Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Consulting Support for
Business Information Systems:
Windows Server 2012 R2 Failover Cluster Solutions
Failover clustering plays a critical role in serious disaster recovery strategies. Windows Server 2008 R2 failover clustering support introduced enterprise-class fault tolerance and recoverability to Microsoft's server platform. Windows Server 2012 R2 builds on this technology and offers important new and enhanced features that offer more expandability, non-stop storage availability for server applications, easier management, quicker automatic failover, and more options for designing failover clusters.
In addition to offering comprehensive Windows Server 2012 R2 consulting services, Progent's Microsoft-certified failover clustering experts can help optimize your Windows Server 2012 R2 clustering deployment to build a high-availability/disaster recovery solution or assist you to design and deploy a failover cluster environment powered by a modern version of Windows Server. Propgent can provide online or on-premises consulting services and technical support for clustered physical servers or virtual machines, and show you how to streamline the management of clustered servers.
New and Improved Features of Windows Server 2012 R2 Failover Clustering
With failover clustering, if any clustered servers (called nodes) stop working properly, other servers automatically and transparently take up (or failover) their workloads such as Exchange Server or SQL Server. Cluster Shared Volume (CSV) is a refinement of failover clustering that provides a consistent, shared namespace that clustered services and applications (called roles) can use to utilize shared storage regardless of the node that is currently running them. This ability to replace IT resources on the fly can dramatically enhance network availability and facilitate rapid recovery in case of a localized catastrophic event.
The failover clustering enhancements built into Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 include:
Cluster Expandability
Failover clusters in Windows Server 2012 R2 can scale to a greater number of nodes and virtual machines than clusters in Windows Server'2008'R2. Windows Server 2012 R2 scales to 64 nodes and 8,000 virtual machines per cluster. In contrast, Windows Server 2008 R2 supports 16 nodes and 1,000 virtual machines per cluster.
Server Manager and Failover Cluster Manager
Windows Server 2012 R2's Server Manager makes it easy to manage cluster nodes by enabling remote multi-server management as well as the remote installation of roles and features. Server Manager can also start Failover Cluster Manager, which provides a wealth of new features including new search, filtering, and custom views; the ability to select a defined set of VMs for performing desired operations such as live migration; one-click configuration of Cluster Shared Volumes (CSVs); and support for Hyper-V Replica for point-in-time replication of VMs.
Virtual Machine Mobility
Multiple live migrations including VM storage can be initiated at the same time to nodes with adequate resources and failed migrations are automatically retried. In addition, you can add or a virtual machine to a failover cluster while the VM is running.
Cluster Shared Volumes
Improvements to Cluster Shared Volumes (CSVs), which provide clustered VMs with common storage, include storage capabilities for additional clustered roles, the CSV proxy file system (CSVFS), support for BitLocker encryption, Direct I/O for faster access to file data, elimination of external authentication dependencies, integration with SMB Multichannel and SMB Direct for better performance and with Storage Spaces for lower-cost storage, and the ability to scan and fix volumes without service disruption.
Support for Scale-Out File Servers
The new clustered file server makes it possible to store server application data like Hyper-V virtual machine files on scale-out (known as active-active) file shares, offering performance and manageability similar to storage area network (SAN) solutions.
Cluster-Aware Updating (CAU)
This new feature allows the automation of software updates to the host operating system or other system components on clustered servers without downtime.
Monitoring and Managing VM Applications
This new capability enables high-level monitoring of applications hosted on clustered VMs running Windows Server 2012 R2.
Integration with Active Directory Domain Services
Enhanced integration with Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) improves flexibility and resilience by including easy alignment of failover cluster dependencies on AD DS, automated recovery of unintentionally removed cluster virtual computer objects (VCOs), support for cluster deployments in branch office with read-only domain controllers, and the ability for failover clusters to start without AD DS dependencies.
Cluster Quorum Management
Improvements to cluster quorum management that simplify quorum setup and increase the uptime of clusters during the failover process include a revamped quorum configuration wizard, the ability to assign which nodes have quorum votes, and the ability to automate quorum vote assignment depending on the current state of the node.
Enhancements to the Cluster Migration Wizard
The enhanced Migrate a Cluster Wizard in Windows Server 2012 R2 simplifies the tasks of installing, updating, and migrating Windows 2008 failover clusters through improvements that include the ability to export and re-import Hyper-V VMs, migrate to Cluster Shared Volume (CSV) disks, map virtual networks and storage, and reuse current storage.
