Expanding your telecommuter workforce may have a significant effect on IT infrastructure, security, and company workflows. Progent has 20 years of background assisting SMBs to plan, deploy, manage, optimize, and troubleshoot IT environments that incorporate a remote workforce. Progent can help your Brisbane company to pick the appropriate technologies and adhere to best practices in creating and maintaining a secure virtual ecosystem for telecommuters that facilitates teamwork and returns maximum value. Progent offers support services that go from on demand guidance for getting you over challenging IT roadblocks to comprehensive project management to help you carry out mission-critical tasks.

Progent can help Brisbane, Queensland companies to with any facet of creating a high-functioning work-from-home ecosystem by providing infrastructure design and configuration services, VoIP PBX troubleshooting, video conferencing integration, collaboration platform customization and training, cloud connectivity, Call Desk augmentation, security monitoring, data protection solutions, and centralized management.

Infrastructure for an At-Home Workforce
Integrating the network infrastructure required to support a remote work environment can be especially complicated if you have to manage a combination of worker-owned equipment such as PCs and notebooks, routers, and Wi-Fi appliances from various manufacturers and with a mix of OS software and firmware releases. Progent's background delivering remote support for both outdated and modern technologies in remote office solutions enables you to make cost-effective use of your existing infrastructure and offers fast access to top-tire consultants for making essential upgrades. Services available from Progent to assist you to create a high-functioning telecommuting ecosystem include:

  • Virtual Private Network connectivity makes it possible to establish a safe tunnel for authorized remote employees to access IT assets located at your corporate datacenter or in a public cloud. Progent can assist your company to configure and maintain VPN access between your teleworkers and your various network resources by providing online VPN integration consulting. For businesses with Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco-certified ASA Firewall experts can assist your telecommuters to set up Cisco's AnyConnect client software for safe VPN tunneling for a broad selection of endpoint devices such as Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure platforms enable a teleworker to see and interact with a remote computer's desktop. This technology gives network managers more control over the digital environment of telecommuters and offers them a consistent and more productive experience. Progent's virtual desktop services include Windows Remote Desktop integration and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI consulting.
  • Routers attach home computer networks to the Internet and typically support VPN connections, local Wi-Fi networks, and firewall services. Progent offers expert online consulting for integrating routers from a range of vendors. See router integration services from Cisco-certified consultants.
  • Home Wi-Fi networks, often shared by an entire household and visitors, are frequently used by at-home employees to connect to their router for work. This can create performance and cybersecurity issues. Progent can help you to mitigate these issues by providing expertise that include Aironet configuration expertise, Cisco-certified Meraki wireless deployment expertise, and Ubiquiti WiFi access point integration help.
  • Internet connectivity solutions affect the speed and reliability of connections between at-home workers and the company data center. Line-of-business applications might require redundant Internet connections in case the normal connection breaks. Progent can provide expertise for identifying Internet service providers, selecting sensible service packages, and setting up redundant Internet connections. Refer to Internet access integration services.

VoIP Solutions for an At-Home Workforce
Expanding the company PBX system to include telecommuters is critical to maintaining a productive at-home workforce. A variety of cloud-based VoIP platforms are used by small and mid-size businesses to server teleworkers. Many larger organizations depend on Cisco's modern or older platforms for IP voice management. Progent can assist businesses of any size to plan or maintain a remote VoIP environment that delivers the versatility, convenience and protection needed for at-home workers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice experts offer advanced support to help businesses optimize their existing Cisco VoIP systems to handle a growing at-home workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) delivers enterprise IP telephony capabilities to devices like VoIP phones, media processing platforms, VoIP gateways, and mixed media apps deployed across the network. CUCM supports other mixed media services like unified messaging, voice/video conferencing, and customer collaboration networks. For more information about Progent's Unified Communications Manager expertise, refer to Cisco Unified CM consultants.
  • Cisco CallManager is Cisco's legacy call-processing agent and has been replaced by Cisco Unified CM. Progent can help you to support your current CallManager environment or migrate smoothly to Cisco's modern IP telephony solutions. To learn about Progent's support services for CallManager and Cisco's other early VoIP platforms, refer to CallManager expertise.
  • Cisco IP Gateways enable connectivity with public telephony networks and with clients operating outside the corporate firewall such as telecommuters. Progent can provide expert support for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways like the UC520, UC540 and UC560 products as well as for current Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway configuration expertise.
  • Additional VoIP Platforms supported by Progent include Vonage, RingCentral and 8x8. Progent can assist you to update your WAN architecture to work with these VoIP solutions and deliver as-needed configuration and debugging expertise.

