Business Continuity Consulting for

Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (SCDPM) offers near-continuous backup and rapid recovery for environments centered on Microsoft technology. SCDPM provides small and mid-size organizations application-aware protection for key workloads such as Microsoft SQL Server, Exchange and SharePoint. SCDPM can be used to back up Windows and Linux virtual machines and supports VMs hosted on Hyper-V and VMware. SCDPM can back up and restore files, folders and volumes and can replicate and restore data between separate localities. For streamlined offsite backup, SCDPM can take advantage of Microsoft Azure Backup for temporary backup and the Azure Recovery Services vault for low-cost, long-term archival backup. (Learn about Progent's Microsoft Azure planning and cloud integration consulting services.)

Current versions of SCDPM include support for Windows Server 2019, SQL Server 2019, Exchange 2019, and SharePoint 2019. Current releases also feature greater storage efficiency, higher performance with tiered storage, support for ReFS volumes, offline Backup using Azure Data Box, and enhanced security.

Progent's Microsoft-certified consulting team can help businesses to plan, deploy, manage, and troubleshoot a backup system built on System Center Data Protection Manager. Progent can assist you to upgrade from prior versions of Data Protection Manager or from a different backup platform, and Progent can tune your SCDPM environment for on-premises, hosted, cloud-based, or hybrid deployment models. Progent offers remote or onsite consulting expertise and can deliver as-needed help in resolving your most challenging issues, or end-to-end project management or co-management services to ensure your Data Protection Manager initiative is successfully completed on schedule and on budget.

Data Protection Manager Architecture
Microsoft designed Data Protection Manager with special attention to protecting Microsoft servers and workloads. By supporting Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS) and other key protection features built into Microsoft servers and applications, SCDPM can transparently back up and rapidly restore Microsoft-specific entities such as Exchange DAG groups, the distributed components of SharePoint farms, and Windows Hyper-V Clustered Shared Volumes (CSVs). This allows administrators who are not experts in any or all of these technologies to recover data easily and accurately. SCDPM continuously protects the core Microsoft server workloads to a SCDPM server, which then allows disk-based recovery and tape-based, long-term archival storage for a complete backup and recovery solution. A single SCDPM server can support up to 800 virtual machines of 100 GB each and 3,000 Windows client computers.

Using System Center Data Protection Manager with Microsoft SQL Server
SCDPM can protect Microsoft SQL Server including SAP workloads, and handles advanced SQL Server cluster configurations. For enhanced reliability and performance, SCDPM supports the use of clustered SQL Server nodes for its database. DPM supports SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance (FCI) using Cluster Shared Volume (CSV). SCDPM includes the ability to protect an entire instance of SQL Server so all new databases are protected automatically, expanded capacity to handle up to 2,000 databases, and a self-service restore capability that allows administrators to restore their own databases.

SCDPM can back up regular data files as well as the system state of a server, and it also works efficiently with servers that maintain databases/transactional log files. SCDPM is especially efficient as a backup and restore mechanism for Microsoft SQL Server because it intelligently integrates with the SQL Server VSS writers. Since SCDPM uses core VSS services, it will back up all files, open or not, to at least a snapshot recovery level. As a result, you never have to worry about open file issues. SCDPM can also protect SQL Server databases that use the AlwaysOn feature, including database clusters and SharePoint farm databases with SQL Server AlwaysOn enabled.

In between express full copy captures, the standard SQL Server transaction logging mechanism is used to offer up-to-the-minute protection. The log files themselves are replicated by SCDPM. In case a recovery is required, the most recent SCDPM differential backup can be combined with the most recent set of transaction logs to provide rapid restoration.

For information about Progent's Microsoft-certified support services for SQL Server, refer to Microsoft SQL Server Consulting.

