Technology News and Progent Solutions

Microsoft made available the newest edition of Microsoft Communications Server, Microsoft's solution for streamlining presence awareness, instant messaging, teleconferencing, and Voice over IP. The next edition of Office Communications Server includes enhancements that offer IT managers additional versatility for maintaining their communications infrastructure effectively while representing an expandable architecture for collaborative business activity.

To lower costs, improve productivity, and support collaboration, the new version of Microsoft Communications Server allows phone conferencing to eliminate expensive outside services with an in-house conferencing software bridge that is managed along with an organization's overall communications infrastructure. Office Communications Server also now features desktop sharing, which allows workers to share their desktop transparently and initiate calls and cooperate with colleagues external to the company on Windows PC, Apple Mac, or Linux platforms via a web interface. The new release of Microsoft Office Communications Server also allows geographically scattered teams to work together by participating in topic-based dialogues that extend indefinitely. This tool supplies users with a list of all active discussion sessions and themes, automatically archives chats in an XML format that meets auditing requirements, provides utilities to look through the complete history of chat on a given theme, and provides filters and alarms to inform people about recent posts.

the latest version of Office Communications Server also incorporates improved support for voice and mobility. The new attendant console allows receptionists or group administrators to manage calls and conferences for other users, set up processes to direct calls, and manage larger numbers of incoming communications through a user-friendly interface. A new SIP trunking feature allows businesses to cut costs by establishing up a straight-through Voice over IP connection between an Internet phone service supplier and Office Communications Server without requiring in-house gateways. In addition, Office Communicator Mobile functionality now includes new platforms including the Motorola RAZR, RIM Blackberry, and Windows Mobile.

How Progent's Microsoft-certified Consultants Can Assist You to Integrate Microsoft Communications Server
A Standard Edition Microsoft Communications Server manages all necessary services on a single Front End Server. The minimal investment in computer hardware and simplicity of management make this configuration is optimal for small and mid-sized businesses and for branch offices. Microsoft Communications Server is powered by Microsoft Windows Server and takes advantage of powerful Windows technologies such as Active Directory, SQL Server, System Center Operations Manager, and Microsoft Exchange Server. With Microsoft Office Communications Server, you can add real-time collaboration features and presence awareness to popular Office programs such as Outlook, Microsoft Office Excel, and Word. Presence awareness from the server can also be incorporated into line-of-business software. Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 also serves 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-Gold certified professionals can provide professional consulting services for all these technologies and can help you in planning and executing an installation of Office Communications Server 2007 so as to maximize the productivity impact of this communications platform. Progent can in addition assist your company to upgrade from Live Communications Server 2005 to the current edition of Office Communications Server 2007.

Progent's consulting experts can assist your company to deploy Microsoft Communications Server 2007 and integrate a wide of Microsoft technologies to take advantage of the presence awareness, IM, and Voice over IP features enabled by Microsoft Office Communications Server:

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Planning and Support
Progent provides a range of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 planning and integration support that can assist small companies to get the most from Windows Server 2008. Progent's Microsoft Gold certified consultants can assist your company to evaluate the areas where Windows Server 2008 could enhance the productivity of your network in order to cost-justify an upgrade. Progent can help you pilot Microsoft Windows Server 2008 so that you can determine its stability, performance, and compatibility handling your workloads. Progent can assist with developing a deployment plan, evaluate and enhance your current network environment, develop archiving and restoration processes, evaluate security mechanisms and policies, assist in installing physical and virtual servers, design fault-tolerant solutions including server clustering, train your in-house IT administration team, and set up proactive 24x7 monitoring operations to track your information system's protection and performance.

Microsoft Exchange Server Design, Installation, and Troubleshooting Support
Progent's expert support team can show you how to define and deploy an efficient Microsoft Exchange 2007 upgrade strategy that minimizes network disruption, reduces long-term support requirements, and makes your Microsoft Exchange 2007 Server easy to manage. Progent's Exchange Server 2007 help, troubleshooting, and design services include assistance with the integration of third-party add-ons to Exchange Server 2007 and the design of unified messaging implementations powered by Microsoft Exchange 2007 Server. Progent's services include integration with your network, access to mobile computing products, automated monitoring of performance and security, spam protection, security update and service pack control, Help Desk Call Center support, daily data backup, and comprehensive messaging management support.

SharePoint Server 2007 Integration Services
Progent can provide expertise for planning, deploying, and maintaining productive SharePoint Server solutions that can significantly improve key areas of your company's information network such as teamwork, web portal, corporate-wide search, forms-based business processes, access to management intelligence, and content control. Progent's Microsoft Gold certified consultants can assist you to evaluate the business benefit for implementing SharePoint Server, deliver configuration and installation support, help you to set up Microsoft SQL Server as a back-end database, enhance your network infrastructure, set up your standard and specialized business software to operate with Office SharePoint Server 2007, develop a company-wide protection strategy that incorporates web portal technology, and deliver online and on-premises troubleshooting and Call Center support.

Microsoft SQL Server Consulting Services
Progent's SQL Server engineers can make sure you installs Microsoft SQL Server 2008 properly, and that your SQL-based RDBM solution is integrated seamlessly with your business applications. Progent can provide 24x7 server tracking to make sure your business information system is working efficiently, and Progent's online Help Desk Call Center is available to provide fast resolutions for SQL issues. Progent's certified computer protection experts can assess your company-wide security policies and technologies and suggest improvements for better regulatory compliance. Progent's developers can assist your company to develop or personalize line-of-business programs or web sites rely on information controlled by SQL Server.

Active Directory Support Services
Microsoft Windows Active Directory demands significant hands-on experience to configure optimally across an enterprise. Progent's Microsoft Gold certified Active Directory consultants are experts in designing, integrating, and supporting sophisticated Microsoft Enterprise Active Directory projects. Progent's fields of proven competence with Microsoft Windows 2003 and 2008 AD include replication problems, multi-domain partition design, repair of corrupted AD objects, dealing with residual legacy software configuration objects in production AD systems, and fixing failed configurations of Active Directory and Active Directory-associated applications.

Desktop Consulting and Support Services
Progent's certified desktop support consultants can deliver a broad range of cost-effective consulting and support services to assist you company to deploy, configure, troubleshoot, and manage desktop PCs and notebooks based on Windows. Progent can offer onsite or online assistance for individual desktop computers and handheld devices or help you to plan and carry out a large-scale migration to the newest version of Microsoft Windows. Progent can also configure Microsoft Office or Microsoft Dynamics applications on your client PCs so they communicate efficiently with other Microsoft applications, products from popular publishers, database servers, and line-of-business solutions network-wide. Progent can also provide consultants and technicians to assist you to plan for and complete a company relocation or consolidation designed to produce minimal disruption of your business.

Wireless and Mobility Technologies Support
Progent's consultants provide experience in multiple disciplines relevant to mobile connectivity such as network topology, Activesync, wireless protection, mobile e-mail, Windows Mobile, RIM Blackberry, and mobile application development. Progent's certified experts can save your business work and expense by using their wireless expertise to help you select and integrate wireless access technologies that fit the needs of your company. Progent can also optimize your IT architecture so that wireless data devices work better.

Emergency Remote Troubleshooting
Progent's Technical Response Center provides nationwide remote help for Windows and Cisco-based small business information networks. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco-Certified service engineers offer telephone help and remote secure network access to isolate and repair network problems rapidly and affordably. The breadth of technical experience represented by Progent's team of country-wide service engineers makes it possible to escalate even the toughest network issues to competent experts as required.

To find out more information about Progent's support for Microsoft Office Communications Server, phone 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.