Expanding your telecommuter workforce can have a major effect on network infrastructure, security, and corporate processes. Progent has 20 years of background assisting SMBs to plan, configure, manage, tune, and debug IT environments that support a remote workforce. Progent can assist your Colorado Springs company to pick the appropriate tools and adhere to best practices in building and maintaining a secure virtual solution for telecommuters that promotes collaboration and returns top value. Progent offers support services that go from as-needed guidance for getting you past occasional technical bottlenecks to comprehensive project management to help you carry out mission-critical tasks.

Progent's consultants can assist Colorado Springs, Colorado businesses to succeed with any aspect of building a high-performing telecommuting ecosystem by providing network infrastructure configuration services, IP voice troubleshooting, video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, cloud integration, Help Desk augmentation, security and compliance, backup/restore solutions, and unified management.

Infrastructure for Telecommuters
Configuring the network infrastructure needed to support a remote workforce can be particularly complicated if you have to accommodate a mix of worker-owned hardware such as PCs and laptops, routers, and wireless APs from an assortment of manufacturers and with a mix of OS software and firmware releases. Progent's background delivering online help for both legacy as well as modern technologies in virtual office venues enables you to make cost-effective use of your existing network infrastructure and offers fast access to expertise for implement essential updates. Services available from Progent to help you to create a productive telecommuting infrastructure include:

  • Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity allows you to establish a safe connection for authorized remote workers to access IT resources situated at your company data center or in the cloud. Progent can assist you to deploy and manage VPN connections between your at-home workforce and your various IT resources by providing remote VPN integration support. For businesses using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco-certified ASA consultants can help your remote workers to utilize Cisco's popular AnyConnect software for secure VPN connections for a wide selection of devices including Microsoft Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) products enable a teleworker to see and interact with a data center PC's desktop. This technology provides IT managers significant control over the digital ecosystem of telecommuters and ensures remote users a consistent and more productive experience. Progent's VDI services include Windows Remote Desktop integration and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI consulting.
  • Routers attach home networks to the Internet and typically support VPN connections, local Wi-Fi connectivity, and firewalls. Progent offers expert online support for configuring routers from a variety of vendors. See router configuration services from Cisco-certified consultants.
  • Home Wireless networks, often shared by families and guests, are commonly used by telecommuters to connect to their Internet router for work. This can create performance as well as cybersecurity issues. Progent can assist you to mitigate these problems by providing expertise that include Cisco Aironet integration consulting, Cisco Meraki wireless deployment consulting, and Ubiquiti WiFi AP setup help.
  • Internet connectivity solutions impact the speed and availability of connections between telecommuters and the corporate data center. Vital applications may demand redundant Internet access in the event the normal connection breaks. Progent can provide guidance for selecting Internet service providers, picking sensible service offerings, and setting up redundant Internet connections. Refer to Internet connectivity integration services.

IP Voice Solutions for At-Home Workers
Expanding the business phone system to include teleworkers is critical to maintaining an effective at-home workforce. A variety of cloud-centric VoIP platforms are popular with small and mid-size businesses to server telecommuters. Many larger organizations rely on Cisco's modern or legacy products for IP voice management. Progent can help organizations of any size to plan or tune a telecommuter VoIP environment that delivers the versatility, convenience and protection needed for telecommuters. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice consultants offer high-level support to help organizations optimize their existing Cisco IP voice environments to support a growing at-home workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM) extends high-end telephony capabilities to devices such as IP phones, media processing platforms, VoIP gateways, and mixed media software deployed across the network. CUCM manages additional combined media services like unified messaging, video conferencing, and team collaboration networks. For details about Progent's CUCM support, see CUCM consultants.
  • Cisco CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing agent and has been superseded by Cisco Unified CM. Progent's consultants can help your company to support your existing CallManager environment or migrate efficiently to Cisco's current IP telephony products. For details about Progent's expertise for CallManager and Cisco's other legacy IP voice products, refer to Cisco CallManager consulting services.
  • Cisco IP Gateways provide connectivity with PSTN networks and with clients operating outside the corporate perimeter like at-home workers. Progent offers consulting expertise for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways including the UC520, UC540 and UC560 products and for modern Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway integration consulting.
  • Other VoIP Products supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can assist you to enhance your wide area network architecture to work with these VoIP solutions and deliver as-needed integration and troubleshooting expertise.

