Detroit At Home Workers Integration Advisor

Expanding your remote workforce may have a major impact on IT architecture, security/compliance, and company culture. Progent has 20 years of background assisting SMBs to plan, deploy, administer, tune, and debug IT networks that incorporate at-home workers. Progent can help your Detroit organization to pick the right tools and follow best practices in creating and maintaining a secure virtual office ecosystem for teleworkers that facilitates collaboration and returns top value. Progent offers services ranging from on demand guidance for helping you past challenging IT roadblocks to full project management to help you carry out business-critical tasks.

Progent can help Detroit, Michigan businesses to succeed with any aspect of building a high-performing work-from-home ecosystem by delivering infrastructure configuration services, IP voice troubleshooting, voice/video conferencing integration, collaboration platform customization and training, public cloud connectivity, helpdesk services, endpoint security, data protection solutions, and centralized management.

Infrastructure for a Remote Workforce
Integrating the physical and software infrastructure required for an at-home work environment can be especially challenging if you have to accommodate a mix of personal equipment like desktop computers and laptops, Internet routers, and Wi-Fi APs from an assortment of manufacturers and with a mix of OS software and firmware levels. Progent's experience providing remote help for both legacy and current IT products in virtual office solutions allows you to make cost-effective use of your existing network infrastructure and offers ready access to top-tire consultants for making essential updates. Support services offered by Progent to assist you to implement a high-functioning work-at-home infrastructure include:

• VPN technology allows you to create a secure tunnel for authorized remote workers to use IT assets located at your corporate data center or in the cloud. Progent can help your company to deploy and manage VPN access between your at-home workforce and your various network resources by providing online VPN integration consulting. For businesses with Cisco's ASA security appliances, Progent's Cisco-certified ASA Firewall experts can help your telecommuters to set up Cisco's popular AnyConnect client software for secure VPN tunneling for a broad range of devices including Windows, Mac, Apple iOS, Linux, and Android.
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) products enable an at-home worker to see and interact with a remote computer's desktop. This technology provides network managers significant control over the digital ecosystem of telecommuters and offers them a familiar work experience. Progent's virtual desktop consulting services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI consulting.
• Routers connect at-home networks to the Internet and typically support VPN connections, local wireless networks, and firewall services. Progent offers top-tier online consulting for setting up routers from all major vendors. See router integration services from Cisco-certified consultants.
• Home Wi-Fi networks, often shared by an entire household and guests, are frequently utilized by at-home employees to connect to their Internet router for work. This can create performance and cybersecurity issues. Progent can help businesses to mitigate these issues by providing services like Cisco Aironet integration consulting, Cisco Meraki wireless installation consulting, and Ubiquiti Unifi WiFi access point setup assistance.
• Internet connectivity solutions affect the speed and availability of connections between at-home workers and the corporate data center. Mission-critical processes might require backup Internet connections in case the primary connection fails. Progent can provide guidance for selecting ISPs, selecting appropriate bandwidth and data volume bundles, and setting up fault-tolerant Internet connections. Refer to Internet access integration services.

VoIP Solutions for Remote Workers
Extending the company phone environment to include telecommuters is vital to supporting an effective at-home workforce. A broad range of cloud-centric digital PBX products are used by SMBs to server remote users. Many enterprises depend on Cisco's current or legacy products for IP voice management. Progent can help businesses of any size to plan or tune a telecommuter VoIP service that provides the flexibility, transparency and security needed for telecommuters. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE IP Voice consultants offer high-level support to assist businesses tune their current Cisco VoIP systems to handle a growing at-home workforce.

• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) delivers advanced IP telephony capabilities to devices like VoIP phones, media processing platforms, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media software used throughout the network. Unified Communications Manager manages other combined media services like unified messaging, voice/video conferencing, and customer interaction networks. For more information about Progent's Unified Communications Manager expertise, refer to CUCM expertise.
• CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing software and has been replaced by Cisco Unified CM or CUCM. Progent's consultants can assist you to maintain your current CallManager deployment or migrate smoothly to Cisco's current IP telephony solutions. For details about Progent's expertise for CallManager and Cisco's other early IP voice products, visit Cisco CallManager expertise.
• Cisco IP Gateways provide connectivity with PSTN networks and with clients working beyond the corporate firewall such as telecommuters. Progent offers consulting expertise for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways including the UC520, UC540 and UC560 series and for modern Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway configuration consulting.
• Other VoIP Platforms supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can help you to expand your wide area network infrastructure to support these VoIP solutions and deliver on-demand deployment and debugging services.

