Enlarging your remote workforce may have a significant effect on network infrastructure, cybersecurity, and company culture. Progent has two decades of experience assisting SMBs to design, deploy, administer, tune, and debug IT networks that incorporate at-home workers. Progent can assist your Perth company to pick the right technologies and follow leading practices in creating and maintaining a safe virtual office ecosystem for teleworkers that promotes collaboration and delivers top value. Progent can provide support services ranging from as-needed expertise for helping you over occasional IT bottlenecks to full project management to help you successfully complete mission-critical tasks.

Progent can assist Perth, Western Australia organizations to succeed with any aspect of creating a high-functioning work-from-home ecosystem by delivering network infrastructure configuration services, IP voice troubleshooting, video conferencing integration, collaboration platform selection and deployment, cloud integration, helpdesk augmentation, cybersecurity, backup/restore solutions, and centralized management.

Network Infrastructure for a Remote Workforce
Setting up the physical and software infrastructure required to support an at-home workforce can be especially challenging if you must manage a mix of personal equipment such as desktop computers and notebooks, Internet routers, and wireless appliances from various manufacturers and with a mix of OS software and firmware releases. Progent's background providing online support for both outdated as well as modern technologies in remote office solutions enables you to make cost-effective use of your available network infrastructure and offers ready access to expertise for making necessary updates. Support services available from Progent to assist you to create a productive work-at-home infrastructure include:

  • VPN technology allows you to create a secure tunnel for authenticated at-home employees to access IT assets located at your corporate datacenter or in the cloud. Progent can help your company to deploy and manage VPN connections between your at-home workforce and your various IT resources by providing remote VPN configuration consulting. For organizations with Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco-certified ASA consultants can help your at-home workers to set up Cisco's popular AnyConnect client software to provide safe VPN tunneling for a wide range of devices including Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) platforms enable a telecommuter to view and use a data center PC's desktop. This gives network managers significant control over the computing ecosystem of at-home employees and ensures remote users a consistent and more productive work experience. Progent's VDI consulting services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops expertise.
  • Routers connect at-home networks to the Internet and support VPN tunnels, home Wi-Fi networks, and firewalls. Progent can provide top-tier remote consulting for integrating home routers from all major manufacturers. See router configuration support from Cisco-certified experts.
  • Home Wi-Fi networks, typically supporting the whole family and visitors, are commonly used by at-home employees to access their router for work. This can cause performance as well as security issues. Progent can assist businesses to mitigate these problems by delivering expertise that include Aironet configuration expertise, Cisco Meraki WiFi installation expertise, and Ubiquiti Unifi wireless access point setup help.
  • Internet access solutions affect the speed and availability of connections between telecommuters and the company network. Line-of-business processes may require redundant Internet connections in the event the normal connection fails. Progent can provide guidance for selecting Internet service providers, choosing appropriate service offerings, and configuring fault-tolerant Internet access. See Internet access solutions.

VoIP Integration for Teleworkers
Extending the company phone environment to include remote users is critical to supporting a productive at-home workforce. A broad range of cloud-centric digital PBX platforms are used by SMBs to support teleworkers. Many enterprises depend on Cisco's modern or older products for VoIP management. Progent can assist businesses of any size to plan or tune a remote IP voice environment that provides the versatility, convenience and security required for telecommuters. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice consultants offer high-level support to assist businesses tune their current Cisco VoIP environments to handle an expanding remote workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM) delivers high-end IP telephony features to devices like VoIP phones, media processing products, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media applications used throughout the network. Unified Communications Manager manages other combined media services such as messaging, video conferencing, and customer collaboration networks. For details about Progent's CUCM expertise, refer to Cisco Unified Communications Manager consulting services.
  • CallManager is Cisco's legacy call-processing agent and has been superseded by Cisco Unified CM. Progent can help your company to maintain your current CallManager deployment or upgrade smoothly to Cisco's current IP telephony solutions. To learn about Progent's expertise for CallManager and Cisco's other early IP voice products, see Cisco CallManager consulting services.
  • Cisco IP Gateways provide integration with public telephony networks and with users operating outside the corporate firewall like telecommuters. Progent can provide consulting expertise for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways including the UC520, UC540 and UC560 product lines and for modern Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway integration consulting.
  • Additional VoIP Products supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can assist you to enhance your WAN infrastructure to support these VoIP solutions and provide online deployment and debugging services.

Video Conferencing for Teleworkers
A wide range of voice/video conferencing platforms from leading technology companies support online meetings, video conferencing, chat sessions, and screen/content sharing for both onsite workers and teleworkers. Many companies utilize a mix of products to meet the needs of their various partners and clients. Progent can help your organization to manage your current conferencing ecosystem and optimize the engagement of your at-home workforce.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular unified communications product that supports presence, IM, voice and video calling and conferencing plus the seamless integration of these functions within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software including PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent offers the expertise of Microsoft-certified specialists who can assist your company to deploy and manage Skype for Business client software to accommodate your remote employees. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Skype for Business, visit Skype for Business consulting services.
  • FaceTime is Apple's group video calling platform for iOS and Mac computers and smartphones. FaceTime works on Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Later versions of FaceTime support up to 32 simultaneous users for video sessions. For details about Progent's consulting services for FaceTime, see Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center provides remote conferencing for virtually all computing devices. Offered through Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex services include sharing granular content or screens, presentations that incorporate rich media such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, session capture, plus revision and playback for training. For details about Progent's support services for Cisco Webex as well as for additional video conferencing solutions from Cisco, refer to Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's follow-up for Skype for Business. Teams provides a hub for conversations, contacts, and information with features such as voice/video conferencing, threaded chat, plus file sharing. For details about Progent's consulting services for Teams and for additional Microsoft 365 apps, see Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Additional Conferencing Apps supported by Progent's conferencing experts include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can provide configuration and troubleshooting services for these conferencing platforms and assist you to tune your WAN infrastructure to run them.

Microsoft Collaboration Platforms for Teleworkers
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are closely integrated with Microsoft's familiar Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 suites, offering a rich environment of applications that create a consistent user experience for sharing data and ideas across a corporate network and on a wide selection of endpoint computers. Progent has provided online consulting support for SharePoint and Exchange since their initial publication and can assist businesses to configure these flagship collaboration platforms to maximize the effectiveness of your remote workforce.

SharePoint Deployment Consultants for Remote WorkersSharePoint uses web sites to allow collaboration and information delivery by providing policy-driven delivery of content, business processes, and tools for searching through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint allows you to create protected portals that permits at-home workforce to see and edit aggregated business intelligence via Wikis, Blogs, social sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). To find out about Progent's SharePoint support services, refer to SharePoint configuration and application development consulting.

Exchange Configuration Consultants 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. To find out about Progent's Exchange consulting services, see planning and configuration consulting for Exchange Server.

Microsoft Onedrive Configuration Consultants for Remote WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft's collaborative cloud storage service, similar to GoogleDrive. At-home users can store files to OneDrive, and co-workers anywhere can share them safely through a browser. Provided with Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365, OneDrive enables home workers to co-author files. Revisions created offline are automatically synced when you reconnect to the Internet. To find out about Progent's support services for Microsoft OneDrive, go to Onedrive configuration experts.

Cloud Integration for Remote Workers
Progent can provide advanced remote assistance for enabling businesses to build, manage and troubleshoot cohesive hybrid network models that include physical data centers, at-home workers, branches, plus public cloud resources. Progent can provide top-tier consultant for all types of public cloud service such as Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help remote workers resolve problems with cloud connectivity, identity, and cybersecurity.

Azure Integration Services for TelecommutersMicrosoft Azure is a leading platform for cloud software and services that allows you to use infrastructure, servers, and key applications running on Microsoft's massive cloud. Azure features over one hundred services services including hosting for Windows and Linux-based virtual machines, on-demand cloud storage, email and messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and data backup. Progent can help you to set up virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, configure cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity control with Azure Active Directory, and design backup and recovery systems with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also help you create protected access to Azure services for teleworkers by configuring and troubleshooting firewalls and VPN IPsec tunnels. To learn about Progent's support services for Azure, refer to Microsoft Azure consulting services.

Microsoft 365 Integration Services for TeleworkersMicrosoft 365, formerly branded Office 365, is Microsoft's growing family of client productivity software and cloud-based services offered by subscription. Microsoft applications and cloud services are marketed in a selection of bundles designed for users ranging from students and small offices to major enterprises. Progent can provide fast and easy online access to consultants knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible endpoint devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent can assist you to assess the various subscription bundles offered with Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 apps for your telecommuters in a way that delivers top business value. For information about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft 365, see Microsoft 365 integration expertise.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online Integration Services for TeleworkersExchange Online is among the most widely used cloud-based applications in Azure-hosted Microsoft 365 product line. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online offers the benefits of lower spending for physical infrastructure, easier management, on-demand scaling, high reliability, and other benefits associated with public clouds. Microsoft has engineered Microsoft 365 Exchange Online to run transparently with on-premises Exchange environments, enabling you to create hybrid information systems. Progent's Exchange experts are available for occasional help to get you past challenging technical roadblocks and also offer comprehensive project management outsourcing to make sure your teleworkers have convenient and safe access to your Exchange Online deployment. For information Progent's support services for Exchange Online, go to Microsoft 365 Exchange Online configuration and support consulting.