Video Conferencing for Telecommuters
A wide selection of video conferencing products from major vendors enable online meetings, video conferencing, chat sessions, and screen/content sharing for both local users and teleworkers. Many companies use multiple products to meet the needs of their different partners and clients. Progent's communications experts can assist your organization to maintain your existing conferencing ecosystem and enhance the experience of your remote workforce.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular unified communications product that enables real-time presence, instant messaging, voice and video conferencing plus the seamless integration of these capabilities within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software including PowerPoint, Word, and Excel. Progent can provide the skills of Microsoft-certified specialists who can assist you to deploy and manage Skype for Business clients to accommodate your at-home employees. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Skype for Business, refer to Skype for Business integration experts.
  • FaceTime is Apple's group video phone app for iOS and macOS devices. FaceTime runs over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Newer editions of FaceTime allow as many as 32 simultaneous users for voice/video sessions. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for FaceTime, refer to Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center supports remote conferencing for most computing devices. Delivered through Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex capabilities include sharing specific content or screens, presentations that incorporate rich media such as Microsoft PowerPoint, session recording, plus editing and playback for future reference. For details about Progent's support expertise for Webex and for other IP video solutions from Cisco, visit Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's follow-up for Skype for Business. Teams provides a portal for conferencing, contacts, and information with features that include IP voice and video calling, threaded chat, plus file sharing. For details about Progent's support expertise for Teams as well as for other Microsoft 365 apps, refer to Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Other Conferencing Apps supported by Progent include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can provide configuration and debugging expertise for these products and assist your business to optimize your WAN infrastructure to host them.

Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Platforms for Telecommuters
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's popular Office suites, providing a rich environment of applications that deliver a cohesive user interface for sharing data and ideas throughout a corporate network and on a broad selection of endpoint devices. Progent has delivered remote consulting support for SharePoint and Exchange since their original releases and can help businesses to configure these flagship collaboration products to optimize the effectiveness of your at-home workforce.

Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's popular Office suite, providing a rich ecosystem of applications that deliver a consistent user experience for sharing information across multiple sites and on a wide variety of endpoint devices. Progent has provided remote consulting services for SharePoint and Exchange since their initial releases and can help at-home workers set up and use these flagship collaboration platforms to maximize productivity.

Microsoft Teams Integration Experts for TelecommutersMicrosoft Teams works with Microsoft 365 and integrates with third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration. Developed as a replacement for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams can enable chat, video meetings with screen sharing, calling, cloud voicemail, group email, as well as file and application sharing. Teams is closely integrated with Microsoft 365 and depends on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Entra (formerly called Azure Active Directory) for delivering its full range of capabilities. For details about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium, see solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint Server Configuration Consultants for Remote WorkersSharePoint utilizes web sites to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing by offering policy-driven access to data, business processes, and utilities for looking through enterprise-wide information silos. SharePoint enables you to create protected portals that allows at-home workers to see and update consolidated corporate intelligence via Wikis, Blogs, social sites, and Web Parts. For details about Progent's SharePoint consulting services, see SharePoint integration and development consulting.

Exchange Deployment Experts for Remote 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. To find out about Progent's Exchange support services, visit deployment consulting services for Microsoft Exchange Server.

Microsoft Onedrive Configuration Experts for Remote WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s collaborative cloud storage service, comparable to GoogleDrive. Remote users can save files to the OneDrive service, and co-workers can share them securely via a browser. Provided with Microsoft 365, OneDrive allows remote workers to co-author documents. Revisions made offline are automatically uploaded when you go back online. To find out about Progent's support services for Microsoft OneDrive, see Microsoft Onedrive configuration experts.

Public Cloud Integration Services for Remote Workers
Progent can provide affordable remote assistance for helping businesses to create, manage and optimize cohesive network models that combine internal data centers, telecommuters, branch offices, plus public cloud services. Progent can provide expertise for all modes of public cloud service such as Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service. Progent can help remote workers resolve issues with cloud connectivity, authentication, and security.

Microsoft Azure Integration for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft Azure is a popular family of public cloud services that enables you to use IT infrastructure, servers, and critical applications hosted on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Microsoft Azure offers over one hundred cloud-based services including hosting for Windows and Linux-powered VMs, on-demand cloud storage, email and messaging, app development with Visual Studio, and data protection. Progent can assist you to set up VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity management with Azure AD, and plan data backup and restore systems with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also help you create protected access to Azure for at-home workers by configuring and troubleshooting firewalls and VPN IPsec tunnels. For information about Progent's consulting expertise for Azure, refer to Azure consulting services.

Microsoft 365 Integration for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft 365, previously branded Office 365, is Microsoft's growing family of client productivity software and cloud-based services offered on a subscription basis. Office apps and services are marketed in a selection of bundles intended for users ranging from individuals and households to major enterprises. Progent can provide quick and affordable online access to consultants knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent can assist you to assess the various subscription plans available for Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 applications for your remote workers to achieve maximum business value. For information about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft 365, go to Microsoft 365 consulting services.

