IT Technology News and Progent IT Solutions

Microsoft announced the newest edition of Office Communications Server, Microsoft's solution for managing presence, instant messaging, remote conferencing, and IP-based calling. The newest version of Office Communications Server includes improvements that offer IT organizations additional control for maintaining their communications infrastructure effectively while providing an expandable architecture for communications-enabled work activity.

To reduce costs, increase efficiency, and promote collaboration, the new Release 2 of Microsoft Communications Server 2007 allows dial-in conferencing to replace costly third-part services with an in-house conferencing bridge that can be administered as part of an organization's current communications environment. Office Communications Server also now features desktop sharing, which allows workers to share their PC transparently and launch calls and collaborate with others outside the company on Windows PC, Mac, or Linux-powered platforms via a Web-based interface. The new version of Office Communications Server also allows geographically scattered teams to collaborate by participating in theme-based discussions that persist over time. This tool provides participants with a list of all active discussion rooms and topics, automatically backs up chats in a format that meets compliance regulations, provides utilities to search the complete history of discussion on a given topic, and provides filters and alerts to notify people of new updates.

the latest edition of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 also incorporates enhanced support for voice and mobility. The new attendant console permits receptionists or group secretaries to control phone calls and conferences on behalf of other users, set up processes to route phone calls, and handle larger volumes of incoming communications through an intuitive software console. A new Session Initiation Protocol trunking capability enables companies to cut expenses by setting up a direct VoIP interface between an IP telephony service provider and Microsoft Communications Server without needing in-house VoIP gateways. In addition, Office Communicator Mobile functionality now includes new platforms such as the Motorola RAZR, Blackberry, and Windows Mobile.

How Progent's Microsoft-certified Engineers Can Assist You to Deploy Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2
A Standard Edition Microsoft Communications Server hosts all required services on one physical Front End Server. The small investment in computer hardware and simplicity of administration make this version is ideal for small and medium-sized companies and for remote offices. Office Communications Server relies on Windows Server and taps into core Windows Server platforms like as Active Directory, SQL Server, System Center Operations Manager, and Microsoft Exchange Server. With Microsoft Office Communications Server, you can incorporate real-time collaboration capabilities and presence to popular Microsoft Office applications like as Microsoft Office Outlook, Excel, and Word. Presence awareness from the server can also be integrated into line-of-business software. Office Communications Server also acts as the presence engine for team sites and web portals, providing presence awareness and IM support from within Windows SharePoint Services sites.

Progent's Microsoft-certified engineers offer expert consulting services for all these areas and can assist you in planning and executing a deployment of Microsoft Communications Server 2007 so as to optimize the business value of this communications solution. Progent can in addition assist your company to migrate from Live Communications Server to the latest version of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007.

Progent's IT professionals can help you to install Microsoft Communications Server 2007 and configure a wide of Microsoft platforms to benefit from the presence, IM, and VoIP capabilities available with Microsoft Communications Server 2007:

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Integration
Progent provides a variety of Windows Server 2008 consulting and maintenance services that can help small companies to get the most from Windows Server 2008. Progent's Microsoft-certified consultants can help your company to evaluate the areas where Windows Server 2008 could improve the business value of your network so that you can rationalize a migration. Progent can show you how to test Windows Server 2008 so that you can determine its stability, throughput, and operability handling your applications. Progent can help with creating a deployment plan, assess and improve your current network infrastructure, document archiving and recovery procedures, evaluate security mechanisms and guidelines, help in integrating physical and virtualized servers, design high-availability strategies such as failover server clustering, educate your in-house network management team, and set up automated 24x7 monitoring processes to track system security and performance.

Exchange Server Planning, Setup, and Maintenance Support
Progent's expert consultants can help you design and implement a smooth Exchange Server 2007 upgrade plan that avoids productivity disruption, simplifies ongoing support requirements, and makes your Exchange 2007 Server easy to manage. Progent's Exchange Server 2007 support, repair, and design offerings include assistance with the configuration of third-party add-ons to Microsoft Exchange 2007 Server and the design of unified messaging solutions based on Exchange 2007 Server. Services include integration with your business network, access to handheld communication devices, automated tracking of performance and network security, spam protection, patch and revision control, Helpdesk support, daily data backup, and comprehensive messaging administration services.

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Help
Progent can provide expertise for planning, deploying, and managing successful Microsoft SharePoint Server installations that can dramatically improve important aspects of your company's IT system including teamwork, web portal, corporate-wide search, forms-based business operations, delivery of business intelligence, and content management. Progent's Microsoft-certified engineers can help your company to evaluate the business case for deploying Office SharePoint, deliver setup and installation expertise, help you to set up Microsoft SQL Server as a back-end database, optimize your network architecture, set up your off-the-shelf and custom business programs to operate with Office SharePoint Server, develop a comprehensive security strategy that incorporates portal technology, and deliver online and in-person repair and Help Desk support.

SQL Server 2008 Design and Support
Progent's SQL Server experts can help your organization installs SQL Server 2008 properly, and that your SQL-based data management system is incorporated seamlessly with your application software. Progent offers 24x7 network monitoring to ensure your corporate information system is working efficiently, and Progent's online Help Desk is available to offer fast solutions for SQL-related issues. Progent's certified computer security consultants can evaluate your company-wide security policies and technologies and suggest improvements for more complete regulatory compliance. Progent's developers can assist your company to create or personalize line-of-business programs or web sites utilize databases controlled by SQL Server 2008.

Windows Active Directory Consulting and Support Services
Windows Active Directory requires extensive field experience to integrate efficiently across an enterprise. Progent's Microsoft qualified Active Directory experts are experts in designing, deploying, and supporting sophisticated Enterprise Active Directory installations. Progent's fields of expertise with Microsoft Windows 2003 and 2008 Active Directory include replication issues, multi-domain partition configurations, correcting corrupted AD objects, cleaning up legacy beta software configuration objects in production Active Directory systems, and fixing failed installations of AD and AD-integrated programs.

Desktop Consulting and Support Services
Progent's Microsoft-certified desktop support experts offer a wide array of affordable consulting and support services to help you company to install, configure, troubleshoot, and manage workstations and laptops powered by Windows. Progent can offer on-premises or remote assistance for individual desktop computers and handheld devices or help you to plan and implement a large-scale rollout of the latest version of Windows. Progent can also install Microsoft Office or Microsoft Dynamics programs on your workstations so they integrate efficiently with other Microsoft applications, products from third-party publishers, business servers, and line-of-business services throughout your network. Progent can also supply consultants and technical workers to help your company to plan for and complete an office relocation or consolidation organized to produce the least possible disruption of your business.

Wireless Technologies Integration
Progent's professionals provide experience in multiple technologies relevant to mobile networking such as network infrastructure, Activesync, wireless security, mobile e-mail, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Research in Motion Blackberry, and wireless application development. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco certified experts can save your business time and expense by using their wireless expertise to help you select and configure mobile access solutions that fit the needs of your company. Progent can also tune your IT infrastructure so that wireless PDAs work better.

Urgent Online Troubleshooting
Progent's National Support Center offers nationwide remote assistance for Windows and Cisco-based small business information networks. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco-Certified support experts offer phone support and online secure computer access to isolate and resolve network problems quickly and economically. The scope of IT experience represented by Progent's staff of nationwide service professionals allows Progent to escalate even the most difficult problems to qualified experts as needed.

For more information concerning Progent's consulting support for Microsoft Communications Server 2007, call 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.