Expanding your at-home workforce may have a major impact on IT infrastructure, security, and company workflows. Progent has two decades of background assisting SMBs to plan, configure, administer, tune, and troubleshoot IT environments that incorporate work-from-home employees. Progent can help your Stamford organization to pick the appropriate technologies and follow best practices in building and operating a secure virtual office solution for telecommuters that facilitates teamwork and delivers maximum business value. Progent offers services ranging from on demand guidance for getting you past occasional technical bottlenecks to full project management or co-management to help you successfully complete mission-critical initiatives.

Progent's consultants can help Stamford, Connecticut businesses to with any aspect of building a high-functioning work-from-home ecosystem by delivering infrastructure configuration services, VoIP PBX expertise, video conferencing integration, collaboration platform customization and training, cloud connectivity, Help Desk augmentation, data security, data protection solutions, and streamlined management.

Infrastructure for a Remote Workforce
Integrating the physical and software infrastructure required to support a remote work environment can be particularly challenging if you must manage a mix of worker-owned equipment like PCs and notebooks, Internet routers, and wireless appliances from various vendors and with a variety of OS software and firmware releases. Progent's background delivering remote help for both outdated and current IT products in virtual office solutions allows you to make efficient use of your available network infrastructure and offers ready access to expertise for making necessary updates. Services available from Progent to help your company to implement a productive work-at-home ecosystem include:

  • Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity makes it possible to create a safe tunnel for authenticated at-home workers to use IT assets located at your company data center or in the cloud. Progent's consultants can assist your company to deploy and manage VPN connections between your at-home workforce and your key IT resources by providing online VPN integration support. For organizations using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco ASA experts can assist your telecommuters to set up Cisco's AnyConnect client software to provide safe VPN connections for a broad range of devices such as Microsoft Windows, macOS, Apple iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure products enable a telecommuter to view and use a data center PC's desktop. This technology gives network managers substantial control over the computing ecosystem of telecommuters and offers them a familiar experience. Progent's virtual desktop services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops expertise.
  • Routers connect at-home computer networks to the Internet and support VPN connections, home wireless connectivity, and firewalls. Progent can provide expert remote support for setting up routers from a variety of vendors. See router integration support from Cisco-certified consultants.
  • Home Wi-Fi networks, often shared by an entire household and visitors, are commonly used by at-home employees to access their router for work. This can cause performance as well as security problems. Progent can help businesses to mitigate these problems by providing expertise like Cisco Aironet configuration expertise, Cisco Meraki WiFi deployment expertise, and Ubiquiti Unifi WiFi AP integration assistance.
  • Internet access methods impact the speed and reliability of connections between at-home workers and the corporate data center. Mission-critical applications may demand redundant Internet connections in the event the normal connection breaks. Progent offers guidance for identifying service providers, selecting appropriate service offerings, and configuring fault-tolerant Internet connections. See Internet connectivity integration services.

IP Voice Integration for Remote Workers
Expanding the business phone environment to accommodate remote users is critical to supporting a productive work-at-home solution. A broad range of cloud-based digital PBX products are used by SMBs to server remote users. Many enterprises depend on Cisco's current or older platforms for VoIP solutions. Progent can help organizations of all sizes to plan or maintain a remote VoIP environment that provides the flexibility, convenience and protection required for remote users. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE IP Voice consultants can provide advanced support to help businesses tune their current Cisco VoIP systems to handle a growing at-home workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) extends high-end telephony features to devices like IP phones, media processing platforms, VoIP gateways, and mixed media apps deployed across the network. CUCM manages other combined media services like messaging, video conferencing, and team collaboration networks. For more information about Progent's Cisco Unified CM or CUCM support, visit Cisco Unified Communications Manager consultants.
  • CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing agent and has been superseded by Cisco Unified CM or CUCM. Progent can assist you to maintain your existing CallManager environment or migrate efficiently to Cisco's modern IP telephony products. For details about Progent's support services for Cisco CallManager and Cisco's other older VoIP products, see CallManager consulting services.
  • Cisco IP Gateways enable integration with PSTN networks and with clients working outside the corporate perimeter such as at-home workers. Progent can provide consulting expertise for Cisco's legacy IP gateways like the UC520, UC540 and UC560 series and for current Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway configuration expertise.
  • Additional VoIP Platforms supported by Progent include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can assist you to update your WAN infrastructure to support these solutions and provide on-demand configuration and debugging services.

