Enlarging your at-home workforce can have a major impact on IT infrastructure, security/compliance, and company culture. Progent has two decades of background assisting small and mid-size businesses to plan, deploy, manage, tune, and troubleshoot IT networks that support a remote workforce. Progent can assist your Cleveland organization to select the appropriate technologies and adhere to best practices in creating and maintaining a secure virtual ecosystem for teleworkers that facilitates teamwork and delivers top business value. Progent offers services that go from as-needed guidance for helping you past challenging technical bottlenecks to comprehensive project management to help you successfully complete mission-critical tasks.

Progent can assist Cleveland, Ohio businesses to with any facet of creating a high-functioning remote work environment by delivering network infrastructure configuration services, IP voice expertise, video conferencing integration, collaboration platform selection and deployment, cloud integration, Call Desk services, data security, backup/restore solutions, and streamlined management.

Infrastructure for Teleworkers
Integrating the network infrastructure required for an at-home workforce can be particularly complicated if you have to manage a mix of personal hardware such as 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 Progent's background delivering online support for both outdated as well as modern technologies in virtual office venues allows you to make efficient use of your existing network infrastructure and provides you with fast access to expertise for implement essential updates. Services available from Progent to help your company to implement a high-functioning work-at-home ecosystem include:

  • VPN connectivity allows you to establish a safe tunnel for authenticated remote employees to access IT assets situated at your corporate data center or in a public cloud. Progent's consultants can assist your company to configure and maintain VPN connections between your teleworkers and your various IT resources by providing online VPN integration consulting. For businesses using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco ASA Firewall experts can help your remote workers to set up Cisco's AnyConnect client software for secure VPN connections for a broad range of endpoint devices including Microsoft Windows, macOS, Apple iOS, Linux, and Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure products enable a teleworker to see and interact with a data center computer's desktop. This technology gives network managers substantial control over the computing ecosystem of at-home employees and offers them a familiar experience. Progent's virtual desktop services include Windows Remote Desktop integration and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops expertise.
  • Routers attach home computer networks to the Internet and typically support VPN tunnels, home Wi-Fi networks, and firewall services. Progent offers expert remote support for integrating home routers from all major manufacturers. See router integration support from Cisco-certified consultants.
  • Home Wi-Fi networks, often supporting the whole family and visitors, are commonly utilized by at-home employees to access their router for work. This can cause throughput as well as cybersecurity issues. Progent can assist businesses to mitigate these issues by delivering services like Aironet configuration consulting, Cisco Meraki wireless installation expertise, and Ubiquiti WiFi AP setup assistance.
  • Internet access methods impact the performance and reliability of connections between telecommuters and the company network. Business-critical processes might demand redundant Internet access in the event the normal connection fails. Progent offers guidance for picking ISPs, selecting sensible service packages, and setting up fault-tolerant Internet access. Refer to Internet access integration services.

VoIP Solutions for Remote Workers
Expanding the company phone system to accommodate remote users is vital to maintaining a productive at-home workforce. A variety of cloud-based digital PBX platforms are popular with small and mid-size businesses to support remote users. Many larger organizations rely on Cisco's current or older products for IP voice solutions. Progent can assist businesses of all sizes to design or tune a telecommuter VoIP environment that delivers the versatility, transparency and security needed for teleworkers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE IP Voice consultants can provide high-level support to assist businesses tune their current Cisco VoIP systems to handle an expanding remote workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM) delivers advanced telephony capabilities to devices such as IP phones, media processing platforms, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media applications used throughout the network. CUCM supports additional mixed media services like unified messaging, video conferencing, and team interaction networks. For more information about Progent's Cisco Unified CM or CUCM support, visit CUCM expertise.
  • CallManager is Cisco's legacy call-processing agent and has been superseded by CUCM. Progent's consultants can assist you to support your current CallManager environment or migrate smoothly to Cisco's modern IP telephony solutions. For details about Progent's support services for Cisco CallManager and Cisco's other early IP voice platforms, refer to Cisco CallManager consulting services.
  • Cisco IP Gateways enable integration with public telephony networks and with clients working outside the corporate perimeter such as at-home workers. Progent offers expert support for Cisco's legacy IP gateways including the UC520, UC540 and UC560 products and for current Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway configuration expertise.
  • Other VoIP Products supported by Progent include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can help you to expand your wide area network architecture to work with these solutions and deliver online configuration and debugging services.