Exchange Online Integration for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft 365 Exchange Online is one of the most widely used cloud-based applications in Azure-hosted Microsoft 365 product suite. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online provides the advantages of reduced costs for data center infrastructure, easier management, on-demand scaling, high availability, and additional benefits associated with cloud computing. Microsoft has engineered Exchange Online to run seamlessly with on-premises Exchange environments, enabling customers to create hybrid cloud/onsite information systems. Progent's Exchange consultants can provide as-needed help to get you through tough IT bottlenecks and can also provide end-to-end project management outsourcing to ensure your telecommuters have convenient and secure access to your Exchange Online deployment. For details Progent's support services for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, visit Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting expertise.

Amazon AWS Integration Services for TelecommutersAmazon AWS is a trailblazer in the public cloud market and is the world's biggest source of cloud-based services. Progent offers rapid and affordable online contact with cloud connectivity experts who can help your business to plan, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot hybrid IT networks that integrate Amazon AWS cloud services with local resources and with other popular cloud platforms like Azure. Progent also can provide the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking experts to help your company to create a high-availability network model so your employees have a consistent computing experience whether they are working from your main office, a branch office, at home, or on the move. For details about Progent's expertise for Amazon AWS, visit Amazon AWS consulting support.

Google Cloud Integration for TeleworkersGoogle Cloud Platform (GCP) is a popular set of cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can help you to scale your existing IT resources with the Google Cloud, and Progent's database experts can help you make your mission-critical apps cloud friendly so your teleworkers can take full advantage of Google Cloud services. Progent's consultants can help your business to set up virtual machines on GCP Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage system with GCP Storage services, and simplify access control for remote workers with GCP Cloud Identity. Progent can also assist your business to use GCP's management technology to control and track your GCP ecosystem. For information, visit Google Cloud Platform consulting expertise.

Help Desk Call Center Services for Remote Workers
An emergency, organization-wide transition to a telecommuter workforce, which could be motivated by an epidemic or as an element of a disaster recovery plan, can overwhelm even the most efficient in-house Call Desk. Progent's Help Desk services make it possible for businesses to outsource or supplement their Help Desk with Progent's online Technical Response Center (TRC) services.

  • Progent's Standard Call Center services leverage Progent's extensive network of online IT support specialists combined with enterprise-class ticketing and follow-up technology to provide an economical, advanced Call Desk. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services offer a comprehensive solution that handles all aspects of online Level 1 desktop support from initial help requests through ticket creation, screen sharing, problem resolution, and reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal allows from-home workers to monitor or update the status of their active trouble tickets, add information, and upload screen captures or attachments. Support services are delivered at a substantial price reduction off Progent's normal Level 1 technical support charges, and Progent offers optional fast escalation to Level 2 and Level 3 support experts to deal with complex problems. To learn more, visit Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small and mid-size businesses.
  • Progent's Call Desk Augmentation Service enables you to expand your current Call Center staff by splitting delivery of Call Center support seamlessly between your in-house support staff and Progent's nationwide pool of PC support engineers and subject matter specialists. Progent's co-managed Help Desk service is based on a collective support solution based on the number one professional services automation tool for managing help requests and trouble tickets, assigning responsibility, monitoring progress, and producing reports. To learn how Progent's Support Desk Augmentation Services can help your company to deliver world-class IT support to your at-home workforce, refer to Progent's Support Desk supplementation Services.

Security and Compliance for Remote Workers
Work-from-Home (WFH) employees typically utilize their own computers and usually operate in an unsecured physical area. This multiplies their vulnerability to malware attacks and requires judicious deployment of firewalls, AV tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote monitoring, thorough end-user education, and the creation of security policies based on best practices. Progent's seasoned roster of data security solutions consultants can help you to plan, configure and maintain an effective cybersecurity solution that protects critical information assets in networks that include telecommuters.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls allow you to create a network that can be safely utilized by local users and by teleworkers, mobile users, vendors, clients, and the public. Modern firewall appliances permit you to assign and control different permissions to various classes of users and to expand your IT network and modify your cybersecurity posture as your company evolves and as network attacks grow increasingly sophisticated. Progent supports both current and older security devices from all major vendors including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. To learn more about Progent's firewall integration services, go to firewall integration and support services.

Remote Security Monitoring and Management for At-Home WorkersRemote Endpoint Monitoring makes it possible to track the various devices utilized by an at-home workforce and either reject or spot and respond to modern cyber attacks like ransomware. With Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a small-footprint agent is installed on every secured endpoint, watching all activity and utilizing advanced AI technology from SentinelOne to detect new threats before they can spread. When an attack is discovered, ProSight Active Security Monitoring instantly disconnects the infected device from the network to contain the malware. Since the ProSight ASM agent is autonomous, endpoints stay protected even if they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. To find out more about ProSight ASM, visit remote endpoint security monitoring for remote workers.

