienced Cisco network security consulting professionals provide expert PIX Firewall and ASA Firewall consulting support 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 safe connectivity services. Ranging from economical, easy-to-install desktop appliances for small and home businesses to scalable gigabit appliances, Cisco PIX and ASA Firewalls provide advanced security, high throughput, and high availability for network environments of any size. PIX and ASA Firewalls are based on a proven, specially designed platform, minimizing common OS-specific security gaps.
Open Now External Network Security Inventory Consultancy
Services Information Risk Evaluation
Progent has put together two ultra-affordable service packages designed to allow small companies to get an objective security evaluation from a certified security consultant. With Progent's External Security Inventory Scan, an engineer administers a comprehensive examination of your network from beyond your firewall to uncover potential weaknesses in the security profile you present to the public. With Progent's Internal Network Security Inventory Checkup, a security engineer runs a system scan from a secure machine within your firewall to determine the risk to internal threats. Both security inventory services are set up and run from a protected remote location.
Select Topic: