Expanding your at-home workforce can have a major effect on IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and corporate culture. Progent has two decades of background helping SMBs to design, deploy, administer, optimize, and troubleshoot IT networks that support a remote workforce. Progent can help your Bristol organization to pick the appropriate technologies and adhere to best practices in creating and maintaining a safe virtual office ecosystem for teleworkers that promotes teamwork and returns maximum business value. Progent offers services that go from on demand expertise for getting you past occasional IT bottlenecks to full project management to help you successfully complete mission-critical tasks.

Progent can assist Bristol, United Kingdom businesses to with any aspect of building a high-performing work-from-home environment by delivering infrastructure design and configuration services, VoIP PBX troubleshooting, video conferencing support, collaboration platform customization and training, cloud integration, helpdesk outsourcing, security and compliance, backup/restore solutions, and streamlined management.

Infrastructure for Teleworkers
Integrating the network infrastructure needed for an at-home work environment can be especially complex if you have to accommodate a mix of worker-owned equipment like PCs and notebooks, Internet routers, and Wi-Fi APs from an assortment of vendors and with a variety of operating systems and firmware levels. Progent's background providing online help for both legacy as well as modern technologies in virtual office solutions allows you to make cost-effective use of your available network infrastructure and provides you with fast access to top-tire consultants for implement essential updates. Support services available from Progent to help your company to implement a high-functioning work-at-home infrastructure include:

  • Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity allows you to create a safe connection for authenticated at-home workers to use IT assets located at your company data center or in a public cloud. Progent can assist your company to configure and maintain VPN connections between your teleworkers and your key network resources by providing remote VPN configuration support. For organizations using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco ASA experts can assist your telecommuters to set up Cisco's popular AnyConnect software for secure VPN connections for a wide selection of devices including Windows, macOS, Apple iOS, Linux, and Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure products allow a teleworker to see and interact with a remote PC's desktop. This technology provides IT managers more control over the digital environment of telecommuters and ensures remote users a familiar work experience. Progent's virtual desktop consulting services include Windows Remote Desktop integration and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI expertise.
  • Routers connect home networks to the Internet and support VPN tunnels, home wireless networks, and firewall services. Progent offers top-tier online support for configuring home routers from a range of manufacturers. See router configuration support from Cisco-certified experts.
  • Home Wi-Fi networks, typically supporting families and visitors, are frequently utilized by at-home employees to connect to their router for work. This can create performance as well as security issues. Progent can assist you to resolve these issues by providing services like Aironet configuration expertise, Cisco-certified Meraki WiFi deployment consulting, and Ubiquiti WiFi AP setup help.
  • Internet access methods impact the speed and reliability of connections between telecommuters and the corporate data center. Vital processes may require redundant Internet access in case the normal connection breaks. Progent offers guidance for selecting ISPs, choosing appropriate service offerings, and setting up high-availability Internet connections. Refer to Internet connectivity integration services.

VoIP Solutions for Teleworkers
Expanding the corporate phone system to include telecommuters is critical to supporting a productive work-at-home solution. A variety of cloud-centric VoIP platforms are used by SMBs to support remote users. Many larger organizations rely on Cisco's modern or legacy platforms for IP voice management. Progent can help businesses of all sizes to plan or maintain a telecommuter IP voice environment that delivers the flexibility, transparency and protection needed for at-home workers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice experts can provide advanced support to help organizations tune their existing Cisco IP voice systems to handle a growing at-home workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) extends high-end IP telephony features to devices like VoIP phones, media processing platforms, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media software used across the network. CUCM supports additional mixed media services such as unified messaging, video conferencing, and team interaction networks. For more information about Progent's CUCM support, refer to Cisco Unified Communications Manager consultants.
  • Cisco CallManager is Cisco's legacy call-processing software and has been superseded by CUCM. Progent's consultants can assist your company to support your existing CallManager deployment or upgrade efficiently to Cisco's current IP telephony products. For details about Progent's expertise for Cisco CallManager and Cisco's other legacy IP voice platforms, refer to CallManager consulting.
  • Cisco IP Gateways provide integration with PSTN networks and with clients working outside the corporate perimeter like telecommuters. Progent can provide consulting expertise for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways such as the UC520, UC540 and UC560 series as well as for current Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateways. See Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateway configuration consulting.
  • Other VoIP Platforms supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can assist you to update your wide area network architecture to support these solutions and deliver as-needed deployment and troubleshooting expertise.