Amazon AWS Integration Services for Remote WorkersAmazon AWS is a trailblazer in the public cloud computing arena and is the world's biggest provider of cloud-based services. Progent can provide fast and affordable online contact with cloud integration consultants who can assist your organization to design, implement, manage, and debug hybrid information networks that integrate Amazon AWS cloud services with on-premises data centers and with other popular cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure. Progent also can provide access to Cisco-certified CCIE networking experts to assist your company to create a high-availability network architecture so your employees have a consistent computing experience whether they are working from your headquarters, a branch office, from home, or on the move. For information about Progent's expertise for Amazon AWS, see Amazon AWS integration expertise.

Google Cloud Integration for TeleworkersGoogle Cloud Platform (GCP) is a leading suite of public cloud services that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can help your organization to scale your existing IT resources with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's database experts can help you make your critical apps cloud ready so your telecommuters can take full advantage of Google Cloud Platform services. Progent's consultants can assist your organization to set up VMs on Google Cloud Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage solution with Google Cloud Storage, and streamline access control for teleworkers with Google Cloud Identity. Progent's consultants can also assist your organization to utilize GCP's management technology to control and monitor your GCP environment. To find out, visit Google Cloud Platform integration support.

Help Desk Call Center Services for Telecommuters
An emergency, company-wide changeover to a teleworker business model, which might be the result of a pandemic or as an element of a business continuity process, can overwhelm even a high-performing in-house Call Center. Progent's Call Center services allow organizations of any size to outsource or expand their Help Desk Call Center by using Progent's online Technical Response Center services.

  • Progent's Standard Call Center support services utilize Progent's nationwide network of online IT support specialists along with enterprise-class trouble ticketing and tracking technology to offer an economical, state-of-the-art Help Desk. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide a comprehensive solution that handles all aspects of online Level 1 desktop technical support from initial help requests through ticket creation, desktop sharing, issue resolution, and reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal allows at-home employees to monitor or update their current tickets, enter information, and upload screen captures and relevant files. Technical support services are provided at a significant price reduction off Progent's normal Level 1 desktop service rates, and Progent makes available optional rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 IT specialists to resolve advanced problems. To learn more, visit Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small companies.
  • Progent's Call Center Augmentation Service enables your company to supplement your current Help Desk staff by sharing responsibilities for Call Desk services transparently between your in-house support organization and Progent's extensive pool of desktop support engineers and subject matter specialists. Progent's co-managed Call Desk service is based on a collective support solution based on the number one professional services automation (PSA) tool for handling help requests and ticketing, establishing responsibility, tracking progress, and generating management reports. To find out how Progent's Help Desk Call Center Augmentation Services can enable your company to deliver world-class desktop support to your at-home employees, see Progent's Call Center supplementation Services.

Security and Compliance for Telecommuters
Work-from-Home (WFH) workers typically use their personal computers and often work in an unsecured physical space. This multiplies their vulnerability to cyber threats and calls for judicious configuration of firewalls, anti-malware tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote endpoint monitoring, extensive end-user education, and the development of security policies built on best practices. Progent's veteran roster of cybersecurity support experts can help you to plan, deploy and maintain an effective cybersecurity solution that protects vital IT assets in networks that include remote workers.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls enable you to build a network that can be safely accessed by local users as well as by teleworkers, mobile employees, suppliers, clients, and other stakeholders. Modern firewall appliances permit you to assign and control appropriate permissions to various groups of users and to scale your IT network and adjust your security as your business evolves and as cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated. Progent works with both new and legacy firewall appliances from all major vendors like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. To learn more about Progent's firewall integration services, visit firewall configuration and support services.

Remote Endpoint Monitoring and Management for TelecommutersRemote Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it easy to track the disparate computers used by an at-home workforce and either block or spot and respond to modern threats like ransomware. With Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring services, a small-footprint agent is put on every protected endpoint, watching all activity and using advanced machine learning and full execution context from SentinelOne to identify zero-day attacks before they can spread. When a cyberattack is discovered, ProSight ASM instantly disconnects the impacted device from the network to quarantine the malware. Because the ProSight Active Security Monitoring software agent is self-contained, endpoint devices remain secure even when they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. For more information about ProSight ASM, refer to remote endpoint monitoring for remote workers.