Using System Center Data Protection Manager with Microsoft Exchange Server
Current versions of SCDPM support Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 and 2016, and can protect Exchange database availability groups (DAGs). SCDPM includes the ability to provide tailored, application-aware protection for Exchange Server and addresses a granularity problem that has historically been a major headache for Exchange administrators. Exchange backup APIs are designed to back up entire databases. However, if you want to restore an individual mailbox or public folder, you have in the past had two choices: either restore the entire database or switch to third-party mailbox-level backup tools. SCDPM allows you to protect one or more storage groups as a whole, while still giving you the ability to restore individual mailboxes.

SCDPM also offers 'lossless recovery' of Exchange Server data. This means that after SCDPM has restored your email databases to the latest recovery point, and updated all of the synchronized transaction logs, SCDPM can automatically reapply the surviving Exchange transaction logs from the production server to the very last committed email message, bringing the Exchange server completely forward.

SCDPM improves the performance of your Exchange Server by offloading the typical ESEUTIL operations that most backup applications impose on the production server. The SCDPM server takes car of this on the redundant data, conserving the bandwidth on the production Exchange Server.

To learn more about Progent's support for Microsoft Exchange Server, see Microsoft Exchange Server Consulting.

Using Data Protection Manager with Virtual Servers
SCDPM offers continuous protection for virtual machines (VMs) powered by Windows Server Hyper-V and through integration with System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) can provide consistent protection even during a Hyper-V Live Migration process. For users of VMware, a way to reduce disaster recovery time drastically is to build an SCDPM server with enough CPU and RAM resources to create a system that allows you quick recovery from a failed virtual machine host server. Since the SCDPM server always has an exact replica of all the virtual machine guest files, in the event the virtual machine host fails, and by having a virtual server installed on the SCDPM server, you can choose to boot those replica images as running machines and take your time in restoring the original failed virtual machine host server. This means you could be up in minutes with all your virtual machine guests even with a complete failure of the original virtual machine host. Adding to the time savings, the entire operation can be accomplished remotely.

How Progent Can Help You Benefit from Microsoft Data Protection Manager
Progent's Microsoft-certified Data Protection Manager consultants can help you create practical recovery plans, design an affordable fault-tolerant network infrastructure, deploy a SCDPM-based backup and restore solution, thoroughly test your system, show your IT staff how to manage Microsoft SCDPM, or handle complete IT outsourcing services including off-site hosting of virtual or physical SCDPM servers in Progent's datacenter.

Progent's consultants can use industry best practices to help you:

• Define your recovery goals and establish a protection policy to meet them
• Design an efficient multi-site plus cloud network topology for SCDPM
• Configure Windows Server SQL Server, Exchange, and SharePoint to run with SCDPM
• Configure Protection Groups and Storage Pools
• Calculate and allocate disk space for backup
• Define custom volumes
• Install Protection Agents on computers inside and outside your firewall
• Integrate SCDPM with System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) and with System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM)
• Integrate SCDPM with Microsoft's Azure Backup for cloud-based protection
• Optimize backup and recovery performance

Progent's cybersecurity experts have earned prestigious certifications from internationally recognized network security institutions. Progent can provide the support of CISA-certified security audit consultants, CISM-certified security management experts, CISSP-certified cybersecurity professionals, GIAC-certified information assurance consultants, and CISSP-ISSAP certified security architecture experts. To be awarded credentials from these organizations, security consultants must have both proven experience and demonstrated knowledge of industry best practices for business continuity planning and disaster recovery. For more information about Progent's security engineers and their services, visit Network Security Services.

Fault Tolerant Technologies Offered by Progent
Progent's Microsoft and Cisco engineers can help you to create a sensible, high-availability environment that addresses key problems encompassing a broad range of networking technologies and operations including:

Business Continuity Planning
Progent's business continuity planning professionals can help you design a workplace recovery plan so you can restore IT operations in the event of an information network disaster. Progent can help you to define a comprehensive disaster recovery plan that includes scheduled disaster recovery evaluations and drills. Progent's Microsoft and Cisco-certified engineers can also show you how to create an affordable, zero-downtime network architecture that takes into account availability issues involving a wide array of infrastructure technologies and processes. For details, visit Disaster Recovery Consulting Services.