Video Conferencing for an At-Home Workforce
A broad selection of video conferencing platforms from major technology companies enable virtual meetings, video and voice conferencing, chat, and content sharing for both onsite workers and teleworkers. Many organizations utilize multiple conferencing products to accommodate their various partners and customers. Progent's communications experts can help your organization to manage your existing voice/video conferencing ecosystem and optimize the engagement of your remote workforce.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's leading unified communications product that enables presence, instant messaging, voice and video calling and conferencing plus the transparent integration of these functions within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 applications such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent offers the skills of Microsoft-certified consultants who can help you to set up and manage Skype for Business client software to support your remote workforce. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Skype for Business, refer to Skype for Business integration services.
  • FaceTime is Apple's group video phone platform for compatible iOS and Mac devices. FaceTime works on Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Current editions of FaceTime support as many as 32 simultaneous users for voice/video sessions. To learn more about Progent's support expertise for FaceTime, visit Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center provides remote conferencing for most desktop or mobile devices. Delivered via Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex services include sharing discrete content or computer screens, presentations that embed rich media such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based capture, plus revision and playback for future reference. To learn more about Progent's support expertise for Webex and for additional video conferencing products from Cisco, refer to Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's next-generation replacement for Skype for Business. Teams acts as a portal for conferencing, contacts, and information with features that include IP voice and video calling, persistent chat, plus data sharing. To learn more about Progent's support expertise for Teams as well as for other Microsoft 365 products, visit Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Other Voice/Video Conferencing Platforms supported by Progent's conferencing experts include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver configuration and debugging services for these products and help you to optimize your network infrastructure to host them.

Microsoft Collaboration Platforms for Remote and Hybrid Workers
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are closely integrated with Microsoft's popular Office and Microsoft 365 families, providing a rich environment of productivity apps that create a cohesive user experience for exchanging information throughout multiple sites and on a broad range of endpoints. Progent has provided online consulting services for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange Server since their first publication and can assist businesses to tune these flagship collaboration platforms to optimize the productivity of your at-home workforce.

Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's popular Office suite, providing a rich ecosystem of applications that deliver a consistent user experience for sharing information across multiple sites and on a wide variety of endpoint devices. Progent has provided remote consulting services for SharePoint and Exchange since their initial releases and can help at-home workers set up and use these flagship collaboration platforms to maximize productivity.

Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium Integration Experts for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft Teams works with Microsoft 365 and supports third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration. Designed as a substitute for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams can enable chat, video meetings that include screen sharing, calling, cloud voicemail, group email, as well as file and application sharing. Teams is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 and relies on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Entra (previously branded Azure Active Directory) for supporting its complete range of features. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium, visit solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint Configuration Experts for Remote WorkersSharePoint utilizes web entities to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing by offering policy-based delivery of content, business processes, and utilities for looking through company-wide information silos. SharePoint enables you to create secure web portals that enables remote workers to see and edit consolidated business intelligence via Wikis, Blogs, social networking web sites, and Web Parts. For information about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, go to SharePoint configuration and application development expertise.

Exchange Deployment 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. For information about Progent's Exchange consulting services, see integration expertise for Exchange Server.

Microsoft Onedrive Configuration Experts for At-Home WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud file hosting and synchronization service, similar to GoogleDrive. Remote users can store files to OneDrive, and co-workers can share them safely via a web browser. Provided with Microsoft 365, OneDrive enables home workers to co-edit files. Edits made offline are automatically synced when you reconnect to the Internet. For details about Progent's support services for Microsoft OneDrive, go to Microsoft Onedrive configuration consulting.

Public Cloud Integration Services for Teleworkers
Progent offers affordable online support for helping businesses to build, maintain and repair cohesive hybrid network models that include physical data centers, teleworkers, branches, and public cloud resources. Progent can provide expertise for all types of cloud service such as Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help remote workers fix issues with cloud connectivity, identity, and cybersecurity.

