Enlarging your remote workforce can have a significant effect on IT infrastructure, security, and corporate workflows. Progent has two decades of background helping small and mid-size businesses to plan, deploy, administer, tune, and debug IT environments that support a remote workforce. Progent can help your Allentown organization to pick the appropriate technologies and adhere to leading practices in building and maintaining a safe virtual ecosystem for telecommuters that facilitates collaboration and delivers top value. Progent can provide support services ranging from as-needed guidance for getting you over challenging IT bottlenecks to full project management to help you successfully complete business-critical initiatives.
Progent can help Allentown, Pennsylvania companies to with any facet of creating a high-functioning work-from-home environment by providing network infrastructure configuration services, VoIP PBX expertise, video conferencing support, collaboration platform customization and training, cloud connectivity, helpdesk outsourcing, security monitoring, backup/restore solutions, and centralized management.
Infrastructure for an At-Home Workforce
Configuring the network infrastructure needed for an at-home work environment can be especially challenging if you have to accommodate a combination of worker-owned equipment such as desktop computers and notebooks, Internet routers, and Wi-Fi APs from an assortment of manufacturers and with a variety of operating systems and firmware levels. Progent's background delivering online help for both outdated and modern IT products in virtual office venues allows you to make cost-effective use of your available network infrastructure and offers ready access to expertise for making essential upgrades. Services available from Progent to assist your company to create a high-functioning work-at-home infrastructure include:
VoIP Solutions for an At-Home Workforce
Expanding the company PBX system to include remote users is critical to maintaining a productive work-at-home solution. A variety of cloud-centric VoIP platforms are popular with small and mid-size businesses to support remote users. Many enterprises rely on Cisco's modern or legacy platforms for IP voice solutions. Progent can assist organizations of all sizes to design or maintain a telecommuter VoIP service that provides the flexibility, transparency and protection needed for remote users. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE IP Voice experts offer high-level support to help organizations optimize their current Cisco IP voice systems to handle an expanding at-home workforce.
Voice/Video Conferencing for Telecommuters
A wide selection of voice/video conferencing platforms from leading technology companies enable virtual meetings, video conferencing, chat sessions, and screen sharing for both onsite workers and teleworkers. Many organizations utilize a mix of conferencing products to meet the needs of their various partners and clients. Progent can assist you to manage your current voice/video conferencing environment and optimize the engagement of your remote workforce.
Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Platforms for At-Home Workers
Microsoft's collaboration products are tightly integrated with Microsoft's popular Office and Microsoft 365 suites, offering a rich ecosystem of applications that create a consistent user experience for sharing data and ideas across a corporate network and on a wide selection of endpoints. Progent has provided online consulting services for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange since their initial publication and can help businesses to tune these critical collaboration platforms to maximize the effectiveness of your at-home workforce.
SharePoint utilizes web entities to enable collaboration and knowledge sharing by providing policy-driven access to data, workflow, and tools for looking through enterprise-wide information silos. SharePoint permits you to build secure web portals that enables remote workers to see and edit consolidated corporate intelligence via Wikis, Blogs, social sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). To learn about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, refer to SharePoint integration and application development expertise.
Exchange 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 information about Progent's Exchange support services, refer to planning and configuration expertise for Exchange.
OneDrive is Microsoft�s collaborative cloud-based storage service, comparable to GoogleDrive. At-home workers can store files to OneDrive, and co-workers can access them securely via a web browser. Included with Office and Microsoft 365, OneDrive enables remote employees to jointly author files. Revisions made offline are automatically synced when you go back online. To find out about Progent's expertise for Microsoft OneDrive, go to Onedrive integration consulting.
Cloud Integration Services for Telecommuters
Progent offers affordable remote assistance for enabling businesses to build, manage and optimize cohesive network architectures that include physical data centers, telecommuters, branch offices, and public cloud resources. Progent can provide top-tier consultant for all types of public cloud service such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help teleworkers resolve issues with public cloud access, identity, and cybersecurity.