Task Scheduler Integration
Windows Server 2012 R2 failover clustering features a new integrated Task Scheduler that makes it possible to use Windows PowerShell cmdlets to configure cluster tasks, providing a versatile tool for utilizing cluster resources to run processes or applications at set times. Tasks can be scheduled to run on a single random node, all nodes, or nodes with specified resources.
Windows PowerShell support
An enhanced Failover Cluster module for Windows PowerShell provides a library of cmdlets for automating support for the Failover Clustering features in Windows Server 2012
R2. New cmdlets support a variety of features such as the ability to manage cluster registry checkpoints, create Scale-Out File Servers, monitor VM applications, change the properties of a Distributed Network Name resource, create and manage clustered tasks, and create a fault-tolerant iSCSI Target Server.
For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V, which provides enhanced support for failover clustering, refer to Progent's Consulting Services for Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V.
How Progent Can Help You Benefit from Microsoft's Failover Clustering
Progent's Microsoft-certified consultants can help you evaluate the business benefits of Windows Server 2012 R2 failover clustering, set up test systems to help you optimize performance and ensure compatibility for your critical workloads, design and carry out an efficient roll-out plan, train your administration staff to manage your failover clustering solution, and provide as-needed consulting and technical support either online or onsite to keep your system productive. Progent can also provide comprehensive Help Desk services.
Progent's service professionals can also help you migrate to Windows Server 2012 R2 Failover Clusters from Windows Server 2008 R2 or from Windows Server 2003 clustering technology.
Progent's CISM, CISA, GIAC, CRISC, and CISSP certified security engineers can assess the protection offered by your cluster environment and can recommend and implement affordable improvements. Progent's security experts can also help you design, document, and validate disaster recovery and business continuity and plans.
If you are considering the creation of a hybrid network model that integrates on-premises resources with public cloud services like those offered by Microsoft Azure, Progent can help you evaluate and deploy Windows Server 2019 or Windows Server 2016, which incorporate major elements of Azure technology and are designed to support hybrid networks. See Progent's Windows Server 2019 DR/BC consulting and Windows Server 2016 disaster recovery consulting.
High Availability Solutions Offered by Progent
Progent's certified engineers can assist your business to build an affordable, zero-downtime network that resolves key issues covering a wide array of networking technologies and operations such as:
Workplace Recovery Planning
Progent's disaster recovery professionals can show you how to create a workplace recovery plan so you can restore network operations in the event of an IT system catastrophe. Progent can assist you to develop a complete disaster recovery strategy that includes scheduled disaster recovery evaluations and drills. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco-authorized professionals can also help you build an affordable, fault-tolerant network architecture that addresses availability issues involving a wide array of network technologies and procedures. To read more, go to Disaster Recovery Consulting Services.
CRISC-Certified IT Risk Management
The Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) certification program was initiated by ISACA in 2010 to validate an IT professional's ability to plan, implement, and maintain information system control mechanisms to reduce network risk. Progent can provide the services of a CRISC-certified engineer to assist you to create and carry out a workplace continuity strategy based on industry best practices promoted by CRISC and geared to match your organization's risk tolerance, business goals, and budgetary guidelines. For details, visit CRISC-Certified network risk management specialists.
Microsoft Server 2019 High Availability Failover Clustering
Windows Server 2019 introduced significant improvements in capacity, performance, management, cybersecurity, app compatibility, Linux co-existence, container technology, and hybrid integration of on-premises and cloud-hosted resources. Headline enhancements of Windows Server 2019 include Windows Admin Center for unifying the management of hybrid local/cloud deployments, System Insights for utilizing modern predictive analytics to control local networks, Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection Exploit Guard for host-intrusion prevention, container orchestration using Kubernetes, Cluster Sets technology for building and administering massive high-availability scale-out clusters, and Microsoft's Storage Migration Service for simplifying the migration from outdated versions of Windows Server. To learn more, visit Windows Server 2019 Fault-tolerant Failover Clustering Expertise.
Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
Progent's Windows Server 2016 disaster recovery experts can assist you to design a disaster recovery solution based on Microsoft's most advanced Failover Clustering technologies including Cluster Operating System Rolling Upgrade for non-intrusive migration to Windows Server 2016, Storage Replica for zero-data-loss recovery, Storage Spaces Direct for high-performance storage clusters using low-cost hardware, VM Load Balancing for enhancing the performance and resilience of Failover Clusters while reducing capital investment and management overhead, and Cloud Witness for easy, economical deployment of a failover cluster quorum arbitration point. To learn more, visit Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Disaster Recovery Support.
VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) Disaster Recovery Solutions
VMware's Site Recovery Manager (SRM) is a component of VMware vCenter that lets you orchestrate, automate and verify a repeatable process for restoring services quickly after a breakdown. Site Recovery Manager provides centrally controlled and automated recovery, application mobility, plus non-intrusive site relocation, failback and site re-protect. Site Recovery Manager also enables non-intrusive testing for site recovery, updates and patches and can generate audit reports to verify complete service restoration, validate SLAs and prove compliance. Progent can provide the skills of a VCDX certified VMware Site Recovery Manager consultant to help your organization to design, configure, test and administer a DR system based on VMware SRM.
NetApp MetroCluster Disaster Recovery Platform
NetApp MetroCluster is a disaster recovery software suite that combines array-based storage clustering with continual replication to provide fast, zero RPO disaster recovery (DR) between datacenters located up to 185 miles apart. Progent offers access to a NetApp MetroCluster expert who can assist your business to plan, configure, manage, upgrade, test and troubleshoot a disaster recovery system based on NetApp MetroCluster. Progent can help you to select a topology for your MetroCluster deployment that aligns with your technical needs and IT budget. Progent can make sure you follow best practices for configuring your MetroCluster environment by delivering guidance with tasks like assigning shelf IDs, determining plexes layout, provisioning FlexVol volumes, setting up NetApp Snapshot, provisioning Cisco and Brocade switches, implementing a tiebreaker, setting up a TCP/IP configuration replication network between your peered clusters, and verifying your MetroCluster DR system to show compliance with industry standards and regulatory mandates.
High Availability Load Balancing
Progent provides fault tolerant load balancing support covering network load balancing, load balanced programs, LAN/WAN infrastructure routing, and content delivery products such as Cisco Content Engine. Fault tolerant load balancing products for which Progent offers consulting services include Windows Server 2003 and 2008 Network Load Balancing Manager, Citrix Metaframe and Access Gateway, Cisco CSS, Cisco Content Distribution Manager and Cisco CDN Software, and F5 Networks BIG-IP. For details, visit Fault Tolerant Load Balancing.
High-Availability Colocation
Progent's Data Center engineers can show you how to select high availability data centers that match the particular needs of your business. High availability Internet Data Centers are particularly appealing to small and mid-size companies because of their low cost and convenience compared to taking a do-it-yourself approach. Trying to create an on-site data center that offers even a minimum level of fault tolerance is financially prohibitive for most small organizations. Progent can help you reap all the advantages of 24x7 Internet data centers by offering a full array of engineering and support services. To learn more, see Fault Tolerant Data Centers Expertise.
Failsafe Branch Office Networking
Progent's interoffice connectivity professionals can help businesses achieve fault tolerant multi-site connections through redundant system architectures with automatic failover. Progent's Cisco-premier CCIE network engineers can design and deploy fault-tolerant Inter-office networks supported by fault tolerant EIGRP routers or non-stop OSPF deployment of Cisco routers. Progent can demonstrate how redundant connections and transparent fail-over offers affordable non-stop interoffice networking. For more information, go to 24x7 Inter-office Connectivity.
Non-stop Internet Connectivity
Progent's Cisco-authorized network engineers can show you how to create an economical, high availability Internet configuration solution that can achieve non-stop Internet access through a broad range of fault tolerant Internet access solutions including fault tolerant BGP, transparent fail-over, and redundant Internet Service Providers. Progent offers CCIE engineers to show you how to apply the latest techniques for fault tolerant Internet connectivity to build an affordable, completely redundant Internet interface with automatic failover and other features to create fault tolerant Internet availability. To learn more, go to Non-stop Internet Access Architecture.
Backup and Recovery Technology Consulting Experts
Progent offers economical online support from IT engineers skilled in a broad array of utilities and technologies that deliver solutions for backing up Windows, Apple Mac, and Linux servers and workstations plus laptops and handhelds. Progent offers expertise for all major data protection products such as Acronis, Backup Exec, BackupAssist, HP Data Protector, Double-Take Backup, MozyPro, Retrospect, Apple Time Machine, VMware Data Recovery (VDR), and Oracle Solaris FLARs. Progent's consultants can assist your company to deploy, upgrade, or troubleshoot data backup systems for a range of topologies such as on-premises, edge to datacenter, cloud, or hybrid. For details, visit Backup and Recovery Technology Consulting.
Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager Backup and Recovery Consulting Services
Progent's certified System Center Data Protection Manager support professionals can help you to develop an effective disaster recovery plan, implement an affordable fault-tolerante network infrastructure, configure a System Center Data Protection Manager-powered backup and restore solution, thoroughly validate your DPM system, educate your IT staff or regular service providers how to maintain Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager, or provide extensive information technology outsourcing including off-site hosting of System Center Data Protection Manager machines in Progent's data center facility. For details, go to System Center Data Protection Manager Consulting and Support Services.
Barracuda Backup Local, Offsite and Cloud Data Backup and Disaster Recovery
Barracuda Backup is an affordable, subscription backup and disaster recovery service for small and mid-size organizations. A Barracuda Backup deployment can include a purpose-built hardware appliance built by Barracuda or a software-based appliance with similar functionality but which uses your existing storage hardware. Barracuda Backup protects critical company data produced locally, at one or more remote sites, or in the cloud. For disaster preparedness, you can replicate data to the Barracuda Cloud, to Amazon Web Services (AWS), or to any location with a physical or virtual Barracuda Backup appliance. Progent is a certified Barracuda partner and Progent's Barracuda Backup consultants can provide a wide array of consulting services to assist your business to design, integrate, operate and repair a backup and disaster recovery system built on Barracuda Backup. For details, see Barracuda Backup and disaster recovery consultants.
ProSight Data Protection Services Altaro VM Backup Solutions for Backup and Disaster Recovery
Hornetsecurity's Altaro VM Backup offers small organizations a dependable and affordable platform for backing up and restoring Hyper-V and VMware-based VMs. Altaro VM Backup can be used for local, remote, multi-site, and cloud architectures and also supports cost-effective cloud backup to Azure Block Blob storage. Altaro VM Backup includes advanced features such as Immutable Cloud Storage for an extra layer of recoverability from ransomware. Progent is a certified Altaro partner and offers a wide range of online or on-premises consulting services to assist you to design, install, optimize and troubleshoot a modern backup and disaster recovery system powered by Altaro VM Backup software. With ProSight Data Protection Services Altaro VM Backup, Progent offers a fully managed backup/recovery service based on Altaro VM Backup software. For details, go to Altaro VM Backup consulting.
ProSight DPS 365 Total Backup Services for Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 provides rudimentary archiving but does not include native support for crucial data protection services such as Exchange Online backups or long-term point-in-time data recovery for OneDrive for Business or SharePoint. Hornetsecurity's 365 Total Backup provides a full-featured platform for automatic backup and rapid recovery of all your organization's M365 mail, Teams Chats, SharePoint documents, OneDrive data, and content on Windows endpoints. Progent is an authorized Hornetsecurity/Altaro partner and has designed ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS) 365 Total Backup to provide comprehensive management services for Hornetsecurity's 365 Total Backup suite. ProSight Data Protection Services 365 Total Backup provides an affordable backup-as-a-service (BaaS) solution that guards M365 components against data loss resulting from human or system mistakes, malicious corruption, and cyber assaults like ransomware. To read more, visit ProSight DPS 365 Total Backup solutions for Microsoft 365.
Managed Cloud Backup: ProSight Data Protection Services ECHO
ProSight Data Protection Services ECHO from Progent provide small and medium-sized organizations an affordable end-to-end solution for secure backup/disaster recovery. For a low monthly price, ProSight DPS ECHO automates and monitors your backup processes and allow rapid recovery of vital data, applications and VMs that have become lost or corrupted as a result of component failures, software bugs, natural disasters, human mistakes, or malicious attacks such as ransomware. ProSight DPS ECHO can help you protect, recover and restore files, folders, apps, system images, as well as Hyper-V and VMware images. Important data can be backed up on the cloud, to an on-promises storage device, or mirrored to both. Progent's backup and recovery specialists can provide world-class support to configure ProSight DPS ECHO to be compliant with government and industry regulatory standards like HIPAA, FINRA, PCI and Safe Harbor and, whenever necessary, can assist you to restore your business-critical data. Read more about ProSight DPS ECHO managed cloud backup and recovery.
ProSight DPS 360 Backup Solutions
Progent can assist your company to create, implement and troubleshoot a backup solution built around MSP360 software. MSP360 enables file/folder or image-based backup/restore for virtual machines and physical machines, works with all leading public clouds, and permits you to create a data protection ecosystem with a low RTO and a defined Recovery Point Objective (RPO). With ProSight DPS 360 Backup, Progent can provide comprehensive monitoring and management of your backup environment to protect against data loss caused by user mistakes, computer errors, malicious users, and malware attacks such as ransomware. To find out more, see ProSight DPS 360 Backup services.
