Expanding your at-home workforce can have a major impact on IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and corporate culture. Progent has 20 years of experience helping businesses of all sizes to design, configure, administer, optimize, and debug IT networks that incorporate a remote workforce. Progent can help your Lima company to pick the appropriate technologies and adhere to best practices in building and maintaining a secure virtual office ecosystem for telecommuters that promotes collaboration and delivers maximum value. Progent can provide support services ranging from on demand expertise for helping you over challenging IT bottlenecks to full project management to help you successfully complete business-critical tasks.

Progent can help Lima, #(state) organizations to with any facet of building a high-performing work-from-home environment by delivering infrastructure configuration services, IP voice expertise, voice/video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, public cloud connectivity, Help Desk outsourcing, data security, data protection solutions, and streamlined management.

Infrastructure for Telecommuters
Setting up the network infrastructure required to support an at-home work environment can be especially complicated if you must manage a mix of personal hardware such as desktop computers and notebooks, Internet routers, and Wi-Fi appliances from an assortment of manufacturers and with a variety of operating systems and firmware releases. Progent's background providing remote support for both legacy and modern technologies in remote office solutions enables you to make cost-effective use of your existing network infrastructure and provides you with fast access to expertise for making necessary upgrades. Services offered by Progent to help your company to create a productive telecommuting infrastructure include:

  • Virtual Private Network technology allows you to create a secure connection for authenticated remote employees to use IT resources situated at your company datacenter or in a public cloud. Progent can help you to deploy and manage VPN connections between your at-home workforce and your key network resources by providing online VPN integration support. For businesses with Cisco's ASA security appliances, Progent's Cisco ASA consultants can assist your at-home workers to set up Cisco's AnyConnect software for safe VPN connections for a wide range of endpoint devices including Microsoft Windows, Mac, Apple iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) platforms enable a telecommuter to view and use a data center computer's desktop. This provides network managers significant control over the computing ecosystem of telecommuters and offers remote users a familiar experience. Progent's virtual desktop services include Windows Remote Desktop integration and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI expertise.
  • Routers attach home networks to the Internet and typically support VPN connections, home wireless networks, and firewalls. Progent offers top-tier remote consulting for setting up home routers from all major vendors. See router configuration support from Cisco-certified experts.
  • Home Wireless networks, typically shared by families and visitors, are commonly used by at-home employees to access their router for work. This can create throughput and security issues. Progent can assist you to resolve these issues by delivering expertise like Aironet integration expertise, Cisco Meraki WiFi installation consulting, and Ubiquiti WiFi AP integration assistance.
  • Internet access solutions impact the speed and availability of connections between at-home workers and the company network. Line-of-business applications might demand redundant Internet access in case the normal connection fails. Progent can provide guidance for picking Internet service providers, picking sensible bandwidth and data volume offerings, and integrating fault-tolerant Internet access. See Internet access integration services.

IP Voice Integration for At-Home Workers
Expanding the corporate PBX environment to include remote users is vital to supporting a productive at-home workforce. A variety of cloud-centric IP voice platforms are popular with SMBs to support teleworkers. Many enterprises depend on Cisco's current or legacy products for IP voice solutions. Progent can assist organizations of all sizes to plan or tune a remote VoIP environment that delivers the versatility, transparency and security needed for at-home workers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE IP Voice consultants can provide high-level support to help businesses optimize their existing Cisco VoIP environments to handle a growing at-home workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM or CUCM) extends high-end telephony features to devices such as VoIP phones, media processing products, VoIP gateways, and mixed media applications used throughout the network. CUCM manages additional mixed media services such as unified messaging, video conferencing, and team collaboration networks. For more information about Progent's CUCM support, refer to CUCM consultants.
  • Cisco CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing agent and has been superseded by Cisco Unified CM. Progent can assist you to support your existing CallManager deployment or migrate smoothly to Cisco's current IP telephony products. To learn about Progent's support services for Cisco CallManager and Cisco's other legacy VoIP products, refer to CallManager consulting services.
  • Cisco IP Gateways enable integration with PSTN networks and with users operating outside the corporate perimeter like telecommuters. Progent offers consulting expertise for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways like the UC520, UC540 and UC560 product lines and for modern Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateways. See Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateway configuration expertise.
  • Additional VoIP Products supported by Progent include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can assist you to expand your WAN infrastructure to work with these VoIP solutions and provide online deployment and debugging expertise.

