Expanding your telecommuter workforce may have a major effect on IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and corporate processes. Progent has two decades of experience helping SMBs to plan, deploy, administer, optimize, and debug IT networks that incorporate a remote workforce. Progent can help your Allentown organization to select the appropriate tools and follow leading practices in creating and maintaining a secure virtual ecosystem for teleworkers that promotes teamwork and delivers maximum business value. Progent can provide support services that go from on demand expertise for getting you past challenging IT roadblocks to full project management to help you carry out business-critical tasks.

Progent can help Allentown, Pennsylvania organizations to succeed with any facet of creating a high-performing remote work environment by delivering infrastructure configuration services, VoIP PBX troubleshooting, voice/video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, public cloud connectivity, Help Desk outsourcing, security and compliance, backup/restore solutions, and streamlined management.

Infrastructure for a Remote Workforce
Setting up the physical and software infrastructure required to support a remote work environment can be particularly challenging if you have to accommodate a mix of worker-owned equipment like desktop computers and laptops, routers, and wireless APs from various manufacturers and with a variety of operating systems and firmware levels. Progent's background delivering remote help for both outdated as well as current technologies in virtual office solutions allows you to make cost-effective use of your available infrastructure and provides you with fast access to top-tire consultants for implement essential upgrades. Support services available from Progent to help your company to implement a high-functioning telecommuting ecosystem include:

  • Virtual Private Network technology allows you to create a secure connection for authorized remote workers to access IT resources situated at your corporate datacenter or in the cloud. Progent's consultants can help you to configure and manage VPN connections between your at-home workforce and your various IT resources by providing remote VPN configuration consulting. For organizations with Cisco's ASA security appliances, Progent's Cisco-certified ASA experts can help your at-home workers to utilize Cisco's AnyConnect software for secure VPN connections for a broad selection of endpoint devices such as Windows, Mac, Apple iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure platforms allow an at-home worker to view and use a remote computer's desktop. This gives network managers substantial control over the digital environment of at-home employees and ensures remote users a consistent and more productive work experience. Progent's virtual desktop services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops expertise.
  • Routers attach at-home networks to the Internet and typically support VPN tunnels, local Wi-Fi connectivity, and firewall services. Progent can provide expert online support for configuring routers from all major manufacturers. See router configuration services from Cisco-certified consultants.
  • Home Wireless networks, typically shared by the whole family and visitors, are commonly utilized by telecommuters to connect to their router for work. This can cause performance and cybersecurity issues. Progent can help businesses to resolve these problems by providing services that include Aironet configuration consulting, Cisco-certified Meraki WiFi deployment expertise, and Ubiquiti Unifi wireless AP integration help.
  • Internet connectivity methods impact the speed and reliability of connections between at-home workers and the company data center. Vital processes might demand backup Internet access in case the normal connection fails. Progent offers expertise for identifying Internet service providers, choosing appropriate bandwidth and data volume bundles, and configuring fault-tolerant Internet connections. Refer to Internet connectivity solutions.

IP Voice Integration for Remote Workers
Extending the business phone system to accommodate teleworkers is vital to supporting a productive at-home workforce. A variety of cloud-based VoIP platforms are popular with small and mid-size businesses to support telecommuters. Many enterprises rely on Cisco's current or legacy platforms for VoIP management. Progent can assist businesses of any size to plan or maintain a telecommuter VoIP service that provides the versatility, convenience and protection needed for remote users. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice experts can provide high-level support to help organizations optimize their existing Cisco VoIP systems to handle an expanding at-home workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM or CUCM) extends advanced IP telephony capabilities to devices such as IP phones, media processing products, Voice over IP gateways, and multimedia apps used across the network. CUCM manages other combined media services like unified messaging, voice/video conferencing, and customer collaboration networks. For more information about Progent's Cisco Unified CM or CUCM expertise, see CUCM consultants.
  • Cisco CallManager is Cisco's legacy call-processing software and has been superseded by Cisco Unified CM. Progent can assist you to maintain your current CallManager environment or migrate smoothly to Cisco's modern IP telephony products. To find out about Progent's expertise for Cisco CallManager and Cisco's other legacy IP voice products, see Cisco CallManager expertise.
  • Cisco IP Gateways provide connectivity with public telephony networks and with clients working beyond the corporate firewall such as at-home workers. Progent offers expert support for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways such as the UC520, UC540 and UC560 product lines as well as for modern Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway integration expertise.
  • Additional VoIP Products supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, RingCentral and 8x8. Progent can assist you to enhance your WAN infrastructure to support these VoIP solutions and deliver as-needed configuration and troubleshooting services.