Video Conferencing for Telecommuters
A broad range of video conferencing products from leading vendors support virtual discussions, video and voice conferencing, chat sessions, and content sharing for both local users and teleworkers. Many companies utilize a mix of conferencing products to meet the needs of their various partners and customers. Progent's communications experts can assist you to manage your current conferencing ecosystem and enhance the experience of your at-home workforce.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular unified communications platform that enables presence, instant messaging, audio and video calling and conferencing as well as the transparent integration of these functions within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 applications including PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent can provide the skills of Microsoft-certified consultants who can help your company to deploy and manage Skype for Business client software to accommodate your at-home employees. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Skype for Business, visit Skype for Business integration experts.
  • FaceTime is Apple's multiuser video calling platform for iOS and macOS computers and smartphones. FaceTime runs over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Later editions of FaceTime allow up to 32 simultaneous users for video calls. To learn more about Progent's support expertise for FaceTime, see Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center provides remote conferencing for most desktop or mobile devices. Delivered via Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex capabilities include sharing discrete content or computer screens, presentations that incorporate rich media such as Microsoft PowerPoint, session recording, plus editing and playback for training. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Webex and for other video conferencing products from Cisco, see 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 content with features such as video calling, threaded chat, plus data sharing. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Teams as well as for other Microsoft 365 products, see Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Additional Voice/Video Conferencing Platforms supported by Progent's conferencing experts include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver configuration and troubleshooting expertise for these conferencing platforms and help you to tune your WAN architecture to run them.

Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Platforms for Remote and Hybrid Workers
Microsoft's collaboration products are tightly integrated with Microsoft's popular Office and Microsoft 365 suites, providing a rich ecosystem of applications that create a consistent user experience for exchanging data and ideas across a corporate network and on a broad range of endpoint devices. Progent has provided online consulting services for SharePoint and Exchange Server since their initial releases and can help businesses to configure these flagship collaboration platforms to maximize the productivity 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 and Teams Premium Solutions Consultants for TelecommutersMicrosoft Teams works on top of Microsoft 365 and integrates with third-party cloud services to deliver real-time collaboration and communication. Designed as a substitute for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium can support chat, audio/video meetings with screen sharing, calling, cloud voicemail, group email, as well as file and app sharing. Teams is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 and depends on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Azure Entra (previously branded Azure Active Directory) for supporting its complete range of capabilities. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams, visit solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams.

SharePoint Server Configuration Consultants for At-Home WorkersSharePoint utilizes web sites to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing by providing policy-based delivery of content, workflow, and tools for searching through enterprise-wide information silos. SharePoint allows you to build secure portals that permits at-home workforce to see and update aggregated corporate intelligence by means of Wikis, Blogs, social web sites, and Web Parts. For information about Progent's SharePoint expertise, see SharePoint configuration and development expertise.

Exchange Deployment Consultants 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. For information about Progent's Exchange consulting expertise, see integration expertise for Microsoft Exchange.

Onedrive Deployment Consultants for Remote WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s collaborative cloud storage service, similar to GoogleDrive. At-home users can store files to the OneDrive service, and co-workers anywhere can share them securely through a browser. Included with Microsoft 365, OneDrive enables at-home employees to co-author documents. Edits created offline are automatically synced when you reconnect to the Internet. For information about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft OneDrive, visit Microsoft Onedrive configuration consulting.

Cloud Integration Services for Remote Workers
Progent offers fast and affordable remote assistance for helping organizations to create, maintain and troubleshoot cohesive hybrid network architectures that combine physical data centers, telecommuters, branch offices, plus cloud resources. Progent offers top-tier consultant for all modes of cloud service including Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help at-home workers fix issues with cloud access, authentication, and cybersecurity.

Azure Integration Services for TeleworkersMicrosoft Azure is a popular platform for public cloud software and services that allows you to use IT infrastructure, virtual servers, and critical apps running on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Microsoft Azure features over one hundred services services such as the ability to host Windows and Linux-powered VMs, on-demand cloud storage, email and messaging, app development with Visual Studio, and data backup. Progent can help you to deploy VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity control with Azure AD, and plan backup and restore systems with Azure Backup. Progent can also show you how to create protected connections to Azure for remote workers by configuring and troubleshooting firewall appliances and VPN tunnels. For details about Progent's expertise for Microsoft Azure, refer to Azure consulting services.

Microsoft 365 Integration for Remote WorkersMicrosoft 365, previously called Office 365, is Microsoft's popular suite of business productivity software and cloud-based services available by subscription. Office apps and cloud services are marketed in a variety of bundles designed for customers ranging from individuals and small offices to major corporations. Progent can provide quick and affordable online access to consultants familiar with Microsoft 365-compatible client devices based on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent can help your business to assess the various subscription plans offered with Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 applications for your teleworkers in a way that delivers maximum business value. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft 365, go to Microsoft 365 consulting services.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online Integration for TelecommutersExchange Online is among the most widely used applications in the Microsoft 365 product line. Exchange Online provides the benefits of reduced costs for data center infrastructure, easier management, dynamic scaling, high reliability, and other benefits associated with public clouds. Microsoft has designed Microsoft 365 Exchange Online to run smoothly with on-premises Exchange environments, allowing you to build hybrid cloud/onsite networks. Progent's certified Exchange experts are available for occasional help to get you past tough technical roadblocks and also offer end-to-end project management outsourcing to make sure your at-home workers have convenient and safe access to your Microsoft 365 Exchange Online environment. To learn Progent's expertise for Exchange Online, go to Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting consulting.