Voice/Video Conferencing for Remote Workers
A broad range of voice/video conferencing products from major technology companies support virtual meetings, video and voice conferencing, chat, and screen/content sharing for both onsite workers and teleworkers. Many organizations use a mix of products to meet the needs of their different partners and clients. Progent's communications experts can assist your organization to maintain your existing voice/video conferencing ecosystem and optimize the productivity of your remote workforce.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular unified communications product that enables presence, IM, voice and video conferencing as well as the transparent integration of these capabilities within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software including PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent offers the expertise of Microsoft-certified consultants who can help your company to configure and manage Skype for Business clients to support your at-home employees. For details about Progent's support expertise for Skype for Business, see Skype for Business consulting services.
  • FaceTime is Apple's multiuser video calling app for compatible iOS and Mac computers and smartphones. FaceTime works over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Current versions of FaceTime support as many as 32 simultaneous users for video sessions. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for FaceTime, see Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center supports remote conferencing for most computing devices. Offered through Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex capabilities include sharing specific content or screens, presentations that incorporate rich media such as Microsoft PowerPoint, session capture, plus revision and playback for future reference and training. To learn more about Progent's support services for Cisco Webex as well as for other IP video products from Cisco, refer to Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's next-generation replacement for Skype for Business. Teams provides a portal for conferencing, contacts, and information with features such as voice/video conferencing, threaded chat, plus data sharing. For details about Progent's support services for Teams and for other Microsoft 365 apps, refer to Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Additional Conferencing Platforms supported by Progent include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can provide integration and troubleshooting expertise for these conferencing platforms and help you to optimize your network architecture to run them.

Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Software for At-Home Workers
Microsoft's collaboration products are tightly integrated with Microsoft's popular Office and Microsoft 365 suites, providing a rich environment of productivity apps that deliver a consistent user experience for exchanging information across multiple sites and on a broad selection of endpoints. Progent has delivered remote consulting services for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange since their original publication and can help your company to deploy these critical collaboration platforms to maximize 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 supports third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration and communication. Designed as a replacement for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium can enable chat, audio/video meetings with screen sharing, phone calls, cloud voicemail, group email, plus file and app sharing. Teams is closely integrated with Microsoft 365 and depends on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Azure Entra (formerly branded Azure Active Directory) for supporting its complete range of features. For additional information about Progent's support services for Microsoft Teams, visit solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint Deployment Experts for At-Home WorkersSharePoint utilizes web sites to promote collaboration and knowledge delivery by providing policy-driven delivery of content, workflow, and tools for looking through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint permits you to create secure web portals that enables remote workforce to view and update aggregated corporate intelligence by means of Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social networking web sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). For details about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, refer to SharePoint integration and development expertise.

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 learn about Progent's Exchange consulting services, refer to integration consulting services for Microsoft Exchange Server.

Microsoft Onedrive Deployment Experts for At-Home WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud storage service, comparable to GoogleDrive. Remote users can save files to OneDrive, and colleagues anywhere can retrieve them securely via a browser. Included with Office 365, OneDrive enables at-home workers to co-edit documents. Revisions made offline are automatically uploaded when you go back online. For information about Progent's expertise for Microsoft OneDrive, see Onedrive configuration experts.

Cloud Integration for Remote Workers
Progent can provide fast and affordable remote support for helping businesses to build, manage and repair integrated hybrid network models that include physical data centers, telecommuters, branches, plus cloud resources. Progent can provide top-tier consultant for all types of cloud service such as Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help telecommuters resolve problems with cloud connectivity, authentication, and cybersecurity.

Azure Integration Services for TeleworkersMicrosoft Azure is a popular platform for cloud services that allows you to utilize infrastructure, servers, and key apps hosted on Microsoft's massive cloud. Azure includes more than 100 services services including hosting for Windows and Linux-powered VMs, scalable cloud storage, email and messaging, app development with Visual Studio, and data protection. Progent can help you to set up VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity control with Azure Active Directory, and plan backup and restore systems with Azure Backup. Progent can also show you how to establish protected access to Azure services for remote workers by configuring and troubleshooting firewall appliances and VPN IPsec tunnels. To find out about Progent's support services for Microsoft Azure, see Microsoft Azure expertise.

Microsoft 365 Integration Services for TeleworkersMicrosoft 365, formerly branded Office 365, is Microsoft's popular family of client productivity applications and cloud-based services offered by subscription. Office apps and services are marketed in a selection of bundles designed for customers ranging from students and small offices to major corporations. Progent can provide quick and affordable remote contact with consultants familiar with Microsoft 365-compatible client devices based on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android technology. Progent can assist you to evaluate the numerous subscription plans available for Microsoft 365 and configure 365 apps for your telecommuters in a way that delivers top business value. To learn about Progent's expertise for Microsoft 365, go to Microsoft 365 consulting support.

