Microsoft Network Enhancements & Migrations

Omicron has developed specialty services for Microsoft Network Enhancements and Migrations. Whether it’s a Windows NT or Novell NDS to Active Directory migration or coexistence, special consideration needs to be given to the use of directory services.

Directory Services for any network infrastructure compose the core foundation for security and management. With today’s latest generation directory services, centralized management can reach out farther into the enterprise and encompass more centralized control over disparate systems. The ability to support back end systems as well as any desktop in the environment, including roaming users with laptops, is now a reality.

Through the tight integration of Microsoft’s Systems Management Server (SMS), Microsoft’s Operations Manager (MOM) and Active Directory, total control of the infrastructure is now possible. With the latest versions of these solutions, ‘Zero-touch’ support and deployment can be realized.

Microsoft’s System Management Server, when combined with Active Directory, provides a strong mechanism for desktop and server management. Application deployment is made easy through SMS’s support of both its own application package format and Microsoft’s Software Installation (MSI) format. Imagine deploying the latest version of Microsoft Office without having to visit a single desktop.

SMS also supports a very robust mechanism for deploying hot fixes and patches. With the ability to redirect the Windows Update Service, SMS combined with Active Directory, can target deployment of the latest patches and fixes so that no impact on the performance of your infrastructure is noticed. In fact, this system can be designed so that a user can be restricted access to your network if they don’t have the latest patches and fixes on their computer.

Along with the hardware and software auditing functions of SMS, remote control of the desktop makes SMS the choice for complete desktop management. Network location awareness and the use of Microsoft’s BITS (Microsoft’s Background Intelligent Transfer Service) technology provide robust management tools for roaming or nomadic laptop users.

Microsoft’s Operation Manager (MOM) delivers enterprise-class systems management by providing comprehensive monitoring, alerting, reporting and trending. Using MOM reduces downtime by providing a tool that streamlines and simplifies the identification, understanding and resolution of potential issues that could cause outages.

Utilizing Management Packs, MOM becomes a strong tool for managing not only the Microsoft environment but also heterogeneous environments. Integration with other management tools is also available through the MOM Connector Framework (MCF). The MCF web service provides a generalized abstraction of the MOM alerting infrastructure allowing integration with other messaging and alerting tools.

Tying together the managed environment concept is the foundation of Active Directory. AD provides the integration for security, access and authentication that is so important to many organizations today especially those confronted with governmental compliancy issues.

Using Group Policies, Organizational Units, security groups and objects, system policies and templates, AD forms the underlying skeleton and structure to complete systems and enterprise managed environments.

Omicron has developed a balanced approach for all enterprise management environments utilizing SMS, MOM, AD, and other tools. Integrating the right mix of each of these tools combined with the application of best practices for a managed environment have lead Omicron to be one of the leaders in implementing and establishing ‘Managed Environments’. So whether it’s an enhancement to your current Microsoft infrastructure or a migration from a legacy network environment, Omicron is the right partner to get the job done.

See also Network Services Group.