Two-factor Authentication (2FA) Services for At-Home WorkersProgent's Duo MFA Services incorporate Cisco's Duo cloud technology to protect against compromised passwords by using two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo supports single-tap identity confirmation with iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. Using 2FA, when you log into a secured online account and give your password you are requested to confirm your identity via a device that only you have and that uses a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A wide selection of devices can be utilized for this second form of ID validation including a smartphone or watch, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You can designate multiple verification devices. For more information about ProSight Duo two-factor identity validation services, go to Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for teleworkers.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can assess the vulnerability of your information system to all types of external and local security threats for an environment that incorporates an at-home workforce. Progent can deploy remote, automated security analysis scanning for rapidly and affordably detecting a broad range of security weaknesses that can be found over the Internet. Progent's security assessment experts, which can be managed by data security professionals with advanced credentials such as CISM, ISSAP, and GIAC, can assist your business to audit your processes and governance policies and review your IT architecture to allow you to design the highest level of protection for your at-home workers.

NodeZero Pentetration Testing for Work-from-Home EnpointsHorizon3.ai's NodeZero Pentest Platform is a cutting-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that supports autonomous testing of your work-from-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks so you can expose, rank, fix, and confirm security vulnerabilities before threat actors can take advantage of them. Progent can help you to use NodeZero to carry out thorough penetration tests of your network perimeter and your internal IT infrastructure so you can determine your current security posture. Progent's NodeZero experts can also assist you to strengthen your existing network security and can assist you to plan and implement a unified cybersecurity ecosystem that simplifies management and delivers maximum protection for on-prem, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT assets. To learn additional information about Progent's vulnerability analysis services based on on NodeZero's pentest platform, visit Consulting Support for NodeZero's Penetration Test Products.

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

Data Protection for Telecommuters
The field of Data Protection covers saving and recovering critical data so as to avoid data loss and reduce recovery time and effort in the event of storage system failures resulting from equipment breakdowns, software hiccups, user error, malware, or any other reason. Reliable data protection strategies can be particularly difficult to design and maintain in hybrid networks that combine local data centers, public clouds, and at-home workers.

  • Backup/Recovery strategies for an at-home workforce must cover multiple kinds of personally owned endpoints. Progent offers quick remote help from experts familiar with a broad array of platforms for backing up Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX servers and desktop computers as well as laptops, iPads and smartphones. Popular backup/restore products maintained by Progent's data protection experts include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To protect data spread throughout a wide area network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services, a backup/recovery subscription service that utilizes cloud storage and features fine-grained recovery and unified management.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity plans typically anticipate circumstances that call for a quick changeover to telecommuting. Progent's expert disaster recovery preparedness experts and business continuity specialists can assist you to create, document and validate a DR/BC strategy that addresses the process of switching to an at-home workforce.

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

Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also includes Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and securing off-premises devices and software. Managed endpoint computers can be user owned or business owned. Network administrators managing the endpoint computers of at-home workers can utilize Intune to provision and authenticate applications on devices, push updates and certificates, set up rules for permission to access data and resources, set passwords, establish VPN connections, determine how teleworkers share data, set up threat defense, verify security compliance, and delete sensitive data from missing, stolen or decommissioned endpoint devices. Intune can be used with Apple iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS computers. To find out about Microsoft Intune and to find out how Progent can assist your company to use this platform to manage the endpoint devices of your telecommuters, visit Intune remote endpoint management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced centralized MDM platform that allows network administrators to keep offsite endpoint devices current and protected. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch for centralized endpoint management combined with VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery technology for identity control, app management, and configuration management of endpoint devices. Workspace ONE operates with devices based on Windows 10, macOS, Apple iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or leading distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is available by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-premises deployment through a perpetual license. Key capabilities of Workspace ONE include fast remote deployment of new laptops, immediate onboarding of new users, policy setting and enforcement for all classes of devices, aggregated management reporting and performance analytics, email encryption, and seamless integration with Microsoft applications and cloud-based services. To learn about Progent's support services for VMware Workspace ONE, go to VMware Workspace ONE remote device management consultants.

Contact Progent for At-Home Worker Support Services
To get in touch with Progent about building and maintaining a productive telecommuter environment for your Perth, Western Australia organization, call 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.