Amazon AWS Integration for Remote WorkersAmazon AWS is a pioneer in the public cloud computing market and is the world's biggest source of cloud services. Progent offers rapid and affordable online contact with cloud connectivity experts who can assist your business to design, deploy, manage, and troubleshoot hybrid information networks that integrate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with on-premises data centers and with other public clouds such as Azure. Progent also offers the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to help your company to build a high-uptime network model so your users have a productive computing environment whether they are working from your main office, a remote branch, at home, or on the move. For information about Progent's consulting services for Amazon AWS, visit Amazon AWS consulting services.

Google Cloud Integration Services for Remote WorkersGoogle Cloud Platform is a leading set of public cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service 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 DBA experts can show you how to make your mission-critical apps cloud friendly so your telecommuters can take full advantage of Google Cloud services. Progent's consultants can assist your business to deploy VMs on Google Cloud Compute Engine, plan a cost-effective storage system with Google Cloud Storage services, and simplify identity control for telecommuters with GCP Cloud Identity services. Progent's experts can also help you to use GCP's unified management tools to administer and track your GCP environment. For details, refer to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) integration support.

Help Desk Call Center Services for At-Home Workers
A rapid, company-wide switchover to a from-home business model, which might be driven by a pandemic or as an element of a disaster recovery preparedness plan, can overwhelm even the most efficient internal Call Center. Progent's Help Desk services make it possible for businesses to outsource or augment their Help Desk Call Center with Progent's remote Technical Response Center team.

  • Progent's Standard Call Desk support services utilize Progent's nationwide network of remote technical support specialists along with world-class trouble ticketing and follow-up technology to provide an affordable, advanced Support Desk. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services offer an end-to-end solution that addresses all facets of online Level 1 desktop support from help requests through ticket creation, desktop sharing, problem resolution, and reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal allows at-home employees to check or update the status of their current tickets, enter information, and upload screen captures and relevant files. Desktop support services are delivered at a substantial price reduction off Progent's ordinary Level 1 desktop service charges, and Progent offers the option of rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 support experts to deal with complex issues. For details, see Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services for small and mid-size companies.
  • Progent's Support Desk Augmentation Service allows you to augment your current Call Desk team by sharing responsibilities for Support Desk services seamlessly between your in-house IT support organization and Progent's extensive team of PC support technicians and subject matter specialists. Progent's co-managed Help Desk service is based on a co-sourcing support solution utilizing the number one PSA platform for handling help requests and trouble tickets, establishing responsibility, tracking progress, and producing reports. For information about how Progent's Call Center Augmentation Services can enable your company to deliver world-class IT support to your telecommuters, see Progent's Call Desk supplementation Services.

Cybersecurity for At-Home Workers
At-home employees typically use their personal devices and usually operate in an unsecured physical space. This situation multiplies their susceptibility to cyber attacks and calls for careful deployment of corporate firewalls, anti-malware tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote monitoring, thorough end-user education, and the creation of policies based on best practices. Progent's seasoned team of IT security support consultants can help your business to design, configure and manage an effective security solution that protects critical IT resources in networks that incorporate an at-home workforce.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls allow you to create a network that can be safely accessed by local users as well as by at-home workers, mobile users, vendors, clients, and the public. Next-generation firewall appliances allow you to configure and manage appropriate permissions to different groups of users and to scale your network and modify your security profile as your business evolves and as network attacks become more complex. Progent works with both current and older firewall devices from all major vendors including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. For details about Progent's firewall support expertise, see firewall support services.

Remote Endpoint Monitoring Services for TelecommutersOnline Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it possible to track the disparate computers used by an at-home workforce and either block or spot and mitigate modern cyber attacks such as ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a small-footprint software agent is put on each protected endpoint device, monitoring all activity and using state-of-the-art machine learning and full execution context from SentinelOne to identify zero-day attacks before they can spread. When an attack is spotted, ProSight ASM immediately disconnects the infected endpoint from the corporate network to quarantine the malware. Since the ProSight Active Security Monitoring agent is self-contained, endpoints stay protected even when they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. For more information about ProSight ASM, refer to remote endpoint monitoring for teleworkers.

