IT Technology News and Progent IT Solutions

Microsoft made available the latest version of Microsoft Communications Server, Microsoft's solution for streamlining presence awareness, IM infrastructure, remote conferencing, and software-based VoIP. The next edition of Microsoft Office Communications Server includes improvements that give network administrators additional control for supporting their communications infrastructure efficiently while providing an expandable architecture for communications-enabled work activity.

To reduce costs, increase efficiency, and promote teamwork, the latest Release 2 of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 allows dial-in conferencing to replace expensive outside services with an in-house conferencing bridge that is managed as part of a company's overall communications environment. Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2 also now features desktop sharing, which enables users to share their desktop seamlessly and launch calls and team up with colleagues outside the company on Windows PC, Apple Mac, or Linux-powered platforms through a Web-based connection. The latest version of Microsoft Communications Server also enables geographically dispersed groups to collaborate by taking part in theme-based dialogues that persist indefinitely. This application provides participants with an index of all active chat sessions and themes, periodically archives discussions in a file format that meets compliance regulations, provides tools to search the entire history of chat on a specific topic, and provides filters and alerts to notify someone of recent updates.

Release 2 of Microsoft Office Communications Server also incorporates improved support for voice and mobility. The new attendant console permits receptionists or team administrators to manage calls and conferences for other users, set up workflows to direct phone calls, and manage larger volumes of incoming communications through a user-friendly interface. A new Session Initiation Protocol trunking capability enables businesses to cut costs by setting up a straight-through Voice over IP interface between an Internet phone service provider and Office Communications Server 2007 without requiring on-premises VoIP gateways. Also, Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile functionality has been extended to new device platforms including the Motorola RAZR, RIM Blackberry, and Windows Mobile.

How Progent's Microsoft-certified Engineers Can Assist Your Business to Integrate Office Communications Server 2007
A Standard Edition Microsoft Office Communications Server manages all required services on one physical Front End Server. The minimal investment in hardware and simplicity of management make this configuration is optimal for small and mid-sized businesses and for remote offices. Office Communications Server 2007 is based on Microsoft Windows Server and taps into powerful Windows technologies like as Active Directory, SQL Server, Operations Manager, and Microsoft Exchange Server. With Office Communications Server, you can incorporate instant collaboration capabilities and presence awareness to popular MS Office programs such as Outlook, Microsoft Office Excel, and Microsoft Office Word. Presence information generated by the server can also be added to productivity software. Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 also serves as the presence mechanism for collaborative web sites and portals, providing presence awareness and Instant Messaging support from within Windows SharePoint Services sites.

Progent's Microsoft-certified engineers can provide expert consulting support for all these technologies and can help you in planning and executing an installation of Microsoft Communications Server so as to maximize the business impact of this IM, presence, and VoIP platform. Progent can in addition help your company to migrate from Live Communications Server 2005 to the current version of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007.

Progent's IT professionals can assist you to deploy Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and integrate a wide of Microsoft technologies to benefit from the presence awareness, IM, and VoIP features available with Microsoft Office Communications Server:

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Expertise
Progent provides a range of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 consulting and integration services that can help small businesses to get the most from Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Progent's Microsoft-certified consultants can assist your company to understand the areas where Windows Server 2008 could improve the productivity of your network so that you can cost-justify an upgrade. Progent can show you how to test Microsoft Windows Server 2008 so that you can assess its stability, performance, and operability running your applications. Progent can provide consulting for creating a rollout plan, assess and improve your current network infrastructure, develop backup and restoration processes, analyze security architecture and policies, assist in setting up actual and virtual servers, design fault-tolerant strategies including server and storage clustering with Hyper-V, train your in-house network administration team, and deploy proactive round-the-clock monitoring processes to track system security and performance.

