IT Technology News and Progent IT Solutions

Microsoft began shipping the next version of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, Microsoft's platform for managing presence, instant messaging, remote conferencing, and IP-based calling. The Release 2 version of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 features enhancements that give IT organizations additional control for supporting their communications system efficiently while representing an expandable platform for collaborative business activity.

To reduce costs, improve efficiency, and promote collaboration, the latest edition of Office Communications Server permits phone audioconferencing to replace costly third-part services with an in-house audioconferencing software bridge that is administered as part of the existing communications infrastructure. Office Communications Server also now permits desktop sharing, which enables workers to share their desktop transparently and launch calls and collaborate with colleagues outside the organization on PC, Macintosh, or Linux-powered computers via a web interface. The latest release of Office Communications Server 2007 also enables geographically scattered teams to work together by taking part in topic-based dialogues that extend indefinitely. This application provides participants with an index of all available discussion sessions and topics, periodically archives chats in a format that addresses compliance requirements, provides tools to look through the entire record of discussion on a given topic, and provides triggers and alarms to notify people of new updates.

the latest edition of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 also incorporates improved support for voice and mobile workers. The innovative attendant console permits support personnel or team administrators to control phone calls and conferences on behalf of associates, establish workflows to route calls, and manage higher numbers of incoming calls through an intuitive software console. A new SIP trunking capability enables companies to cut costs by establishing up a direct VoIP connection between an IP phone service provider and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 without requiring in-house VoIP gateways. In addition, Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile support has been extended to more device platforms such as the Nokia S40, RIM Blackberry, and Windows Mobile.

How Progent's Microsoft-certified Engineers Can Assist Your Company to Benefit from Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2
A Standard Edition Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 hosts all necessary services on a single Front End Server. The small expense in computer hardware and ease of management make this configuration is optimal for small and medium-sized businesses and for remote offices. Microsoft Communications Server is powered by Windows Server and taps into core Windows technologies such as Active Directory, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft System Center Operations Manager, and Microsoft Exchange Server. With Office Communications Server 2007, you can add real-time teamwork features and presence awareness to ubiquitous Office programs such as Outlook, Microsoft Office Excel, and Microsoft Office Word. Presence information generated by your server can also be added to line-of-business applications. Office Communications Server also serves as the presence mechanism for collaborative web sites and portals, providing presence awareness and Instant Messaging access from within Windows SharePoint sites.

Progent's Microsoft-Gold certified professionals can provide expert technical services for all these areas and can assist your company in designing and implementing a deployment of Office Communications Server so as to optimize the business impact of this IM, presence, and VoIP platform. Progent can in addition help your company to upgrade from Microsoft Live Communications Server 2005 to the Release 2 version of Microsoft Communications Server.

Progent's consultants can assist you to install Office Communications Server and configure a range of Microsoft technologies to benefit from the presence awareness, IM, and Voice over IP features enabled by Office Communications Server:

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Integration
Progent provides a range of Windows Server 2008 consulting and maintenance support that can assist small companies to benefit from Windows Server 2008. Progent's Microsoft Gold certified engineers can assist you to evaluate the areas where Microsoft Windows Server 2008 could improve the productivity of your information network so that you can cost-justify an upgrade. Progent can help you test Microsoft Windows Server 2008 in order to determine its reliability, speed, and compatibility running your workloads. Progent can provide consulting for creating a rollout strategy, evaluate and enhance existing network environment, develop backup and restoration processes, analyze security architecture and policies, help in installing actual and virtualized machines, design high-availability solutions including server and storage clustering, train your internal IT administration staff, and deploy proactive server and network monitoring operations to track system security and efficiency.

Microsoft Exchange Server Planning, Setup, and Maintenance Support
Progent's Microsoft certified consultants can show you how to design and deploy a smooth Exchange Server 2007 migration strategy that avoids productivity disruption, reduces long-term support demands, and makes your Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 easy to manage. Progent's Microsoft Exchange 2007 support, troubleshooting, and design services include expertise with the integration of outside vendor add-ons to Exchange Server 2007 and the creation of unified messaging implementations powered by Microsoft Exchange 2007 Server. Services feature complete incorporation with your business network, access to handheld computing devices, automated tracking of performance and network security, spam and virus filtering, security update and service pack control, Contact Center support, per-day backup, and comprehensive email administration support.

SharePoint Server Integration Services
Progent can provide expertise for planning, configuring, and managing productive Microsoft Office SharePoint Server installations that can significantly enhance key areas of your IT system including collaboration, web portal, corporate-wide search, forms-based business operations, delivery of actionable intelligence, and document management. Progent's Microsoft Gold certified engineers can help your company to evaluate the business benefit for deploying Office SharePoint, deliver configuration and integration expertise, help you to configure SQL Server 2008 as a back-end database engine, optimize your network architecture, set up your off-the-shelf and custom application programs to work with Office SharePoint Server 2007, create a comprehensive security strategy that includes web portal solutions, and deliver remote and in-person repair and Help Desk services.

Microsoft SQL Server Design and Support
Progent's SQL Server engineers can help your business installs Microsoft SQL 2008 efficiently, and that your SQL-powered database solution is integrated seamlessly with your applications. Progent can provide continuous server tracking to make sure your corporate information system is healthy, and Progent's online Help Desk Call Center is available to provide quick solutions for SQL-related issues. Progent's certified computer security consultants can evaluate your company-wide security policies and technologies and suggest enhancements for better protection. Progent's programmers can help your company to develop or personalize business applications or web sites utilize information controlled by SQL Server 2008.

Active Directory Consulting and Support Services
Microsoft Windows Active Directory demands significant field experience to configure optimally across an enterprise. Progent’s Microsoft certified Active Directory consultants are experts in designing, deploying, and supporting complex Microsoft Enterprise Active Directory projects. Progent’s areas of proven competence with Windows 2003 and 2008 Active Directory include replication problems, multi-domain partition configurations, correcting corrupted AD objects, dealing with legacy legacy version configuration objects in production AD environments, and repair of unsuccessful configurations of AD and AD-associated applications.

PC Desktop Consulting and Support Services
Progent's Microsoft Gold certified desktop support experts offer a broad range of cost-effective services to assist your business to deploy, configure, repair, and administer workstations and notebooks based on Microsoft Windows. Progent can offer on-premises or online help for individual desktop computers and handheld devices or help your business to design and implement a network-wide migration to the newest version of Microsoft Windows. Progent can also install Office or Microsoft Dynamics programs on your client PCs so they integrate efficiently with other Microsoft programs, software from popular vendors, business servers, and line-of-business services throughout your network. Progent can also provide consultants and technical workers to assist your company to plan for and complete an office relocation or merger designed to produce minimal disruption of your productivity.

Wireless and Mobility Technologies Integration
Progent’s consultants provide experience in multiple technologies relevant to mobile networking including network architecture, Activesync, wireless security, mobile e-mail, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Research in Motion Blackberry, and mobile software development. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco certified consultants can save your business work and money by using their wireless experience to help you choose and configure wireless networking technologies that fit the needs of your company. Progent can also tune your IT infrastructure so that mobile appliances work better.

Emergency Online Troubleshooting
Progent’s Technical Response Center provides national remote support for Windows and Cisco-based small office information networks. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco-Premier service professionals offer phone help and online direct network access to troubleshoot and repair technical problems quickly and affordably. The scope of IT experience available from Progent's staff of nationwide service professionals allows Progent to escalate even the toughest problems to competent experts as needed.

For additional information concerning Progent's consulting expertise for Office Communications Server, phone 1-800-993-9400 or refer to Contact Progent.