Voice/Video Conferencing for At-Home Workers
A wide range of voice/video conferencing platforms from major technology companies support virtual discussions, video conferencing, chat, and screen/content sharing for both onsite users and at-home workers. Many companies utilize multiple conferencing products to accommodate their various partners and customers. Progent can assist you to manage your existing conferencing ecosystem and optimize the productivity of your at-home employees.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular communications product that enables presence, IM, voice and video conferencing as well as the seamless integration of these capabilities within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software including PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent offers the skills of Microsoft-certified specialists who can assist your company to deploy and manage Skype for Business client software to support your at-home workforce. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Skype for Business, see Skype for Business consulting experts.
  • FaceTime is Apple's group video phone app for compatible iOS, iPadOS, iPod and Mac devices. FaceTime works over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Current versions of FaceTime support up to 32 concurrent users for voice/video sessions. 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 platform, Webex capabilities include sharing granular content or computer screens, presentations that incorporate rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, session capture, plus revision and playback for training. For details about Progent's support expertise for Webex and 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 conferencing, contacts, and information with features that include voice/video conferencing, persistent threaded chat, plus file sharing. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Teams as well as for additional Microsoft 365 products, refer to Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Other 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 help you to tune your WAN infrastructure to run them.

Microsoft Collaboration Software for Remote and Hybrid Workers
Microsoft's collaboration products are tightly integrated with Microsoft's popular Office and Microsoft 365 suites, offering a rich ecosystem of applications that create a cohesive user experience for sharing information across multiple sites and on a broad selection of endpoint computers. Progent has provided remote consulting services for SharePoint and Exchange since their first publication and can assist your company to configure these flagship collaboration platforms to maximize the productivity of your remote workers.

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 Integration Experts for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft 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 enable chat, audio/video meetings that include screen sharing, phone calls, cloud voicemail, group email, plus file and app sharing. Teams is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 and relies on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Azure Entra (formerly branded Azure Active Directory) for delivering its full range of features. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams, see solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams.

SharePoint Configuration Consultants for Remote WorkersSharePoint utilizes web entities to allow collaboration and information delivery by providing policy-driven access to data, workflow, and tools for searching through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint permits you to create protected portals that allows at-home workers to see and update consolidated business intelligence by means of Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social networking web sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). To learn about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, refer to SharePoint integration and development consulting.

Exchange Integration 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. To learn about Progent's Exchange consulting services, see integration expertise for Exchange.

Microsoft Onedrive Deployment Experts for At-Home WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud file hosting and synchronization service, similar to GoogleDrive. Remote workers can store files to OneDrive, and co-workers can retrieve them safely through a web browser. Included with Microsoft 365, OneDrive enables remote employees to co-edit documents. Revisions made offline are uploaded when you reconnect to the Internet. To find out about Progent's support services for Microsoft OneDrive, refer to Microsoft Onedrive integration experts.

Public Cloud Integration for Remote Workers
Progent offers fast and affordable remote assistance for enabling organizations to build, maintain and troubleshoot cohesive network architectures that include internal data centers, remote workers, branches, and public cloud services. Progent offers top-tier consultant for all modes of public cloud service delivery 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 cloud access, identity, and cybersecurity.

Microsoft Azure Integration for TelecommutersAzure is a popular family of public cloud software and services that enables you to utilize IT infrastructure, servers, and key apps hosted on Microsoft's massive cloud. Azure includes over 100 cloud-based services such as the ability to host Windows and Linux-based VMs, on-demand cloud storage, messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and backup/restore. Progent can assist you to set up VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, configure cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity management with Azure AD, and plan data backup and restore solutions with Azure Backup. Progent can also show you how to establish protected access to Azure services for teleworkers by configuring and debugging firewalls and VPN tunnels. To learn about Progent's consulting services for Azure, refer to Azure expertise.

Microsoft 365 Integration for TelecommutersMicrosoft 365, previously branded Office 365, is Microsoft's growing family of client productivity applications and cloud-based services offered by subscription. Office apps and services are marketed in a variety of plans designed for users ranging from students and small offices to major corporations. Progent offers fast and affordable remote access to consultants knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent can help your business to evaluate the numerous subscription bundles available for Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 applications for your remote workers to achieve maximum business value. For information about Progent's expertise for Microsoft 365, refer to Microsoft 365 integration expertise.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online Integration Services for TelecommutersExchange Online is among the most popular cloud-based applications in the Microsoft 365 product line. Exchange Online provides the advantages of lower costs for physical infrastructure, easier management, on-demand scaling, high availability, and other benefits inherent with cloud computing. Microsoft has engineered Microsoft 365 Exchange Online to run seamlessly with local Exchange environments, allowing customers to create hybrid networks. Progent's certified Exchange experts can provide occasional help to guide you through challenging IT bottlenecks and can also provide comprehensive project management outsourcing to ensure your remote workers have convenient and secure access to your Exchange Online environment. For information Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, visit Exchange Online configuration and support expertise.