CRISC-Premier IT Risk Control
The CRISC program was initiated by ISACA in 2010 to verify a consultant's ability to design, deploy, and maintain IS control mechanisms to mitigate network risk. Progent can provide the expertise of a CRISC-certified engineer to assist your company to develop and carry out a business continuity plan based on leading practices identified by CRISC and crafted to align with your organization's risk tolerance, business objectives, and budgetary guidelines. To learn more, see CRISC-Premier network risk control specialists.

Microsoft Windows Server 2019 High Availability Failover Clustering
Windows Server 2019 introduced significant improvements in scale, performance, management, cybersecurity, app compatibility, Linux support, Kubernetes networking, and hybrid combinations of on-premises and cloud assets. Top new features of Windows Server 2019 include Windows Admin Center for centralizing the management and monitoring of hybrid on-premises/cloud-hosted resources, System Insights for utilizing modern predictive analytics to manage on-premises environments, Windows Defender ATP (Advanced Threat Protection) Exploit Guard for host-intrusion prevention, container orchestration using Kubernetes, Cluster Sets technology for deploying and managing large non-stop scale-out clusters, and Storage Migration Service for simplifying the migration from legacy versions of Windows Server. For more information, go to Microsoft Server 2019 Fault-tolerant Failover Clustering Expertise.

Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Disaster Recovery
Progent's Windows Server 2016 disaster recovery consultants can assist your organization to plan and deploy a disaster recovery system based on Microsoft's most advanced Failover Clustering tools including Cluster OS Rolling Upgrade for non-disruptive migration to Windows Server 2016, Storage Replica for crash-consistent Recovery Point Objective (RPO), Storage Spaces Direct for high-performance network-attached storage using commodity equipment, Virtual Machine Load Balancing for improving the performance and fault-tolerance of Failover Clusters while minimizing TCO and management overhead, and Cloud Witness for fast, affordable deployment of a failover cluster quorum arbitration point. For details, see Windows Server 2016 Disaster Recovery Consulting.

VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) Disaster Recovery Solutions
VMware's Site Recovery Manager (SRM) is an extension to VMware vCenter that allows you to specify, automate and verify a repeatable workflow for recovering services rapidly after an outage. SRM provides centrally managed and automated recovery, application mobility, plus transparent site relocation, failback and site re-protect. SRM also enables transparent testing for disaster recovery, upgrades and fixes and can produce audit reports to confirm full service recovery, validate SLAs and prove compliance. Progent can provide the support of a VCDX certified VMware Site Recovery Manager consultant to assist your organization to design, configure, test and maintain a DR system based on VMware Site Recovery Manager.

NetApp MetroCluster Disaster Recovery Platform
NetApp MetroCluster is a high-availability and disaster recovery software suite that uses array-based storage clustering along with synchronous replication to provide fast, zero RPO disaster recovery (DR) between datacenters located up to 185 miles (300km) away from one another. Progent offers the skills of a NetApp MetroCluster consultant who can assist you to design, configure, manage, update, test and troubleshoot a disaster recovery system built around NetApp MetroCluster. Progent can assist you to choose a topology for your MetroCluster deployment that aligns with your technical needs and budget. Progent can make sure you follow best practices for configuring your MetroCluster solution by providing guidance with tasks like assigning shelf IDs, determining aggregate and plexes layout, setting up NetApp FlexVol volumes, setting up NetApp Snapshot, provisioning switches, designing a tiebreaker, setting up a configuration replication network between your storage clusters, and testing your DR solution to verify adherence with information assurance standards and government requirements.

High Availability Load Balancing
Progent provides fault tolerant load balancing support that addresses system load balancing, load balanced applications, network backbone routing, and content delivery products such as Cisco Content Engine. Fault tolerant load balancing products for which Progent can provide consulting services include Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and 2008 Network Load Balancing Manager, Citrix Access Suite and Access Gateway, Cisco Content Services Switch, Cisco Distributed Director and LocalDirector 400 series, and F5 Networks 3-DNS. For details, visit High Availability Load Balancing.