Video Conferencing for Teleworkers
A broad range of voice/video conferencing products from leading vendors enable online discussions, video conferencing, chat, and screen sharing for both local workers and teleworkers. Many companies use a mix of conferencing products to accommodate their different partners and customers. Progent can help your organization to maintain your current conferencing environment and enhance the experience of your remote workforce.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular communications product that supports presence, instant messaging, audio and video calling and conferencing as well as the seamless integration of these functions within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software including PowerPoint, Word, and Excel. Progent can provide the skills of Microsoft-certified consultants who can help you to configure and manage Skype for Business client software to support your at-home workforce. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Skype for Business, visit Skype for Business integration experts.
  • FaceTime is Apple's group video phone platform for compatible iOS and macOS devices. FaceTime works on Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Later editions of FaceTime support as many as 32 simultaneous users for video calls. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for FaceTime, see Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center supports remote conferencing for virtually all desktop or mobile devices. Offered via Cisco's Webex Cloud platform, Webex services include sharing discrete content or screens, presentations that incorporate rich media such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, session recording, plus editing and playback for future reference and training. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Webex and for other IP video products from Cisco, visit Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's next-generation replacement for Skype for Business. Teams acts as a hub for conversations, contacts, and content with features such as video calling, persistent chat, plus file sharing. For details about Progent's consulting services for Teams and for additional Microsoft 365 products, refer to Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Additional Voice/Video Conferencing Apps supported by Progent's conferencing experts include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver configuration and troubleshooting expertise for these products and help you to tune your network architecture to host them.

Microsoft Collaboration Platforms for Telecommuters
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's familiar Office and Microsoft 365 families, providing a rich ecosystem of productivity apps that create a consistent user interface for exchanging data and ideas throughout multiple sites and on a wide selection of endpoint computers. Progent has provided online consulting services for SharePoint and Exchange Server since their first releases and can assist businesses to tune these critical collaboration products to maximize the effectiveness of your remote workforce.

SharePoint Deployment Consultants for At-Home WorkersSharePoint utilizes web entities to enable collaboration and knowledge delivery by providing policy-driven delivery of content, workflow, and tools for searching through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint enables you to create secure portals that allows remote workforce to view and update consolidated business intelligence by means of Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social networking sites, and Web Parts. To find out about Progent's SharePoint expertise, refer to SharePoint configuration and application development consulting.

Exchange Integration Consultants for At-Home WorkersExchange and Exchange Online offer secure collaboration features including public folders, shared mailboxes, and shared calendars and contacts. Progent's Microsoft certified Exchange experts can show you how to activate and utilize these features for your at-home workers. For details about Progent's Exchange consulting services, see integration consulting services for Microsoft Exchange.

Microsoft Onedrive Integration Experts for Remote WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft's shared cloud storage service, similar to GoogleDrive. Remote users can save files to OneDrive, and colleagues can access them securely via a web browser. Provided with Office and Microsoft 365, OneDrive enables remote workers to co-edit files. Edits created offline are automatically uploaded when you reconnect to the Internet. For information about Progent's expertise for OneDrive, see Onedrive integration consulting.

Cloud Integration for Remote Workers
Progent can provide advanced remote support for enabling organizations to create, maintain and optimize cohesive network models that combine physical data centers, teleworkers, branches, plus cloud services. Progent can provide expertise for all modes of cloud service delivery such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help at-home workers fix problems with cloud connectivity, identity, and cybersecurity.

Microsoft Azure Integration for At-Home WorkersAzure is a popular family of public cloud services that allows you to use IT infrastructure, virtual servers, and key applications hosted on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Azure offers over 100 cloud-based services including the ability to host Windows and Linux-powered virtual machines, on-demand cloud storage, messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and data backup. Progent can assist your organization to set up virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity control with Azure AD, and design data backup and restore systems with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also show you how to create secure connections to Azure services for teleworkers by setting up and troubleshooting firewalls and VPN tunnels. To learn about Progent's consulting expertise for Azure, go to Microsoft Azure consulting.

Microsoft 365 Integration for TeleworkersMicrosoft 365, previously branded Office 365, is Microsoft's popular family of client productivity applications and cloud-based services available on a subscription basis. Microsoft applications and services are provided in a selection of bundles intended for users ranging from students and households to major corporations. Progent offers quick and affordable online access to experts knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible endpoint devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent can assist you to assess the numerous subscription plans available for Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 apps for your telecommuters in a way that delivers maximum business value. For details about Progent's support services for Microsoft 365, see Microsoft 365 integration expertise.

Exchange Online Integration Services for TelecommutersExchange Online is among the most widely used cloud-based applications in the Microsoft 365 product suite. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online provides the advantages of reduced costs for data center infrastructure, simplified management, on-demand scaling, high availability, and other advantages associated with public clouds. Microsoft has designed Exchange Online to operate smoothly with local Exchange environments, allowing customers to build hybrid networks. Progent's certified Exchange consultants can provide as-needed assistance to guide you through challenging IT roadblocks and also offer comprehensive project management outsourcing to ensure your teleworkers have easy and safe access to your Exchange Online deployment. For details Progent's support services for Exchange Online, visit Microsoft 365 Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting expertise.