Voice/Video Conferencing for Telecommuters
A broad selection of video conferencing products from leading vendors support virtual discussions, video and voice conferencing, chat sessions, and screen/content sharing for both onsite users and teleworkers. Many companies utilize a mix of conferencing products to meet the needs of their different partners and customers. Progent's communications experts can help you to manage your existing conferencing ecosystem and optimize the experience of your at-home employees.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's leading unified communications platform that supports presence, instant messaging, voice and video calling and conferencing plus the transparent integration of these functions within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software including PowerPoint, Word, and Excel. Progent offers the expertise of Microsoft-certified consultants who can assist your company to set up and maintain Skype for Business clients to accommodate your at-home workforce. For details about Progent's support services for Skype for Business, refer to Skype for Business integration services.
  • FaceTime is Apple's group video calling platform for iOS, iPadOS, iPod and Mac computers and smartphones. FaceTime runs over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Newer versions of FaceTime support as many as 32 simultaneous users for video calls. For details about Progent's support services for FaceTime, see Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center provides remote conferencing for most desktop or mobile devices. Offered through Cisco's Webex Cloud platform, Webex services include sharing granular content or computer screens, presentations that embed rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording, plus editing and playback for future reference. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Webex as well as for other video conferencing solutions from Cisco, see Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's follow-up for Skype for Business. Teams provides a hub for conferencing, contacts, and content with features that include IP voice and video calling, persistent chat, plus file sharing. To learn more about Progent's support expertise for Microsoft Teams as well as for additional Microsoft 365 apps, refer to 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 integration and troubleshooting expertise for these products and assist you to optimize your WAN architecture to run them.

Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Platforms for Teleworkers
Microsoft's collaboration products are tightly integrated with Microsoft's familiar Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 suites, providing a powerful environment of applications that deliver a consistent user experience for exchanging data and ideas across a corporate network and on a wide range of endpoint computers. Progent has provided online consulting support for SharePoint and Exchange since their original releases and can help businesses to tune these flagship collaboration platforms to optimize the effectiveness of your remote workers.

SharePoint Server Deployment Experts for Remote WorkersSharePoint utilizes web sites to promote collaboration and knowledge delivery by offering policy-based delivery of data, business processes, and utilities for looking through company-wide information silos. SharePoint enables you to build secure web portals that enables at-home workforce to see and update consolidated business intelligence via Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social web sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). To find out about Progent's SharePoint consulting services, go to SharePoint integration and application development expertise.

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

Onedrive Configuration Experts for At-Home WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft's shared cloud storage service, similar to GoogleDrive. At-home workers can save files to OneDrive, and co-workers can retrieve them securely through a web browser. Provided with Office and Microsoft 365, OneDrive allows home employees to co-edit documents. Edits created offline are synced when you reconnect to the Internet. To find out about Progent's support services for Microsoft OneDrive, see Microsoft Onedrive integration consulting.

Public Cloud Integration Services for Telecommuters
Progent can provide fast and affordable online assistance for enabling organizations to create, maintain and repair integrated network models that incorporate physical data centers, at-home workers, branches, plus public cloud services. Progent offers top-tier consultant for all types of cloud service including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help at-home workers fix problems with public cloud access, authentication, and security.

Microsoft Azure Integration Services for At-Home WorkersAzure is a leading platform for cloud software and services that allows you to use IT infrastructure, virtual servers, and key apps running on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Microsoft Azure includes more than one hundred services services such as hosting for Windows and Linux-based virtual machines, scalable cloud storage, email and messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and data backup. Progent can help your organization to deploy virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, configure cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity management with Azure Active Directory, and plan backup and restore solutions with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also show you how to create secure access to Azure services for teleworkers by configuring and debugging firewall appliances and VPN IPsec tunnels. To learn about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Azure, visit Azure consulting services.

Microsoft 365 Integration Services for TelecommutersMicrosoft 365, formerly called Office 365, is Microsoft's popular family of client productivity software and cloud services available on a subscription basis. Microsoft applications and cloud services are provided in a variety of bundles intended for users ranging from students and small offices to large enterprises. Progent offers fast and easy online access to consultants familiar with Microsoft 365-compatible endpoints based on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent's experts can help you to evaluate the various subscription bundles available for Microsoft 365 and configure 365 applications for your remote workers in a way that delivers maximum business value. To find out about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft 365, refer to Microsoft 365 consulting expertise.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online Integration Services for Remote WorkersExchange Online is one of the most popular applications in the Microsoft 365 product line. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online provides the benefits of lower costs for data center infrastructure, easier management, dynamic scaling, high availability, and additional benefits inherent with cloud computing. Microsoft has engineered Exchange Online to operate transparently with local Exchange environments, enabling you to build hybrid networks. Progent's certified Exchange consultants are available for occasional assistance to get you through tough technical roadblocks and also offer end-to-end project management services to ensure your teleworkers have convenient and safe access to your Microsoft 365 Exchange Online deployment. To find out Progent's expertise for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, refer to Microsoft 365 Exchange Online configuration and support consulting.