Two-factor Authentication Services for At-Home WorkersProgent's Duo authentication Services utilize Cisco's Duo cloud technology to protect against stolen passwords by using two-factor authentication. Duo supports single-tap identity confirmation with Apple iOS, Android, and other out-of-band devices. Using Duo 2FA, when you log into a protected application and enter your password you are asked to confirm your identity via a device that only you have and that is accessed using a different network channel. A wide range of devices can be utilized as this second means of ID validation including an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware/software token, a landline phone, etc. You may designate several validation devices. To learn more about Duo identity authentication services, refer to Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for teleworkers.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can evaluate the exposure of your information system to all types of outside and local security threats for a network that includes telecommuters. Progent can run online, automated security analysis scanning for rapidly and economically uncovering a broad range of security weaknesses that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's security audit experts, which can be managed by data security professionals with top certifications including CISM, ISSAP, and GIAC, can help your company to evaluate your workflows and policies and assess your network infrastructure to allow you to implement top-level protection for your an at-home workforce.

NodeZero Pentetration Testing for At-Home WorkersHorizon3.ai's NodeZero Pentest Platform is a leading-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that can deliver autonomous threat assessment of your at-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks so you can find, prioritize, remediate, and verify security vulnerabilities before threat actors can exploit them. Progent can help you to use NodeZero to carry out comprehensive pentests of your network perimeter and your internal network so you can evaluate your present security posture. Progent can also help you to harden your existing network security and can help you to design and deploy a cohesive cybersecurity strategy that streamlines management and provides optimum protection for on-premises, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT assets. To learn more information about Progent's vulnerability analysis services based on on NodeZero's penetration test products, see Consulting Support for NodeZero's PEN Test Products.

Download White Paper: Securing a Work-From-Home Environment
To read or download a white paper describing key areas to focus on for securing a network that supports telecommuters, click:
Securing a Work-From-Home Environment White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)

Data Protection Solutions for Telecommuters
The field of Data Protection covers backing up and recovering vital information in order to prevent data loss and reduce recovery time and effort in case of storage system failures due to equipment issues, programming hiccups, human error, cyber attack, or any other reason. Reliable data protection strategies can be especially difficult to design and maintain in hybrid networks that combine private data centers, cloud resources, and an at-home workforce.

  • Backup/Recovery solutions for teleworkers must address diverse types of user-owned endpoint devices. Progent offers fast remote access to consultants familiar with a broad range of platforms for protection Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX powered servers and desktops as well as notebooks, iPads and smartphones. Leading backup/recovery solutions supported by Progent's backup/recovery experts include Barracuda Backup, Microsoft Azure Backup, DoubleTake Software, CrashPlan, Mozy, and Time Machine. To protect resources spread across a wide area network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a backup/recovery subscription service that utilizes cloud storage and features fine-grained restore and unified management capabilities.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity plans commonly envision scenarios that call for a quick switch to a work-at-home environment. Progent's expert disaster recovery preparedness consultants and business continuity planning consultants can help your company to create, document and validate a DR/BC plan that addresses the logistics of moving to telecommuting.

Unified Management for Teleworkers
Microsoft has renamed and reshuffled its endpoint management platforms under the title Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud-based management of remote endpoints and Configuration Manager for managing onsite computers. Endpoint Manager features a centralized platform for safeguarding corporate data by managing on-premises, mobile, and home-based endpoints.

Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management family that also features Microsoft Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and protecting remote computers and software. Managed endpoint devices can be user owned or company owned. Network administrators managing the endpoint devices of telecommuters can use Intune to deploy and authenticate apps on devices, push patches and certificates, set up policies for accessing information and networks, set passwords, create VPN connections, determine how home-based workers share information, establish threat protection, verify security compliance, and erase corporate information from lost, stolen or decommissioned devices. Intune can be used with iOS/iPadOS, Google Android, Windows, and macOS/OS X endpoints. For details about Intune and how Progent can help you to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to manage the endpoint computers of your at-home workers, go to Intune remote device management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is a feature-rich unified Mobile Device Management platform that allows network managers to keep remote endpoints up to date and secure. Workspace ONE uses VMware AirWatch for unified endpoint administration along with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery technology for authorization control, application management, and setup management of endpoint devices. Workspace ONE operates with devices powered by Windows 10, macOS, Apple iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or popular distributions of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is available by subscription as a cloud service or as an on-premises product through a one-time purchase. Key features of Workspace ONE include rapid remote deployment of out-of-the-box laptops, immediate onboarding of new users, policy setting and enforcement for all categories of devices, unifies management reporting and analytics, an email encryption gateway, and tight integration with Microsoft applications and cloud services. To learn about Progent's expertise for VMware Workspace ONE, refer to VMware Workspace ONE mobile endpoint management consultants.

Contact Progent for Remote Workforce Expertise
To contact Progent about creating and maintaining an efficient telecommuter environment for your Bristol, United Kingdom organization, call 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.