Amazon AWS Integration Services for TelecommutersAmazon AWS is a pioneer in the public cloud computing arena and is the industry's top source of cloud services. Progent can provide quick and affordable online contact with cloud connectivity consultants who can assist your organization to plan, deploy, manage, and troubleshoot hybrid information networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with on-premises resources and with other popular cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure. Progent also can provide the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to assist you to create a high-uptime network model so your users have a consistent computing experience regardless of whether they are working from your main office, a branch office, at home, or on the move. To learn about Progent's consulting expertise for Amazon AWS, visit Amazon AWS consulting support.

Google Cloud Platform Integration for TelecommutersGoogle Cloud Platform (GCP) is a popular collection of cloud computing services that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) products. Progent's Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can help you to scale your current IT resources with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's DBA consultants can help you make your mission-critical apps cloud friendly so your telecommuters can take full advantage of Google Cloud services. Progent's consultants can help your business to set up virtual machines on Google Cloud Compute Engine, plan a cost-effective storage solution with GCP Storage services, and streamline access management for at-home workers with Google Cloud Identity services. Progent's experts can also help you to use GCP's unified management technology to control and monitor your Google Cloud environment. For details, visit Google Cloud Platform (GCP) integration expertise.

Help Desk Call Center Services for Telecommuters
A sudden, enterprise-wide transition to a from-home business model, which could be motivated by a pandemic or as an element of a disaster recovery/business continuity process, can overwhelm even a high-performing internal Help Desk. 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 team.

  • Progent's Standard Support Desk services utilize Progent's extensive team of remote technical support specialists combined with enterprise-class ticketing and tracking technology to provide an economical, modern Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide an end-to-end solution that addresses all facets of remote Level 1 desktop support from initial service requests through ticket creation, desktop sharing, issue resolution, and incident reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal allows from-home workers to monitor or revise the status of their current trouble tickets, add details, and upload screenshots or attachments. Desktop support services are provided at a substantial price reduction off Progent's normal Level 1 technical support rates, and Progent offers the option of rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 support specialists to resolve advanced problems. For more information, visit Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services for small companies.
  • Progent's Support Desk Supplemental Service enables your business to augment your current Call Center organization by sharing delivery of Help Desk support seamlessly between your in-house IT support staff and Progent's extensive roster of desktop support technicians and subject matter experts. Progent's co-managed Support Desk service uses a collective support model utilizing the number one PSA platform for handling service requests and ticketing, assigning responsibility, monitoring progress, and generating management reports. To find out how Progent's Call Center Supplementation Services can help your business to deliver best-in-class technical support to your teleworkers, refer to Progent's Help Desk Call Center supplementation Services.

Security for Teleworkers
At-home employees typically use their own devices and often operate in an unsecured physical area. This multiplies their susceptibility to cyber threats and calls for careful configuration of corporate firewalls, anti-malware tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote monitoring, extensive end-user education, and the creation of security policies based on best practices. Progent's seasoned team of IT security support consultants can help you to design, implement and manage an effective cybersecurity solution that protects critical IT assets in environments that incorporate telecommuters.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls allow you to build a network that can be safely utilized by on-premises users as well as by at-home workers, mobile users, suppliers, customers, and the public. Next-generation firewall devices permit you to configure and manage appropriate permissions to different classes of users and to expand your IT network and adjust your security as your company evolves and as network attacks become increasingly sophisticated. Progent works with both new and legacy firewall devices from all major vendors like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. For more information about Progent's firewall integration expertise, go to firewall integration and support services.

Remote Security Monitoring and Management Services for TeleworkersRemote Endpoint Monitoring makes it possible to watch over the various computers utilized by remote workers and either block or identify and mitigate modern threats such as ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight software agent is installed on each secured endpoint, monitoring all activity and utilizing advanced machine learning and full execution context from SentinelOne to detect new threats on arrival. When a cyberattack is spotted, ProSight ASM instantly disconnects the impacted endpoint from the network to quarantine the malware. Since the ProSight Active Security Monitoring software agent is autonomous, endpoints stay protected even when they are not connected to the Internet. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. To find out more about ProSight ASM, refer to remote endpoint security monitoring for at-home workers.