High-Availability Colocation
Progent's Data Center professionals can show you how to identify zero-downtime data centers that match the particular needs of your company. High availability co-location sites are especially attractive to small and mid-size organizations due to of their low cost and convenience compared to pursuing a do-it-yourself approach. Attempting to design an in-house data center with even a basic degree of fault tolerance is financially prohibitive for most small businesses. Progent can show you how to get all the advantages of 24x7 data centers by providing a full array of engineering and support services. For more information, visit High-Availability Colocation Expertise.

High-Availability Interoffice Connectivity
Progent's branch office network infrastructure professionals can help organizations achieve non-stop inter-site connections through fully redundant system architectures featuring automatic failover. Progent's Cisco-premier CCIE network engineers can plan and implement fault-tolerant Inter-office connections supported by non-stop EIGRP network routers or zero-downtime OSPF configurations of Cisco routers. Progent can show you how multi-path connectivity and automatic fail-over offers economical 24x7 interoffice networking. For more information, go to Fault Tolerant Inter-office Networking.

24x7 Internet Connectivity
Progent's Cisco-certified IT engineers can help you create an economical, high availability Internet configuration solution that can deliver 24x7 Internet access through a wide array of fault tolerant Internet network solutions including high availability BGP, transparent fail-over, and redundant Internet Service Providers. Progent offers CCIE professionals to show you how to utilize the latest technology for high availability Internet connectivity to implement an affordable, completely redundant Internet network with automatic failover and other capabilities to deliver non-stop Internet connections. To read more, see Non-stop Internet Connectivity Solutions.

Backup and Recovery Solutions Consultants
Progent offers economical remote access to IT engineers with expertise in a broad range of utilities and services that deliver solutions for backing up Windows, Mac, and Linux servers and desktops plus laptops and smartphones. Progent can provide consulting support for all major data protection products including Acronis Backup and Recovery, Symantec Backup Exec, BackupAssist Software, CrashPlan, Double-Take Software, MozyPro, Retrospect, Apple Time Machine, VMware vSphere Data Protection (VDP), and Solaris FLARs. Progent's consultants can help you to design, upgrade, or troubleshoot backup/restore systems for a range of architectures including local, edge to datacenter, cloud-based, or hybrid. For details, see Backup and Recovery Solutions Consulting Services.

Barracuda Backup Local, Offsite and Cloud Data Backup and Disaster Recovery
Barracuda Backup is an affordable, subscription-based backup/restore service for small and mid-size organizations. A Barracuda Backup deployment can incorporate a purpose-built hardware storage device manufactured by Barracuda or a virtual appliance with similar features but which uses your existing storage infrastructure. Barracuda Backup protects critical company data produced on-premises, at one or more remote locations, or in the cloud. For disaster preparedness, you can replicate data to the Barracuda Cloud, to Amazon AWS, or to any location with a physical or virtual Barracuda appliance. Progent is a Barracuda partner and Progent's Barracuda Backup consultants offer a broad range of consulting services to help your business to plan, configure, operate and debug a backup and disaster recovery solution based on Barracuda technology. For additional information, see Barracuda Backup and disaster recovery consultants.

ProSight Altaro VM Backup Solutions for Data Protection and Disaster Recovery
Altaro VM Backup software offers small organizations a dependable and affordable platform for backing up and recovering Hyper-V and VMware-powered VMs. Altaro VM Backup can be used for local, offsite, multi-site, and cloud environments and also enables cost-effective backup to Microsoft Azure storage. Altaro VM Backup supports advanced capabilities such as Immutable Cloud Storage for an extra layer of protection from ransomware. Progent is a Hornetsecurity Altaro partner and offers a broad array of online or onsite consulting services to assist you to plan, deploy, manage and troubleshoot a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery system powered by Altaro VM Backup. With ProSight DPS Altaro VM Backup, Progent delivers a fully managed backup/recovery service based on Altaro VM Backup. To find out more, go to Altaro VM Backup consulting.