Exchange Online Integration for Remote WorkersMicrosoft 365 Exchange Online is among the most popular applications in the Microsoft 365 product line. Exchange Online provides the benefits of reduced spending for physical infrastructure, simplified management, on-demand scaling, high reliability, and other advantages inherent with public clouds. Microsoft has designed Exchange Online to operate transparently with local Exchange environments, enabling you to build hybrid cloud/onsite information systems. Progent's Exchange experts are available for as-needed assistance to guide you through challenging IT roadblocks and also offer end-to-end project management outsourcing to make sure your at-home workers have easy and secure access to your Exchange Online deployment. To learn Progent's support services for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, visit Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting expertise.

Amazon AWS Integration for TelecommutersAmazon AWS is a trailblazer in the public cloud arena and is the industry's leading provider of cloud services. Progent can provide fast and affordable online access to cloud connectivity experts who can assist your organization to design, implement, maintain, and debug hybrid information networks that integrate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with local data centers and with other public clouds like Azure. Progent also can provide the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking experts to help you to build a high-availability network model to make sure your users have a productive computing environment whether they are working from your headquarters, a branch office, from home, or on the move. To find out about Progent's expertise for Amazon AWS, refer to Amazon AWS integration services.

Google Cloud Platform Integration Services for Remote WorkersGoogle Cloud is a popular suite of public cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco consulting experts can help your business to scale your current IT resources with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's database experts can help you make your mission-critical applications cloud ready so your telecommuters can take full advantage of Google Cloud Platform services. Progent can help your organization to deploy virtual machines on GCP Compute Engine, plan a cost-effective storage solution with GCP Storage services, and simplify access management for at-home workers with Google Cloud Identity. Progent can also help your business to utilize GCP's management technology to administer and monitor your Google Cloud ecosystem. For information, see Google Cloud Platform (GCP) consulting support.

Help Desk Call Center Support for At-Home Workers
A rapid, enterprise-wide switchover to a telecommuter workforce, which might be driven by a pandemic or as a component of a disaster recovery process, can overwhelm even the most efficient in-house Call Center. Progent's Call Center services make it possible for businesses to outsource or augment their Call Center with Progent's online Technical Response Center (TRC) services.

  • Progent's Standard Help Desk Call Center services utilize Progent's nationwide network of online technical support experts along with world-class trouble ticketing and follow-up technology to provide an affordable, modern Help Desk. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide a comprehensive solution that addresses all aspects of online Level 1 PC technical support from service requests to trouble ticket creation, desktop sharing, issue resolution, and incident reporting. A browser-based User's Service Portal allows telecommuters to check or update their current trouble tickets, add information, and upload screenshots and attachments. Desktop support services are delivered at a substantial price reduction off Progent's normal Level 1 desktop support charges, and Progent offers optional fast hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 IT experts to resolve complex problems. To find out more, visit Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small businesses.
  • Progent's Help Desk Supplemental Service enables you to expand your current Help Desk Call Center organization by sharing responsibilities for Help Desk support transparently between your regular support personnel and Progent's extensive pool of desktop support engineers and subject matter experts. Progent's co-managed Help Desk service uses a co-sourcing support model utilizing the leading professional services automation tool for handling service requests and ticketing, assigning responsibility, monitoring progress, and producing management reports. For information about how Progent's Call Center Supplementation Services can help your company to provide best-in-class desktop support to your telecommuters, go to Progent's Call Center augmentation Services.

Cybersecurity for At-Home Workers
Work-from-Home staff members typically use their own computers and usually work in a poorly secured physical environment. This situation increases their susceptibility to cyber threats and calls for careful configuration of corporate firewalls, anti-malware tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote endpoint monitoring, extensive end-user training, and the creation of security policies built on leading practices. Progent's seasoned roster of cybersecurity solutions consultants can help you to plan, configure and manage a compliant security solution that protects critical IT assets in networks that include remote workers.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls allow companies to create a network environment that can be securely accessed by local users as well as by at-home workers, mobile workers, suppliers, clients, and other stakeholders. Modern firewall appliances permit you to configure and manage different access rights to different classes of users and to expand your IT network and adjust your cybersecurity posture as your company evolves and as cyber threats grow increasingly sophisticated. Progent supports both new and legacy security appliances from all major manufacturers including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, and Fortinet. For details about Progent's firewall integration expertise, refer to firewall configuration and support services.

Remote Endpoint Monitoring for TeleworkersRemote Endpoint Monitoring makes it possible to track the various devices used by remote workers and either block or identify and respond to the latest threats such as ransomware. With Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring services, a small-footprint agent is put on every protected endpoint device, watching all activity and using state-of-the-art machine learning and full execution context from SentinelOne to identify zero-day threats on arrival. When an attack is spotted, ProSight Active Security Monitoring instantly disconnects the targeted device from the corporate network to quarantine the malware. Since the ProSight Active Security Monitoring agent is autonomous, endpoint devices stay protected even if they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. To learn more about ProSight Active Security Monitoring, refer to remote endpoint monitoring for teleworkers.