Azure is a popular platform for cloud software and services that allows you to utilize IT infrastructure, servers, and key applications running on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Azure offers more than one hundred services services including the ability to host Windows and Linux-based virtual machines, scalable cloud storage, email and messaging, app development with Visual Studio, and backup/restore. Progent can help you to set up virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity control with Azure Active Directory, and plan backup and restore systems with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also show you how to create protected access to Azure for teleworkers by setting up and troubleshooting firewall appliances and VPN tunnels. For information about Progent's expertise for Microsoft Azure, visit Microsoft Azure consulting services.
Microsoft 365, previously called Office 365, is Microsoft's popular suite of business productivity software and cloud-based services available on a subscription basis. Office apps and services are marketed in a variety of plans intended for customers ranging from students and households to large enterprises. Progent offers fast and easy online access to experts knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible endpoint devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android technology. Progent can help your business to evaluate the various subscription bundles offered with Microsoft 365 and configure 365 applications for your at-home workers in a way that delivers top business value. For information about Progent's support services for Microsoft 365, go to Microsoft 365 consulting services.
Exchange Online is among the most popular cloud-based applications in the Microsoft 365 product suite. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online offers the benefits of reduced costs for data center infrastructure, simplified management, on-demand scaling, high reliability, and additional advantages associated with cloud computing. Microsoft has engineered Microsoft 365 Exchange Online to run transparently with on-premises deployments of Exchange, enabling you to create hybrid cloud/onsite information systems. Progent's certified Exchange consultants can provide occasional help to guide you past challenging technical roadblocks and can also provide comprehensive project management outsourcing to ensure your at-home workers have easy and safe access to your Microsoft 365 Exchange Online deployment. For information Progent's consulting services for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, see Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting expertise.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a pioneer in the public cloud computing arena and is the industry's top provider of cloud-based services. Progent offers fast and economical online access to cloud connectivity consultants who can help your organization to plan, implement, maintain, and debug hybrid IT networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud services with on-premises resources and with other public clouds such as Microsoft Azure. Progent also offers the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to assist you to build a high-uptime network architecture to make sure your users have a productive computing environment whether they are working from your main office, a remote branch, from home, or on the move. To find out about Progent's expertise for Amazon AWS, visit Amazon AWS consulting services.
Google Cloud (GCP) is a popular suite of public cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can help you to extend your existing IT assets with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's database consultants can help you make your key apps cloud friendly so your teleworkers can take full advantage of Google Cloud services. Progent's consultants can assist your business to deploy virtual machines on Google Cloud Compute Engine, design an efficient storage solution with Google Cloud Storage services, and simplify access management for teleworkers with Google Cloud Identity services. Progent's experts can also assist your organization to utilize GCP's management technology to control and track your GCP ecosystem. To learn, go to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) consulting services.
Help Desk Call Center Support for At-Home Workers
A sudden, enterprise-wide switchover to a from-home workforce, which could be driven by an epidemic or as a component of a business continuity process, can overwhelm even the most efficient in-house Help Desk. Progent's Help Desk Call Center services make it possible for organizations of any size to outsource or supplement their Support Desk with Progent's remote Technical Response Center team.
Cybersecurity for At-Home Workers
Work-from-Home staff members typically use their own computing devices and usually operate in an unsecured physical area. This increases their vulnerability to malware attacks and requires careful configuration of firewalls, AV tools, multi-factor authentication, remote endpoint monitoring, extensive end-user training, and the development of policies based on leading practices. Progent's seasoned roster of cybersecurity support consultants can help your business to design, implement and manage an effective cybersecurity solution that protects critical information assets in networks that include remote workers.
Firewalls allow you to create a network environment that can be safely utilized by on-premises users and by an at-home workforce, mobile employees, suppliers, clients, and other stakeholders. Modern firewall appliances permit you to configure and control different permissions to various classes of users and to expand your network and adjust your security as your company evolves and as network attacks grow more sophisticated. Progent works with both new and older firewall devices from all major vendors including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, and Fortinet. For details about Progent's firewall support expertise, go to firewall support services.