Amazon AWS Integration for At-Home WorkersAmazon Web Services (AWS) is a trailblazer in the public cloud computing market and is the industry's biggest source of cloud services. Progent can provide rapid and affordable online access to cloud integration experts who can help your organization to design, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot hybrid IT networks that integrate Amazon AWS cloud services with on-premises data centers and with other public clouds like Microsoft Azure. Progent also offers the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to help your company to build a high-uptime network architecture to make sure your employees have a consistent computing experience whether they are working from your main office, a branch office, from home, or on the move. To learn about Progent's support services for Amazon AWS, go to Amazon AWS consulting expertise.

Google Cloud Integration for TelecommutersGoogle Cloud is a popular collection of public cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco consulting experts can help you to scale your existing IT assets with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's DBA consultants can show you how to make your mission-critical apps cloud friendly so your teleworkers can benefit fully from Google Cloud Platform services. Progent's consultants can help your organization to set up virtual machines on GCP Compute Engine, design an efficient storage system with GCP Storage services, and simplify access management for telecommuters with Google Cloud Identity. Progent can also help you to use GCP's unified management technology to control and track your Google Cloud ecosystem. To learn, refer to Google Cloud Platform consulting services.

Help Desk Call Center Services for Telecommuters
An emergency, company-wide changeover to a teleworker workforce, which could be driven by an epidemic or as an element of a disaster recovery process, can overwhelm even a high-performing internal Call Desk. Progent's Help Desk Call Center services make it possible for organizations of any size to outsource or augment their Call Desk by using Progent's remote Technical Response Center (TRC) services.

  • Progent's Standard Help Desk Call Center support services utilize Progent's extensive network of online technical support experts along with world-class trouble ticketing and follow-up software to offer an affordable, modern Help Desk Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide a comprehensive solution that addresses all aspects of remote Level 1 PC technical support from service requests through ticket generation, screen sharing, issue resolution, and reporting. A browser-based User's Service Portal enables telecommuters to check or edit their active trouble tickets, enter details, and append screen captures and relevant files. Desktop support services are delivered at a substantial price reduction off Progent's normal Level 1 technical support charges, and Progent offers optional fast hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 support specialists to resolve complex issues. To find out more, see Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small and mid-size businesses.
  • Progent's Help Desk Supplemental Service enables your company to expand your current Call Center staff by splitting delivery of Help Desk Call Center support services transparently between your in-house support organization and Progent's nationwide roster of desktop support technicians and subject matter specialists. Progent's shared Help Desk service uses a co-sourcing support model utilizing the leading professional services automation tool for managing service requests and ticketing, assigning ownership, tracking progress, and generating management reports. For details about how Progent's Support Desk Supplementation Services can help your company to deliver best-in-class technical support to your telecommuters, refer to Progent's Call Desk supplementation Services.

Security and Compliance for Teleworkers
Work-from-Home (WFH) workers commonly utilize their own computers and often operate in a poorly secured physical area. This situation multiplies their susceptibility to cyber attacks and calls for judicious configuration of corporate firewalls, anti-malware tools, multi-factor authentication, remote endpoint monitoring, extensive user education, and the development of security policies built on leading practices. Progent's veteran roster of IT security support experts can help your business to plan, implement and manage an effective cybersecurity solution that guards critical information resources in networks that include an at-home workforce.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls allow you to build a network environment that can be securely accessed by on-premises users and by teleworkers, mobile workers, vendors, clients, and other stakeholders. Modern firewall devices allow you to assign and control appropriate permissions to different groups of users and to scale your network and adjust your security as your business evolves and as cyber threats grow more complex. Progent works with both current and older firewall devices from all major vendors like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, and Fortinet. To learn more about Progent's firewall configuration services, see firewall configuration and support expertise.

Remote Endpoint Monitoring and Management for TelecommutersRemote Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it easy to watch over the various computers utilized by teleworkers and either reject or identify and mitigate modern cyber attacks like ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight software agent is put on every protected endpoint, watching all activity and utilizing advanced machine learning from SentinelOne to identify new attacks before they can spread. When an attack is discovered, ProSight Active Security Monitoring instantly isolates the impacted device from the corporate network to quarantine the malware. Because the ProSight Active Security Monitoring software agent is autonomous, endpoint devices stay protected even if they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. To learn more about ProSight Active Security Monitoring, see remote endpoint security monitoring for teleworkers.