Video Conferencing for Remote Workers
A wide selection of voice/video conferencing products from major vendors support virtual discussions, video and voice conferencing, chat, and screen sharing for both local workers and telecommuters. Many companies utilize multiple products to accommodate their different partners and clients. Progent can assist you to manage your current voice/video conferencing environment and optimize the productivity of your remote employees.

• Skype for Business is Microsoft's leading communications product that supports real-time presence, IM, voice and video calling and conferencing plus the transparent integration of these capabilities within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software including PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent can provide the expertise of Microsoft-certified consultants who can help your company to deploy and maintain Skype for Business client software to support your remote workforce. To learn more about Progent's support services for Skype for Business, see Skype for Business integration experts.
• FaceTime is Apple's group video calling app for compatible iOS, iPadOS, iPod and Mac devices. FaceTime works over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Newer versions of FaceTime allow as many as 32 simultaneous users for video sessions. For details about Progent's consulting services for Apple FaceTime, visit Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
• Webex Meeting Center supports remote conferencing for virtually all desktop or mobile devices. Offered through Cisco's Webex Cloud platform, Webex services include sharing specific content or screens, presentations that embed rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint, network-based capture, plus editing and playback for training. For details about Progent's consulting services for Cisco Webex and for other video conferencing products from Cisco, visit Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
• Teams is Microsoft's follow-up for Skype for Business. Teams acts as a hub for conferencing, contacts, and information with features such as video conferencing, threaded chat, plus data sharing. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Teams and for other Microsoft 365 apps, refer to Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
• Other Voice/Video Conferencing Apps supported by Progent's conferencing experts include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver configuration and troubleshooting services for these products and assist you to tune your WAN architecture to host them.

Microsoft Collaboration Platforms for Telecommuters
Microsoft's collaboration products are closely integrated with Microsoft's familiar Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 suites, providing a rich environment of productivity apps that create a cohesive user experience for exchanging information across multiple sites and on a wide selection of endpoints. Progent has provided remote consulting support for SharePoint and Exchange since their initial publication and can help businesses to deploy these flagship collaboration products to optimize the effectiveness of your remote workers.

SharePoint utilizes web sites to allow collaboration and knowledge delivery by providing policy-based delivery of content, workflow, and utilities for looking through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint enables you to build protected web portals that permits at-home workforce to see and update aggregated business intelligence by means of Wikis, Blogs, social networking web sites, and Web Parts. To find out about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, go to SharePoint integration and development expertise.

Exchange 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 expertise, refer to integration consulting for Microsoft Exchange Server.

OneDrive is Microsoft's collaborative cloud file hosting and synchronization service, comparable to GoogleDrive. Remote users can store files to OneDrive, and co-workers can share them securely through a web browser. Included with Office and Microsoft 365, OneDrive allows remote workers to co-edit documents. Edits created offline are uploaded when you reconnect to the Internet. For information about Progent's support services for OneDrive, see Onedrive integration experts.

Public Cloud Integration Services for Teleworkers
Progent can provide fast and affordable online support for helping businesses to create, maintain and optimize integrated hybrid network architectures that combine physical data centers, teleworkers, branches, plus public cloud resources. Progent offers top-tier consultant for all types of cloud service delivery including Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service. Progent can help at-home workers fix problems with cloud connectivity, authentication, and security.

Azure is a leading family of cloud software and services that enables you to utilize infrastructure, servers, and key applications running on Microsoft's massive cloud. Azure offers over 100 cloud-based services including the ability to host Windows and Linux-powered virtual machines, on-demand cloud storage, messaging, app development with Visual Studio, and data protection. Progent can assist you to set up VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity control with Azure AD, and design data backup and recovery systems with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also show you how to establish secure connections to Azure for teleworkers by configuring and debugging firewalls and VPN IPsec tunnels. To learn about Progent's expertise for Azure, see Azure consulting.