Amazon AWS Integration Services for At-Home WorkersAmazon Web Services (AWS) is a pioneer in the public cloud computing market and is the industry's biggest provider of cloud-based services. Progent offers quick and economical online access to cloud integration consultants who can help your business to plan, implement, manage, and troubleshoot hybrid information networks that integrate Amazon AWS cloud services with on-premises resources and with other public clouds like Azure. Progent also can provide the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking experts to help you to create a high-uptime network model to make sure your users have a productive computing experience whether they are working from your main office, a branch office, at home, or on the road. To find out about Progent's consulting expertise for Amazon AWS, refer to Amazon AWS consulting services.

Google Cloud Integration Services for At-Home WorkersGoogle Cloud Platform is a popular collection of cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can assist you to expand your existing IT resources with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's DBA experts can show you how to make your critical apps cloud friendly so your teleworkers can take full advantage of Google Cloud Platform services. Progent can assist your organization to set up VMs on GCP Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage system with Google Cloud Storage services, and streamline identity control for remote workers with Google Cloud Identity. Progent can also assist you to utilize GCP's unified management technology to administer and monitor your Google Cloud ecosystem. For information, go to Google Cloud Platform consulting support.

Help Desk Call Center Services for At-Home Workers
A rapid, organization-wide switchover to a telecommuter workforce, which could be activated by a pandemic or as a component of a disaster recovery process, can overwhelm even the most efficient internal Call Center. Progent's Help Desk Call Center services allow businesses to outsource or augment their Call Center by using Progent's remote Technical Response Center (TRC) services.

  • Progent's Standard Call Center support services utilize Progent's nationwide network of online IT support specialists combined with world-class trouble ticketing and tracking technology to offer an economical, advanced Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide a comprehensive solution that handles all facets of remote Level 1 PC technical support from initial help requests through trouble ticket creation, desktop sharing, issue resolution, and reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal enables teleworkers to monitor or revise their current trouble tickets, enter details, and upload screenshots or relevant files. Desktop support services are delivered at a substantial price reduction off Progent's ordinary Level 1 technical support charges, and Progent makes available optional rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 IT specialists to resolve advanced issues. For details, see Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services for small companies.
  • Progent's Help Desk Call Center Supplemental Service allows you to augment your current Call Center staff by splitting responsibilities for Call Desk support services seamlessly between your regular IT support personnel and Progent's extensive pool of PC support technicians and subject matter specialists. Progent's co-managed Call Desk service uses a collective support solution utilizing the number one PSA tool for handling service requests and trouble tickets, establishing ownership, tracking progress, and generating management reports. To learn how Progent's Support Desk Supplementation Services can help your company to provide best-in-class desktop support to your from-home workers, see Progent's Help Desk augmentation Services.

Security for At-Home Workers
Work-from-Home (WFH) staff members commonly utilize their own computing devices and often work in an unsecured physical environment. This increases their susceptibility to malware attacks and calls for judicious configuration of firewalls, anti-malware tools, multi-factor authentication, remote monitoring, extensive end-user training, and the creation of policies built on best practices. Progent's veteran group of data security support experts can assist your business to plan, implement and manage an effective cybersecurity solution that guards critical IT assets in networks that incorporate at-home workers.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls enable companies to create a network environment that can be safely accessed by on-premises users and by teleworkers, mobile workers, suppliers, clients, and other stakeholders. Next-generation firewall devices allow you to configure and manage different permissions to different groups of users and to scale your network and adjust your security profile as your business evolves and as network attacks become increasingly sophisticated. Progent supports both current and legacy security appliances from all major manufacturers like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. To find out more about Progent's firewall integration services, go to firewall configuration and support expertise.