Two-factor Authentication (2FA) Services for Remote WorkersProgent's Duo authentication Service Plans utilize Cisco's Duo cloud technology to defend against compromised passwords by using two-factor authentication. Duo enables one-tap identity verification on iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. Using Duo 2FA, when you sign into a secured application and enter your password you are requested to verify your identity via a unit that only you possess and that uses a separate network channel. A broad range of out-of-band devices can be utilized as this second means of authentication such as an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware token, a landline phone, etc. You may designate multiple verification devices. To find out more about Duo identity validation services, refer to Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for telecommuters.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can assess the exposure of your network to all classes of external and local security threats for a network that incorporates telecommuters. Progent can deploy remote, automated security inventory software for rapidly and affordably uncovering a broad range of security weaknesses that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's security assessment experts, which can be managed by security experts with advanced credentials including CISA, CISSP, and GIAC, can assist your business to audit your workflows and governance policies and assess your network infrastructure to allow you to design top-level protection for your an at-home workforce.

NodeZero Pen Testing for At-Home WorkersHorizon3.ai's NodeZero PEN Testing Platform is a breakthrough penetration test (pentest) product family that supports autonomous threat assessment of your work-from-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks so you can find, prioritize, fix, and confirm security weaknesses before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Progent can assist you to deploy NodeZero to carry out thorough penetration tests of your network perimeter and your internal network so you can evaluate your current security profile. Progent's NodeZero experts can also assist you to harden your network security and can help you to design and implement a unified cybersecurity strategy that simplifies management and provides optimum cyber defense for on-premises, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT resources. To learn additional information about Progent's threat assessment services powered by on NodeZero's penetration test platform, see Consulting Support for NodeZero's Pentest Products.

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

Data Protection for Teleworkers
Data Protection involves saving and recovering critical data in order to prevent data loss and minimize recovery time and effort in case of storage problems due to equipment breakdowns, software glitches, human mistakes, malware, or any other reason. Dependable data protection strategies can be especially difficult to architect and maintain in hybrid networks that combine local data centers, cloud resources, and an at-home workforce.

  • Backup/Restore solutions for at-home workers must cover multiple types of personally owned endpoint devices. Progent offers quick remote help from consultants familiar with a wide range of products for protection Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX servers and desktops as well as laptops, iPads and smartphones. Popular backup/recovery products maintained by Progent's backup/recovery experts include Barracuda Backup, Microsoft Azure Backup, DoubleTake Software, CrashPlan, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To back up resources spread across a wide area network, Progent can provide ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a backup/recovery service that utilizes cloud storage and features granular recovery and centralized management.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity strategies typically envision scenarios that require a rapid changeover to telecommuting. Progent's expert disaster recovery planning consultants and business continuity planning specialists can assist you to develop, document and validate a DR/BC plan that includes the logistics of moving to telecommuting.

Unified Management for Telecommuters
Microsoft has renamed and reshuffled its endpoint management platforms under the name Endpoint Manager, which includes Intune for cloud management of remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing local endpoints. Endpoint Manager provides a centralized platform for protecting critical information by controlling on-premises, mobile, and home-based endpoint devices.

Microsoft Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management family that also features Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and securing off-premises computers and applications. Remote endpoint computers can be personally owned or business owned. IT administrators managing the endpoint computers of telecommuters can utilize Intune to provision and authenticate apps on devices, push patches and certificates, configure rules for permission to access data and resources, manage passwords, create VPN connections, determine how home-based workers share data, set up threat protection, ensure compliance, and erase sensitive information from missing, stolen or decommissioned endpoint devices. Microsoft Intune runs with Apple iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS/OS X devices. To learn about Microsoft Intune and how Progent can help you to use this platform to manage the endpoint devices of your teleworkers, visit Intune telecommuter device management expertise.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is a feature-rich unified Mobile Device Management platform that helps network administrators to keep remote endpoint devices current and secure. Workspace ONE uses VMware AirWatch technology for unified endpoint management along with VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery platform for authorization control, application management, and configuration management of endpoints. Workspace ONE runs with endpoints powered by Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, or popular distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-premises deployment through a one-time purchase. Key features of Workspace ONE include fast over-the-air provisioning of out-of-the-box laptops, quick onboarding of new employees, policy setting and enforcement for all classes of devices, unifies management reporting and performance analytics, an email encryption gateway, and integration with Microsoft applications and cloud-based services. For details about Progent's support services for VMware Workspace ONE, go to VMware Workspace ONE mobile device management expertise.

Contact Progent for Remote Workforce Support Services
To get in touch with Progent about creating and maintaining a productive work-from-home environment for your Colorado Springs, Colorado company, phone 1-800-993-9400 or refer to Contact Progent.