Two-factor Authentication Services for TelecommutersProgent's Duo MFA Service Plans incorporate Cisco's Duo cloud technology to protect against stolen passwords through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables single-tap identity verification on iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. Using 2FA, whenever you log into a secured online account and give your password you are asked to confirm who you are via a device that only you have and that is accessed using a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A wide range of devices can be used for this second form of ID validation including a smartphone or wearable, a hardware token, a landline phone, etc. You can designate multiple validation devices. To learn more about Duo two-factor identity validation services, visit Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for at-home workers.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can evaluate the exposure of your network to all types of outside and internal security threats for an environment that includes teleworkers. Progent can run online, automated cybersecurity inventory software for quickly and affordably uncovering a wide variety of security holes that can be surfaced via the Internet. Progent's endpoint security assessment consulting services, which can be provided by network security professionals with top certifications including CISA, CISSP, and GIAC, can help your business to audit your operations and policies and assess your network architecture to enable you to design the highest level of protection for your an at-home workforce.

NodeZero Pentetration Testing for Work-from-Home EnpointsHorizon3.ai's NodeZero Pentest Platform is a breakthrough penetration test (pentest) product family that supports autonomous threat assessment of your work-from-home connectivity solution as well as your internal and perimeter networks so you can find, prioritize, fix, and verify cybersecurity weaknesses before threat actors can exploit them. Progent can assist you to use NodeZero to carry out thorough pentests of your perimeter and your internal network in order to determine your current security profile. Progent's NodeZero experts can also assist you to harden your existing network security and can assist you to plan and implement a cohesive cybersecurity ecosystem that streamlines management and provides optimum protection for on-prem, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT resources. To find out more details about Progent's vulnerability assessment services powered by on NodeZero's PEN test products, visit Consulting Support for NodeZero's Pentest Platform.

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

Data Protection for Telecommuters
Data Protection covers saving and restoring vital data in order to prevent data loss and reduce recovery time and effort in case of storage problems due to equipment issues, software hiccups, user mistakes, cyber attack, or other causes. Dependable data protection strategies can be especially difficult to architect and maintain in hybrid environments that incorporate private data centers, cloud resources, and at-home workers.

  • Backup/Recovery solutions for at-home workers must address diverse types of user-owned endpoints. Progent can provide fast online access to consultants 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. Leading backup/restore solutions maintained by Progent's backup/recovery consultants include Barracuda Backup, Microsoft Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Mozy, and Time Machine. To back up data spread throughout a wide area network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a managed backup/recovery service that utilizes cloud storage and includes granular recovery and unified management.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity plans commonly anticipate scenarios that call for a temporary changeover to telecommuting. Progent's expert disaster recovery planning experts and business continuity planning specialists can help your company to produce, document and validate a DR/BC plan that includes the process of switching to an at-home workforce.

Unified Management for Remote Workers
Microsoft has rebranded and reshuffled its endpoint management products under the title Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud-based management of mobile and remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing onsite endpoints. Endpoint Manager offers a centralized environment for protecting critical information by controlling onsite, mobile, and at-home endpoints.

Microsoft Intune
Intune is a component 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 devices can be user owned or business owned. Network administrators managing the endpoint devices of at-home workers can use Intune to deploy and authenticate applications on devices, push patches and certificates, configure rules for permission to access data and networks, manage passwords, create VPN connections, control how teleworkers share data, establish threat defense, ensure security compliance, and wipe corporate data from lost, stolen or decommissioned endpoint devices. Intune works with iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS computers. For details about Intune and to find out how Progent can help you to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to administer the endpoint computers of your telecommuters, refer to Intune teleworker endpoint management consultants.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced centralized Mobile Device Management product that allows network administrators to keep remote endpoint devices up to date and protected. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch technology for centralized endpoint management combined with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery technology for identity control, application management, and setup management of endpoint devices. Workspace ONE runs with endpoints powered by Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, or leading distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-site product through a one-time purchase. Top capabilities of VMware Workspace ONE include fast remote provisioning of new laptops, quick onboarding of new users, policy setting and enforcement for all classes of devices, aggregated management reporting and performance analytics, an email encryption gateway, and integration with Microsoft apps and cloud services. To find out about Progent's expertise for VMware Workspace ONE, refer to VMware Workspace ONE remote device management consultants.

Contact Progent for At-Home Worker Expertise
To contact Progent about creating and maintaining an efficient telecommuter solution for your Stamford, Connecticut business, call 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.