Microsoft Exchange Server Planning, Installation, and Maintenance Support
Progent's expert consultants can help you design and implement a smooth Microsoft Exchange 2007 migration plan that avoids productivity disruption, reduces long-term service demands, and makes your Microsoft Exchange 2007 Server easy to manage. Progent's Exchange 2007 help, repair, and consulting offerings include expertise with the integration of third-party enhancements of Exchange Server 2007 and the design of unified messaging implementations powered by Microsoft Exchange 2007 Server. Progent's services feature integration with your network, connectivity with mobile computing products, automated monitoring of efficiency and security, spam protection, security update and service pack control, Helpdesk services, per-day data backup, and comprehensive messaging management support.

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007 Integration Services
Progent can provide expertise for designing, deploying, and managing successful Microsoft SharePoint Server installations that can dramatically improve key areas of your organization's IT system such as teamwork, intranet portal, company-wide search, forms-based business operations, access to business intelligence, and document control. Progent's Microsoft-certified consultants can help you to evaluate the business benefit for implementing Office SharePoint, deliver configuration and integration support, assist your business to set up SQL Server as a back-end database engine, optimize your network architecture, set up your standard and specialized business programs to operate with Microsoft SharePoint Server, develop a comprehensive security strategy that includes portal technology, and deliver online and in-person repair and Call Center support.

SQL Server Programming and Support
Progent's SQL Server experts can help your business installs Microsoft SQL Server 2008 properly, and that your SQL Server RDBM system is incorporated thoroughly with your applications. Progent offers automated server monitoring to make sure your corporate network is always available, and Progent's remote Help Desk Call Center is available to offer fast solutions for SQL issues. Progent's certified data protection engineers can evaluate your business-wide security processes and mechanisms and recommend improvements for more complete protection. Progent's programmers can assist your company to create or customize line-of-business programs or web sites utilize databases managed by SQL Server 2008.

Active Directory Consulting and Support Services
Microsoft Windows Active Directory requires significant hands-on experience to configure efficiently across an enterprise. Progent's Microsoft certified Active Directory consultants are experienced in planning, deploying, and maintaining sophisticated Enterprise Active Directory installations. Progent's areas of expertise with Microsoft Windows 2003 and 2008 AD include replication problems, multi-domain partition configurations, repair of corrupted Active Directory objects, dealing with legacy legacy version configuration objects in online Active Directory systems, and repair of unsuccessful configurations of Active Directory and Active Directory-integrated applications.

Desktop Consulting and Support Services
Progent's Microsoft-certified desktop support consultants offer a wide range of affordable support services to assist you company to deploy, configure, troubleshoot, and administer desktop PCs and laptops powered by Microsoft Windows. Progent can provide on-premises or remote help for single desktop computers and moble devices or work with you to plan and carry out a network-wide rollout of the most current release of Windows. Progent can also configure Office or Microsoft Dynamics applications on your client PCs so they communicate productively with all Microsoft applications, software from popular publishers, database servers, and key solutions throughout your network. Progent can also provide consultants and technical workers to assist you to plan for and complete an office relocation or merger designed to produce minimal disruption of your business.

Wireless Technologies Expertise
Progent's professionals offer experience in a variety of technologies related to mobile connectivity including network architecture, wireless data synchronization, wireless security, mobile email, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Research in Motion Blackberry, and wireless application development. Progent's certified professionals can save your business time and money by applying their wireless background to help you select and configure wireless networking solutions that fit the needs of your business. Progent can also tune your network architecture so that mobile appliances work more reliably.

Emergency Remote Technical Support
Progent's Technical Response Center offers nationwide remote assistance for Windows and Cisco-based small office information networks. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco-Certified service engineers offer phone support and remote direct computer access to troubleshoot and resolve technical problems rapidly and affordably. The breadth of IT expertise represented by Progent's team of nationwide service engineers allows Progent to escalate even the most difficult network issues to competent specialists as needed.

To learn more details concerning Progent's consulting support for Microsoft Office Communications Server, phone 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.