Remote Endpoint Monitoring and Management Services for TelecommutersOnline Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it easy to watch over the disparate devices used by at-home workers and either reject or identify and mitigate the latest cyber attacks such as ransomware. With Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring services, a small-footprint agent is put on every secured endpoint device, watching all activity and using advanced machine learning and full execution context from SentinelOne to identify new attacks on arrival. When a cyberattack is spotted, ProSight ASM instantly isolates the infected device from the network to quarantine the malware. Because the ProSight Active Security Monitoring agent is autonomous, endpoint devices remain secure even if they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. To find out more about ProSight ASM, visit remote endpoint monitoring for remote workers.

Two-factor Authentication Services for TelecommutersProgent's Duo MFA managed services utilize Cisco's Duo cloud technology to defend against stolen passwords by using two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables one-tap identity verification with iOS, Google Android, and other personal devices. Using Duo 2FA, whenever you sign into a protected online account and give your password you are asked to confirm who you are via a unit that only you have and that uses a separate network channel. A wide range of out-of-band devices can be utilized as this second form of ID validation including an iPhone or Android or wearable, a hardware token, a landline phone, etc. You can register several verification devices. To learn more about Duo identity validation services, visit Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for teleworkers.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can assess the exposure of your network to all types of outside and local security attacks for a network that incorporates at-home workers. Progent can deploy online, automated security analysis scanning for rapidly and economically uncovering a wide variety of security gaps that can be surfaced via the Internet. Progent's endpoint security assessment consulting services, which can be managed by data security professionals with top certifications including CISA, CISSP, and GIAC, can help your company to evaluate your procedures and policies and assess your WAN infrastructure to enable you to design top-level protection for your an at-home workforce.

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

Data Protection Solutions for Teleworkers
The field of Data Protection covers saving and recovering vital information so as to prevent data loss and minimize recovery time in the event of storage system failures due to hardware breakdowns, software hiccups, human error, malware, or other causes. Reliable data protection strategies can be especially challenging to design and maintain in hybrid environments that combine in-house data centers, cloud resources, and at-home workers.

  • Backup/Restore solutions for telecommuters must cover diverse kinds of personally owned endpoints. Progent can provide quick online access to experts familiar with a broad range of platforms for protection Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX powered servers and desktop computers as well as laptops, iOS and Android tablets and handhelds. Popular backup/restore solutions maintained by Progent's data protection consultants include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To back up data distributed throughout a wide area network, Progent can provide ProSight Data Protection Services, a managed backup/recovery subscription service that uses cloud-based storage and features fine-grained recovery and centralized management.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity plans often envision circumstances that call for a temporary switch to a work-at-home environment. Progent's expert disaster recovery preparedness consultants and business continuity planning specialists can help your company to create, document and validate a DR/BC plan that addresses the process of moving to telecommuting.

Unified Management for Remote Workers
Microsoft has rebranded and reshuffled its endpoint management products under the title Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which includes Intune for cloud-based management of remote endpoints and Configuration Manager for managing onsite endpoints. Microsoft Endpoint Manager features a unified solution for protecting critical data by managing local, mobile, and home-based endpoint devices.

Microsoft Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also features Microsoft Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud service for managing and protecting off-premises computers and applications. Remote endpoint devices can be personally owned or business owned. Network administrators managing the endpoint computers of at-home workers can utilize Intune to provision and validate apps on managed devices, push updates and certificates, set up policies for permission to access information and resources, manage passwords, establish VPN connections, control how home-based workers share information, establish threat protection, ensure compliance, and delete corporate information from missing, stolen or decommissioned devices. Microsoft Intune runs with iOS/iPadOS, Android, Windows, and macOS endpoints. For details about Microsoft Intune and to find out how Progent can assist you to use this platform to administer the devices of your telecommuters, refer to Intune mobile device management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is a feature-rich centralized Mobile Device Management platform that helps network administrators to keep remote endpoints up to date and secure. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch technology for centralized endpoint management combined with VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery platform for identity control, app management, and configuration management of endpoint devices. Workspace ONE operates with devices powered by Windows 10, macOS, 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 via a perpetual license. Top capabilities of VMware Workspace ONE include rapid over-the-air deployment of out-of-the-box laptops, quick onboarding of new users, policy setting and enforcement for all classes of endpoints, aggregated management reporting and analytics, an email encryption gateway, and tight integration with Microsoft apps and cloud services. For information about Progent's support for VMware Workspace ONE, see VMware Workspace ONE remote device management consultants.

Contact Progent for Remote Workforce Expertise
To contact Progent about creating and maintaining an efficient telecommuter solution for your Lima, #(state) organization, call 1-800-993-9400 or refer to Contact Progent.