Two-factor Authentication Services for TelecommutersProgent's Duo MFA Managed Services incorporate Cisco's Duo cloud technology to defend against password theft through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo supports one-tap identity confirmation on Apple iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. With Duo 2FA, when you log into a secured application and enter your password you are requested to verify 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 utilized as this second means of authentication including an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You can designate multiple validation devices. To learn more about Duo two-factor identity authentication services, see Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for remote workers.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can assess the vulnerability of your network to all types of outside and local security threats for an environment that incorporates teleworkers. Progent can run remote, automated security inventory scanning for rapidly and economically detecting a broad range of security holes that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's endpoint security audit consulting services, which can be managed by security experts with advanced certifications such as CISM, CISSP, and GIAC, can assist your business to evaluate your processes and governance policies and review your WAN architecture to enable you to implement top-level protection for your remote workers.

NodeZero Pentetration Testing for At-Home WorkersHorizon3.ai's NodeZero Penetration Testing Platform is a leading-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that supports autonomous threat assessment of your at-home connectivity solution as well as your internal and perimeter networks so you can uncover, rank, fix, and verify security vulnerabilities before threat actors can exploit them. Progent can assist you to use NodeZero to perform comprehensive pentests of your perimeter and your internal network so you can evaluate your current security profile. Progent's NodeZero experts can also assist you to harden your existing network security and can help you to design and implement a unified cybersecurity strategy that streamlines management and delivers maximum cyber defense for on-prem, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT assets. To find out additional details about Progent's threat assessment solutions powered by on NodeZero's penetration test products, refer to Consulting Services for NodeZero's Penetration Test Platform.

Download White Paper: Securing a Work-From-Home Network
To read or download a white paper about key areas to concentrate on for protecting a network that incorporates work-from-home staff, click:
Protecting a Work-From-Home Network White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)

Data Protection for At-Home Workers
The field of Data Protection involves saving and restoring vital information so as to avoid data loss and reduce restoration time and effort in case of storage failures resulting from equipment breakdowns, software glitches, human mistakes, cyber attack, or other causes. Reliable data protection strategies can be particularly challenging to architect and maintain in hybrid environments that combine in-house data centers, cloud resources, and an at-home workforce.

  • Backup/Restore strategies for an at-home workforce must address diverse kinds of personally owned endpoint devices. Progent offers quick remote help from consultants familiar with a broad array of products for backing up Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX powered servers and desktops as well as notebooks, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones. Leading backup/recovery products maintained by Progent's backup/recovery experts include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, DoubleTake Software, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Mozy, and Time Machine. To back up resources spread throughout a hybrid network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a backup/recovery service that uses cloud storage and includes fine-grained recovery and centralized management capabilities.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity (DR/BC) plans commonly envision scenarios that call for a rapid changeover to a work-at-home environment. Progent's expert disaster recovery preparedness experts and business continuity specialists can help your company to create, document and validate a DR/BC plan that includes the process of switching to telecommuting.

Unified Management for Teleworkers
Microsoft has rebranded and rebundled its endpoint management platforms under the title Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud management of remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing onsite computers. Endpoint Manager offers a centralized platform for safeguarding critical information by controlling local, mobile, and at-home endpoint devices.

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 computers and applications. Remote endpoint devices can be user owned or company owned. IT administrators managing the endpoint devices of teleworkers can utilize Intune to deploy and validate applications on devices, push patches and certificates, set up rules for permission to access information and resources, manage passwords, create VPN connections, control how home-based workers share data, establish threat defense, ensure compliance, and wipe sensitive information from lost, stolen or deactivated devices. Intune can be used with iOS/iPadOS, Google Android, Windows, and macOS/OS X computers. For details about Intune and how Progent can assist you to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to manage the devices of your at-home workers, refer to Intune mobile device management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced centralized Mobile Device Management (MDM) product that helps network managers to keep off-premises endpoint devices current and secure. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch for centralized endpoint management along with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery technology for identity control, app management, and setup management of endpoints. Workspace ONE runs with devices based on Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, or leading distributions of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-site product through a perpetual license. Top capabilities of Workspace ONE include rapid over-the-air provisioning of out-of-the-box notebooks, immediate onboarding of new employees, policy setting and enforcement for all classes of endpoints, unifies reporting and performance analytics, email encryption, and tight integration with Microsoft applications and cloud-based services. For information about Progent's expertise for VMware Workspace ONE, see VMware Workspace ONE mobile device management expertise.

Contact Progent for At-Home Worker Expertise
To contact Progent about creating and managing a productive work-from-home environment for your Brisbane, Queensland business, call 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.