Consulting Services Double-Take Software for Data Backup
Double-Take publishes a selection of products intended to deliver small and midsize businesses a range of affordable solutions for backing up and recovering vital workloads including Microsoft Exchange Server, SQL, Blackberry, and Microsoft Office SharePoint. Progent's disaster recovery planning experts have extensive backgrounds integrating Double-Take technology into small company IT systems to create an advanced state of availability and disaster recovery capability at an affordable cost. For details, visit Consulting for Double-Take Solutions for Data Backup.
Why Choose Progent for Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Planning Solutions?
Because Progent is a Microsoft Certified Partner and offers specialized application expertise for a broad variety of small business software programs, Progent is able to help customers to find comprehensive IT solutions that substantially enhance the business value of your information system. As a Registered Partner with Cisco, Progent offers the expertise of premier consultants and specialists with expertise in architecting, implementing and supporting infrastructure environments built on Cisco products. The depth and breadth of Progent's IT know-how and Progent's sensitivity to the requirements of small and midsize companies make Progent the ideal resource for building and maintaining a cost-effective, fault-tolerant information system.
How to Get Help from Progent's Engineers for Help with High Availability Computer Networks
To ask Progent about technical support for fault tolerant architecture, phone
An index of content::
Network Consultant Apple iPad and Windows integration
Mac and Windows Technical Support
Progent's service specialists in Mac and Microsoft Windows technology can show you how to integrate Apple Macintosh and Windows systems into cohesive environments with full sharing and collaboration support. Allowing productive co-existence among a mix of servers and workstations powered by Mac OS and Microsoft Windows requires extensive knowledge of and background with Mac and Microsoft technology. Progent's background in Microsoft and Macintosh consulting makes it possible to offer world class assistance to companies that depend on these technologies to maintain their competitive advantage. Progent can also help you to integrate Apple's iPhones and iPads with your Windows network.
Small Business Work at Home Integration Migrations
Technical Firms Small Business Ransomware Protection
If you have a small business information system with 10 to 50 network clients, Progent's IT outsourcing services free your company from dependence on single freelance service provider while giving you cost-effective and dependable access to enterprise-class technical expertise. By delivering network consulting help when you require it, offering specialized expertise for key technologies, delivering value-added services such as 24x7 server monitoring, and charging only for services you receive, Progent gives you an affordable solution for maximizing the productivity and profitability of your small office information system. Progent is the smart way for small organizations to create and maintain a robust and secure information system and to have fast access to the skilled support ordinarily restricted to enterprises who are able to afford a sizeable in-house IT group.
Amazon hybrid cloud solutions Developer Firm
Amazon AWS cloud services integration Contract Programmer
Progent offers cost-effective online consulting to help businesses of any size to access Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud services such as Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) for virtual server hosting, Amazon S3, and Glacier. Progent can assist your IT team with every phase of Amazon AWS integration including needs analysis, preparedness evaluation, architectural design, testing, configuration, centralized administration, performance tuning, licensing management, backup/restore mechanisms, and security.
MOM 2007 IT Consultant
Remote Support Services Comprehensive Event Management
Mid-sized businesses can get all the benefits of Microsoft Operations Manager and have fast access to Progent's Microsoft and Cisco Certified IT consulting experts. With Progent's economically priced network support packages, medium-size organizations can choose a basic co-sourcing package built around Operations Manager with server monitoring, proactive alerts, comprehensive system analysis, Help Desk Call Center, and remote service. For companies with line-of-business applications who need zero-downtime networking, Progent offers a complete round-the-clock outsourcing package. Progent offers expertise in Microsoft Operations Manager to offer mid-size company information systems enterprise-class reliability, security and productivity.
WatchGuard Firebox M290 Firewall Firewall Audit
WatchGuard Firebox T35 Firewall Security Team
Progent provides support expertise for WatchGuard Firewall/VPN security appliances such as the WatchGuard Firebox and XTM lines of Firewalls and the Firebox SSL Core VPN Gateway. Progent's WatchGuard consultants can help you choose, deploy, and maintain a WatchGuard Firewall/VPN appliance that aligns with your network security requirements and budget. Progent can help you to manage legacy WatchGuard firewall appliances or upgrade efficiently to current WatchGuard firewalls.
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