Microsoft 365, previously called Office 365, is Microsoft's growing suite of business productivity applications and cloud-based services available on a subscription basis. Microsoft apps and services are provided in a variety of plans intended for users ranging from students and small offices to major enterprises. Progent offers fast and easy remote access to experts knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible client devices based on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android technology. Progent's experts can help you to assess the numerous subscription plans offered with Microsoft 365 and configure 365 apps for your telecommuters to achieve top business value. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft 365, refer to Microsoft 365 consulting expertise.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online is one of the most widely used applications in the Microsoft 365 product line. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online offers the benefits of reduced costs for data center infrastructure, easier management, dynamic scaling, high availability, and other benefits associated with cloud computing. Microsoft has designed Exchange Online to run transparently with on-premises Exchange environments, allowing you to create hybrid networks. Progent's Exchange experts can provide occasional help to guide you through tough technical bottlenecks and also offer end-to-end project management services to ensure your at-home workers have convenient and safe access to your Exchange Online environment. For details Progent's support services for Exchange Online, refer to Microsoft 365 Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting expertise.

Amazon AWS is a trailblazer in the public cloud computing arena and is the industry's biggest source of cloud-based services. Progent can provide fast and economical online access to cloud connectivity consultants who can help your organization to design, implement, manage, and debug hybrid IT networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud services with on-premises data centers 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 architecture to make sure your employees have a consistent computing environment whether they are working from your main office, a branch office, from home, or on the road. To learn about Progent's consulting expertise for Amazon AWS, refer to Amazon AWS consulting expertise.

Google Cloud Platform is a popular collection of public cloud services that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can help your business to expand your current IT resources with the Google Cloud, and Progent's database experts can help you make your key applications cloud friendly so your remote workers can take full advantage of Google Cloud Platform services. Progent can help your organization to set up virtual machines on Google Cloud Compute Engine, design an efficient storage solution with Google Cloud Storage, and simplify access management for at-home workers with Google Cloud Identity services. Progent's experts can also help your organization to use GCP's unified management tools to control and monitor your Google Cloud ecosystem. To find out, go to Google Cloud Platform consulting services.

Help Desk Services for Telecommuters
A sudden, organization-wide switchover to a teleworker workforce, which might be motivated by an epidemic or as an element of a disaster recovery plan, can overstretch even a well-staffed internal Support Desk. Progent's Help Desk Call Center services make it possible for businesses to outsource or supplement their Call Desk with Progent's remote Technical Response Center services.

• Progent's Standard Help Desk Call Center support services leverage Progent's nationwide team of online technical support experts along with world-class trouble ticketing and follow-up software to provide an affordable, modern Help Desk Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide an end-to-end solution that addresses all facets of remote Level 1 PC support from service requests to ticket creation, desktop sharing, problem resolution, and incident reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal allows telecommuters to monitor or revise their current tickets, add information, and append screen captures and relevant files. Desktop support services are provided at a significant price reduction off Progent's normal Level 1 technical service charges, and Progent makes available the option of fast escalation to Level 2 and Level 3 IT specialists to resolve advanced issues. To learn more, see Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small and mid-size businesses.
• Progent's Call Center Augmentation Service allows you to augment your existing Help Desk Call Center organization by splitting delivery of Call Center support transparently between your regular IT support staff and Progent's extensive team of desktop support technicians and subject matter experts. Progent's co-managed Support Desk service is based on a co-sourcing support solution based on the leading professional services automation tool for managing help requests and trouble tickets, establishing ownership, monitoring progress, and generating management reports. For details about how Progent's Help Desk Augmentation Services can help your business to provide best-in-class desktop support to your at-home employees, refer to Progent's Call Desk supplementation Services.

Cybersecurity for Telecommuters
At-home employees commonly utilize their personal devices and usually operate in an unsecured physical area. This situation multiplies their vulnerability to malware threats and calls for careful deployment of firewalls, AV tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote monitoring, intensive user training, and the development of policies built on best practices. Progent's veteran group of IT security support experts can help you to design, implement and maintain an effective security solution that guards critical information resources in environments that incorporate telecommuters.

Firewalls enable companies to create a network that can be securely utilized by local users as well as by teleworkers, mobile employees, suppliers, customers, and the public. Next-generation firewall devices allow you to configure and control appropriate permissions to various classes of users and to scale your network and modify your security profile as your company evolves and as cyber threats become more complex. Progent works with both new and legacy security appliances from all major vendors like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. For more information about Progent's firewall configuration expertise, see firewall support expertise.