ProSight DPS 365 Total Backup Solutions for Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 offers simple archiving but does not have native support for crucial data protection capabilities such as Exchange backups or greater than 30-day point-in-time recovery for OneDrive or SharePoint Online. Hornetsecurity's 365 Total Backup delivers a feature-rich BDR solution for automatic backup and rapid recovery of all your organization's M365 mailboxes, Microsoft Teams Chats, SharePoint documents, OneDrive for Business files, and content on Windows desktops and laptops. Progent is an authorized Hornetsecurity/Altaro partner and has designed ProSight Data Protection Services 365 Total Backup to deliver end-to-end managed services for Hornetsecurity's 365 Total Backup product. ProSight Data Protection Services 365 Total Backup delivers a budget-friendly backup-as-a-service (BaaS) solution that guards M365 apps against data loss resulting from human or system mistakes, malicious sabotage, and malware assaults like ransomware. To find out more, visit ProSight Data Protection Services 365 Total Backup solutions for Microsoft 365.

Fully Managed Cloud Backup: ProSight Data Protection Services ECHO
ProSight Data Protection Services ECHO from Progent provide small and medium-sized organizations a low cost end-to-end service for reliable backup/disaster recovery (BDR). Available at a fixed monthly rate, ProSight Data Protection Services ECHO automates your backup processes and enable fast restoration of vital files, applications and VMs that have become unavailable or corrupted due to hardware breakdowns, software bugs, natural disasters, human error, or malware attacks such as ransomware. ProSight DPS ECHO can help you protect, retrieve and restore files, folders, applications, system images, plus Hyper-V and VMware images. Important data can be protected on the cloud, to a local storage device, or to both. Progent's BDR specialists can deliver world-class expertise to configure ProSight DPS ECHO to be compliant with government and industry regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, FIRPA, PCI and Safe Harbor and, whenever necessary, can help you to restore your critical data. Find out more about ProSight Data Protection Services ECHO managed cloud backup and recovery.

ProSight MSP360 Backup Solutions
Progent's data protection experts can assist you to create, implement and debug a backup/restore plan built around MSP360 technology. MSP360 enables file/folder or image-based backup/recovery for VMs and physical machines, supports all popular public clouds, and permits you to create a data protection ecosystem with a low Recovery Time Objective and a granular Recovery Point Objective. With ProSight MSP360 Backup, Progent offers end-to-end monitoring and remote management of your backup system to prevent data loss resulting from human miscues, computer glitches, ill-intentioned users, and external assaults like ransomware. To learn more, visit ProSight MSP360 Backup services.

Consulting Services Double-Take Solutions for Data Backup
Double-Take publishes a family of tools designed to deliver small and midsize companies a range of affordable solutions for replicating and recovering vital applications including Exchange, SQL Server, RIM Blackberry, and Microsoft Office SharePoint. Progent's business continuity planning experts have in-depth backgrounds integrating Double-Take Software technology into small company IT systems to achieve an advanced state of availability and business continuity capability at a budget-friendly cost. To read more, visit Consulting Services Double-Take Solutions for Backup.

Why Choose Progent for Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Planning?
Since Progent is a Microsoft Certified AI Cloud Partner and provides specialized application consulting for a broad range of small business applications, Progent can assist customers to arrive at efficient IT solutions that optimize the productivity of your IT network. As a Registered Partner for Cisco, Progent can provide the expertise of certified engineers and specialists with expertise in architecting, implementing and supporting infrastructure solutions built on Cisco technology. The depth of Progent's IT know-how and Progent's sensitivity to the requirements of small and midsize companies make Progent the perfect partner for building and maintaining a cost-effective, fault-tolerant information system.

How You Can Get Help from Progent's Consultants for Support for Non-stop Networks
To contact Progent about consulting assistance for high availability IT design, call 1-800-993-9400 or see Contact Progent.