Remote Endpoint Monitoring makes it possible to watch over the various devices used by at-home workers and either block or identify and mitigate the latest cyber attacks like ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring services, a small-footprint agent is installed on every secured endpoint, watching all activity and using advanced machine learning and full execution context from SentinelOne to identify new attacks before they can spread. When a cyberattack is discovered, ProSight ASM instantly disconnects the infected device from the corporate network to quarantine the malware. Since the ProSight ASM agent is autonomous, endpoint devices stay secure even if they are not connected to the Internet. To learn more about ProSight ASM, visit remote endpoint security monitoring for telecommuters.
Progent's Duo authentication managed services incorporate Cisco's Duo technology to protect against stolen passwords through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables one-tap identity confirmation on Apple iOS, Android, and other out-of-band devices. With Duo 2FA, when you log into a protected online account and enter your password you are asked to confirm who you are via a unit that only you possess and that uses a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A broad selection of out-of-band devices can be utilized as this added form of ID validation such as an iPhone or Android or wearable, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You may register several validation devices. For details about Duo identity authentication services, go to Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for at-home workers.
Security Audits can assess the exposure of your network to all types of outside and local security threats for a network that includes an at-home workforce. Progent can deploy remote, automated cybersecurity analysis software for rapidly and economically uncovering a wide variety of security holes that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's security assessment consulting services, which can be managed by data security professionals with top certifications such as CISM, CISSP, and GIAC, can help you to audit your workflows and governance policies and assess your IT infrastructure to enable you to implement top-level security for your an at-home workforce.
Download White Paper: Protecting a Work-From-Home Network
To view or download a white paper describing key things to concentrate on for securing a network that incorporates telecommuters, click:
Securing a Work-From-Home (WFH) Environment White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)
Data Protection for Telecommuters
Data Protection covers saving and restoring critical information in order to prevent data loss and minimize restoration time and effort in case of storage problems resulting from equipment breakdowns, programming glitches, user mistakes, malware, or other causes. Reliable data protection strategies can be particularly difficult to architect and manage in hybrid environments that combine local data centers, cloud resources, and an at-home workforce.
Unified Management for At-Home Workers
Microsoft has renamed and reshuffled its endpoint management products under the title Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud management of mobile and remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing local endpoints. Endpoint Manager offers a centralized environment for safeguarding critical data by managing onsite, mobile, and home-based endpoints.
Microsoft Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also features Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and protecting off-premises devices and applications. Managed endpoint computers can be personally owned or company owned. Network administrators 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 data and networks, manage passwords, establish VPN tunnels, determine how telecommuters share information, set up threat protection, ensure compliance, and wipe sensitive information from lost, stolen or deactivated endpoint devices. Microsoft Intune can be used with Apple iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS/OS X devices. To learn about Microsoft Intune and how Progent can help your company to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to manage the devices of your at-home workers, refer to Intune teleworker endpoint management expertise.
VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is a feature-rich centralized Mobile Device Management product that helps network managers to keep offsite endpoint devices up to date and protected. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch technology for centralized endpoint management along with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery technology for identity control, app management, and setup management of endpoint devices. Workspace ONE operates with devices based on Windows 10, macOS, Apple iOS, Android, Chrome OS, or leading distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-site deployment through a perpetual license. Top features of VMware Workspace ONE include fast over-the-air provisioning of out-of-the-box notebooks, quick onboarding of new users, policy setting and enforcement for all categories of endpoints, aggregated reporting and performance analytics, an email encryption gateway, and seamless integration with Microsoft applications and cloud products. To find out about Progent's expertise for VMware Workspace ONE, refer to VMware Workspace ONE remote endpoint management consultants.
Contact Progent for Remote Workforce Support Services
To contact Progent about creating and managing a productive telecommuter environment for your Allentown, Pennsylvania company, call