Two-factor Authentication (2FA) Services for TeleworkersProgent's Duo MFA Service Plans utilize Cisco's Duo technology to defend against compromised passwords by using two-factor authentication. Duo supports one-tap identity confirmation with Apple iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. With Duo 2FA, when you log into a protected online account and enter your password you are requested to confirm your identity on a unit that only you possess and that is accessed using a different network channel. A broad range of devices can be used for this second form of ID validation including a smartphone or watch, a hardware token, a landline phone, etc. You may designate several verification devices. For more information about Duo identity authentication services, see Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for remote workers.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can evaluate the vulnerability of your network to all types of outside and internal security attacks for a network that includes remote workers. Progent can run online, automated cybersecurity analysis software for rapidly and affordably uncovering a wide variety of security gaps that can be found over the Internet. Progent's security audit experts, which can be provided by network security experts with top certifications such as CISA, ISSAP, and GIAC, can assist your business to evaluate your operations and policies and review your IT infrastructure to enable you to implement the highest level of security for your telecommuters.

NodeZero Pentetration Testing for At-Home WorkersHorizon3.ai's NodeZero PEN Testing Platform is a leading-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that can deliver automated threat assessment of your work-from-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks so you can find, rank, remediate, and verify security vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Progent can assist you to use NodeZero to perform thorough pentests of your perimeter and your internal network so you can determine your current security posture. Progent can also help you to strengthen your network security and can assist you to plan and deploy a cohesive cybersecurity strategy that simplifies management and provides optimum cyber defense for on-premises, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT resources. To learn more details about Progent's vulnerability analysis services based on on NodeZero's PEN test platform, refer to Consulting Support for NodeZero's PEN Test Products.

Download White Paper: Securing a Work-From-Home (WFH) Network
To view or download a white paper about critical areas to focus on for protecting an IT environment that incorporates work-from-home staff, click:
Securing a Work-From-Home Environment White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)

Data Protection for Remote Workers
Data Protection covers saving and recovering vital information so as to prevent data loss and minimize recovery time and effort in the event of storage system problems resulting from equipment breakdowns, software hiccups, human mistakes, malware, or any other reason. Reliable data protection strategies can be especially challenging to architect and manage in hybrid environments that combine private data centers, public clouds, and at-home workers.

  • Backup/Recovery strategies for an at-home workforce must cover diverse types of personally owned endpoints. Progent offers fast online help from experts familiar with a wide range of products for protection Microsoft Windows, Apple and Linux/UNIX powered servers and desktops as well as notebooks, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones. Popular backup/recovery products supported by Progent's data protection consultants include Barracuda Backup, Microsoft Azure Backup, DoubleTake Software, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To back up data distributed throughout a hybrid network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services, a managed backup/recovery subscription service that uses cloud storage and includes fine-grained recovery and unified management.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity strategies often envision scenarios that call for a temporary switch to a work-at-home environment. Progent's senior disaster recovery planning consultants and business continuity planning specialists can help your business to produce, document and validate a DR/BC plan that addresses the logistics of switching to an at-home workforce.

Unified Management for Telecommuters
Microsoft has rebranded and rebundled its endpoint management platforms under the name Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud management of remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing local computers. Microsoft Endpoint Manager provides a unified environment for protecting corporate information by managing local, mobile, and at-home endpoint devices.

Microsoft Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also includes Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and securing off-premises computers and software. Remote endpoint devices can be personally owned or business owned. Network admins managing the endpoint devices of telecommuters can use Intune to provision and validate apps on devices, push patches and certificates, configure rules for permission to access information and networks, manage passwords, create VPN tunnels, control how home-based workers share data, establish threat protection, verify security compliance, and erase corporate data from missing, stolen or deactivated endpoint devices. Microsoft Intune runs with iOS, Google Android, Windows, and macOS/OS X computers. For information about Microsoft Intune and to find out how Progent can help you to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to administer the endpoint devices of your telecommuters, visit Intune remote device management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is a feature-rich unified Mobile Device Management product that helps network administrators to keep off-premises endpoint devices current and secure. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch technology for centralized endpoint management combined with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery platform for identity control, application management, and setup management of endpoints. Workspace ONE runs with endpoints powered by Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, or popular distributions of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud service or as an on-premises product through a one-time purchase. Top features of VMware Workspace ONE include rapid over-the-air provisioning of new laptops, quick onboarding of new employees, policy set up and enforcement for all categories of endpoints, unifies management reporting and performance analytics, email encryption, and seamless integration with Microsoft apps and cloud-based services. For details about Progent's expertise for VMware Workspace ONE, refer to VMware Workspace ONE remote endpoint management consultants.

Contact Progent for Telecommuter Expertise
To get in touch with Progent about building and managing a productive telecommuter solution for your Allentown, Pennsylvania company, phone 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.