Technology News and Progent Solutions

Microsoft announced the next version of Microsoft Office Communications Server, Microsoft's solution for managing presence awareness, IM infrastructure, web conferencing, and IP-based calling. The newest version of Office Communications Server 2007 includes improvements that offer IT managers additional control for maintaining their communications system effectively while representing an expandable architecture for collaborative business activity.

To lower costs, increase productivity, and promote teamwork, the new version of Microsoft Communications Server 2007 permits dial-in conferencing to replace expensive third-part services with an in-house audioconferencing software bridge that can be controlled along with an organization's overall communications infrastructure. Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 also now features desktop sharing, which enables users to share their PC transparently and launch calls and cooperate with colleagues external to the organization on PC, Mac, or Linux-powered computers via a web connection. The new edition of Office Communications Server also allows geographically dispersed groups to work together by participating in theme-based dialogues that persist over time. This tool provides users with an index of all active discussion rooms and themes, automatically backs up chats in an XML file format that addresses compliance regulations, delivers tools to search the entire record of chat on a specific topic, and provides filters and alarms to notify people about recent posts.

the latest edition of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 also includes improved support for voice communications and mobility. The innovative attendant console allows support personnel or group administrators to control phone calls and conferences on behalf of other users, establish workflows to route phone calls, and manage larger volumes of incoming communications through an intuitive software interface. The SIP trunking capability enables companies to cut costs by establishing up a straight-through VoIP interface between an Internet phone service supplier and Office Communications Server 2007 without needing in-house VoIP gateways. In addition, Office Communicator Mobile functionality has been extended to more platforms such as the Nokia S40, RIM Blackberry, and Windows Mobile.

How Progent's Microsoft-certified Engineers Can Help Your Company to Integrate Microsoft Communications Server
A Standard Edition Microsoft Communications Server 2007 hosts all required services on one physical Front End Server. The small investment in computer hardware and simplicity of management make this version is optimal for small and mid-sized businesses and for branch offices. Office Communications Server relies on Microsoft Windows Server and takes advantage of powerful Windows platforms such as Active Directory, SQL Server, Operations Manager, and Microsoft Exchange Server. With Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, you can add real-time teamwork capabilities and presence awareness to popular MS Office applications such as Outlook, Microsoft Office Excel, and Microsoft Word. Presence information generated by the server can also be incorporated into line-of-business software. Microsoft Communications Server also serves as the presence engine for collaborative sites and web portals, delivering presence awareness and Instant Messaging access from within Windows SharePoint Services sites.

Progent's Microsoft-certified professionals offer expert technical services for all these technologies and can assist your company in designing and executing an installation of Microsoft Communications Server in order to optimize the business value of this IM, presence, and VoIP platform. Progent can also assist your company to upgrade from Live Communications Server to the Release 2 edition of Microsoft Communications Server.

Progent's consultants can assist you to deploy Office Communications Server and configure a wide of Microsoft platforms to benefit from the presence awareness, Instant Messaging, and Voice over IP capabilities available with Office Communications Server:

Windows Server 2008 Expertise
Progent provides a variety of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 consulting and integration services that can assist small companies to benefit from Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Progent's Microsoft-certified engineers can assist you to evaluate the areas where Microsoft Windows Server 2008 could improve the productivity of your network so that you can rationalize an upgrade. Progent can show you how to pilot Microsoft Windows Server 2008 so that you can determine its reliability, throughput, and operability running realistic workloads. Progent can assist with creating a deployment plan, evaluate and improve existing network environment, develop archiving and recovery processes, analyze security mechanisms and policies, assist in installing physical and virtualized machines, develop fault-tolerant solutions including server and storage clustering, educate your internal network administration staff, and set up proactive 24x7 monitoring processes to ensure system protection and performance.

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Design, Configuration, and Troubleshooting Support
Progent's Microsoft certified support team can help you define and implement a smooth Exchange Server 2007 migration plan that avoids productivity disruption, reduces long-term service demands, and makes your Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 easy to manage. Progent's Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 support, troubleshooting, and design services include expertise with the integration of third-party add-ons to Exchange Server 2007 and the design of unified messaging solutions powered by Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. Services feature integration with your business network, access to mobile computing products, automated tracking of performance and network security, spam and virus filtering, patch and revision control, Contact Center support, daily backup, and full email administration support.

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Help
Progent can offer assistance for planning, deploying, and managing productive Microsoft SharePoint Server solutions that can dramatically improve key areas of your organization's IT network including teamwork, intranet portal, corporate-wide search, forms-based business operations, delivery of business intelligence, and document management. Progent's Microsoft-qualified consultants can assist your company to assess the business benefit for deploying SharePoint Server 2007, deliver configuration and integration support, help your business to set up Microsoft SQL Server as a back-end database, optimize your network infrastructure, integrate your off-the-shelf and specialized application software to work with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server, create a comprehensive security strategy that includes portal technology, and deliver online and on-site repair and Help Desk Call Center support.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Consulting Services
Progent's SQL Server consultants can help your company configures Microsoft SQL 2008 properly, and that your SQL-powered data management system is incorporated seamlessly with your application software. Progent offers 24x7 server monitoring to make sure your corporate information system is working efficiently, and Progent's online Help Desk is ready to offer rapid solutions for SQL-related issues. Progent's certified computer protection engineers can assess your company-wide security processes and mechanisms and suggest enhancements for better protection. Progent's developers can assist you to create or personalize line-of-business programs or eCommerce sites rely on databases managed by SQL Server.

Active Directory Support Services
Microsoft Windows Active Directory requires significant hands-on experience to integrate optimally across an enterprise. Progent's Microsoft qualified Active Directory experts are experienced in planning, deploying, and supporting sophisticated Enterprise AD projects. Progent's fields of expertise with Windows 2003 and 2008 Active Directory include replication problems, multi-domain partition design, repair of corrupted AD objects, cleaning up legacy legacy software configuration objects in online AD environments, and repair of failed configurations of Active Directory and AD-integrated programs.

PC Desktop Support Services
Progent's certified desktop support consultants offer a broad range of affordable services to assist you company to install, configure, repair, and administer workstations and laptops powered by Windows. Progent can provide onsite or online help for individual desktop computers and moble devices or help you to plan and carry out a company-wide migration to the most current release of Microsoft Windows. Progent can also configure Office or Microsoft Dynamics applications on your client PCs so they communicate productively with all Microsoft applications, products from popular vendors, business servers, and key solutions network-wide. Progent can also provide consultants and technical workers to assist your company to prepare for and implement a company relocation or merger organized to cause the least possible disruption of your productivity.

Wireless and Mobility Solutions Support
Progent's professionals provide experience in multiple technologies related to mobile connectivity including system topology, wireless data synchronization, wireless protection, wireless e-mail, Microsoft Windows Mobile, RIM Blackberry, and mobile software development. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco certified experts can save your business work and expense by using their wireless expertise to help you select and integrate mobile networking solutions that fit the needs of your company. Progent can also optimize your IT architecture so that wireless handhelds work better.

Emergency Remote Technical Support
Progent's Technical Response Center provides nationwide remote troubleshooting for Windows and Cisco-based small office computer networks. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco-Premier service experts provide telephone help and online secure computer connection to troubleshoot and repair technical problems quickly and affordably. The scope of IT experience available from Progent's staff of country-wide support professionals makes it possible to escalate even the toughest problems to qualified specialists as needed.

For more details about Progent's consulting and support services for Office Communications Server, call 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.