Remote Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it possible to watch over the various computers used by telecommuters and either block or spot and mitigate modern cyber attacks such as ransomware. With Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight software agent is put on each secured endpoint, monitoring all activity and utilizing advanced machine learning and full execution context from SentinelOne to detect new threats at inception. When a cyberattack is spotted, ProSight ASM instantly disconnects the infected endpoint from the network to quarantine the threat. Because the ProSight ASM agent is autonomous, endpoint devices remain secure even if they are offline. To find out more about ProSight ASM, see remote endpoint security monitoring for telecommuters.

Progent's Duo authentication services utilize Cisco's Duo technology to defend against compromised passwords through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo supports one-tap identity confirmation with Apple iOS, Android, and other out-of-band devices. With 2FA, when you log into a protected online account and enter your password you are asked to confirm your identity on a unit that only you possess and that uses a different network channel. A broad range of out-of-band devices can be used for this added means of ID validation such as an iPhone or Android or wearable, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You can designate several verification devices. To find out more about Duo identity validation services, see Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for telecommuters.

Security Audits can evaluate the exposure of your information system to all types of external and local security threats for an environment that incorporates telecommuters. Progent can deploy online, automated cybersecurity analysis scanning for quickly and affordably detecting a broad range of security gaps that can be found over the Internet. Progent's security audit consulting services, which can be managed by network security professionals with top certifications such as CISM, ISSAP, and GIAC, can assist your company to audit your workflows and policies and assess your IT architecture to allow you to design top-level security for your telecommuters.

Download White Paper: Protecting a Work-From-Home Network
To read or download a white paper describing critical things to focus on for securing a network that incorporates work-from-home staff, click:
Protecting a Work-From-Home Network White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)

Data Protection for Remote Workers
Data Protection covers saving and restoring vital data so as to avoid data loss and reduce restoration time and effort in case of storage failures due to equipment breakdowns, software hiccups, operator mistakes, malware, or other causes. Reliable data protection strategies can be especially challenging to architect and maintain in hybrid networks that combine local data centers, cloud resources, and an at-home workforce.

• Backup/Restore solutions for remote workers must cover diverse kinds of personally owned endpoint devices. Progent offers quick online help from experts knowledgeable about a broad range of products for protection Microsoft Windows, Apple and Linux/UNIX powered servers and desktops as well as laptops, iOS and Android tablets and handhelds. Popular backup/restore solutions supported by Progent's data protection consultants include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, CrashPlan, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To back up data distributed across a hybrid network, Progent can provide ProSight Data Protection Services, a backup/recovery subscription service that uses cloud storage and includes fine-grained restore and unified management capabilities.
• Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity (DR/BC) plans typically envision circumstances that require a rapid switch to an at-home workforce. Progent's expert disaster recovery preparedness experts and business continuity planning consultants can assist your business to create, document and validate a DR/BC plan that includes the process of moving to an at-home workforce.

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

Microsoft Intune
Intune is a component of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also includes Microsoft Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud service for managing and securing mobile devices and applications. Managed endpoint devices can be user owned or business owned. Network administrators managing the endpoint devices of teleworkers can use Intune to deploy and validate apps on managed devices, push updates and certificates, set up policies for permission to access information and networks, set passwords, create VPN tunnels, determine how teleworkers share data, establish threat protection, verify security compliance, and delete sensitive data from lost, stolen or decommissioned endpoint devices. Intune works with iOS/iPadOS, Android, Windows, and macOS computers. To learn about Intune and how Progent can help you to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to manage the endpoint devices of your telecommuters, go to Intune teleworker endpoint management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is a feature-rich centralized Mobile Device Management product that helps network managers to keep remote endpoint devices current and secure. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch for unified endpoint management along with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery technology for access control, app management, and configuration management of endpoint devices. Workspace ONE operates with endpoints powered by Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or leading distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is available by subscription as a cloud service or as an on-premises deployment through a one-time purchase. Top capabilities of Workspace ONE include fast over-the-air deployment of new notebooks, quick onboarding of new users, policy setting and enforcement for all categories of endpoints, aggregated management reporting and performance analytics, an email encryption gateway, and tight integration with Microsoft apps and cloud products. For details about Progent's support for VMware Workspace ONE, see VMware Workspace ONE remote endpoint management consultants.

Contact Progent for Telecommuter Support Services
To contact Progent about building and maintaining an efficient telecommuter solution for your Detroit, Michigan business, call 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.