Microsoft Azure Integration for TeleworkersMicrosoft Azure is a leading family of cloud services that enables you to use infrastructure, virtual servers, and key applications running on Microsoft's massive cloud. Azure includes 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 backup. Progent can help your organization to set up virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity control with Azure AD, and design backup and restore systems with Azure Backup. Progent can also show you how to establish protected access to Azure for at-home workers by setting up and troubleshooting firewalls and VPN IPsec tunnels. To learn about Progent's expertise for Azure, see Azure consulting services.

Microsoft 365 Integration for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft 365, formerly branded Office 365, is Microsoft's growing family of client productivity applications and cloud-based services available by subscription. Microsoft applications and cloud services are provided in a variety of plans intended for users ranging from individuals and households to major enterprises. Progent can provide quick and easy online access to experts knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible endpoints running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android technology. Progent can help your business to assess the numerous subscription bundles offered with Microsoft 365 and configure 365 apps for your telecommuters in a way that delivers top business value. To find out about Progent's expertise for Microsoft 365, go to Microsoft 365 consulting services.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online Integration for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft 365 Exchange Online is among the most popular cloud-based applications in Azure-hosted Microsoft 365 product suite. Exchange Online offers the advantages of reduced costs for data center infrastructure, easier management, on-demand scaling, high reliability, and additional advantages associated with cloud computing. Microsoft has engineered Exchange Online to run seamlessly with local Exchange environments, allowing customers to build hybrid cloud/onsite information systems. Progent's certified Exchange consultants can provide as-needed assistance to get you through tough technical bottlenecks and also offer comprehensive project management services to ensure your teleworkers have convenient and safe access to your Exchange Online environment. For details Progent's consulting services for Exchange Online, refer to Microsoft 365 Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting consulting.

Amazon AWS Integration for Remote WorkersAmazon AWS is a trailblazer in the public cloud market and is the world's top source of cloud-based services. Progent can provide fast and economical online access to cloud integration experts who can help your organization to design, deploy, manage, and troubleshoot hybrid IT networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with on-premises data centers and with other popular cloud platforms such as Azure. Progent also can provide the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to help your company to build a high-uptime network model so your employees have a productive computing environment regardless of whether they are working from your headquarters, a branch office, at home, or on the move. For details about Progent's expertise for Amazon AWS, see Amazon AWS integration support.

Google Cloud Integration Services for TeleworkersGoogle Cloud (GCP) is a leading collection of cloud computing services that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco consulting experts can help your organization to scale your current IT assets with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's database consultants can show you how to make your critical applications cloud ready so your telecommuters can take full advantage of Google Cloud Platform services. Progent's consultants can assist you to set up virtual machines on GCP Compute Engine, design an efficient storage system with Google Cloud Storage services, and streamline access control for at-home workers with GCP Cloud Identity services. Progent's experts can also help your business to use GCP's management technology to control and track your Google Cloud environment. To find out, visit Google Cloud Platform consulting expertise.

Help Desk Support for Telecommuters
A fast, enterprise-wide transition to a telecommuter workforce, which might be motivated by a pandemic or as part of a disaster recovery preparedness plan, can overwhelm even a high-performing internal Support Desk. Progent's Help Desk services make it possible for businesses of any size to outsource or augment their Support Desk by using Progent's online Technical Response Center team.

  • Progent's Standard Help Desk Call Center services leverage Progent's nationwide team of remote technical support experts along with enterprise-class trouble ticketing and follow-up technology to provide an economical, modern Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services offer an end-to-end solution that handles all facets of online Level 1 PC support from help requests to trouble ticket generation, screen sharing, problem resolution, and reporting. A browser-based User's Service Portal enables telecommuters to monitor or edit the status of their current trouble tickets, enter details, and upload screenshots and relevant files. Technical support services are delivered at a substantial discount off Progent's normal Level 1 technical service rates, and Progent makes available the option of rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 IT experts to resolve advanced issues. To learn more, see Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small and mid-size companies.
  • Progent's Call Desk Augmentation Service enables your business to supplement your current Call Center organization by splitting delivery of Call Desk services transparently between your in-house support personnel and Progent's extensive pool of PC support technicians and subject matter experts. Progent's co-managed Call Center service uses a collective support model based on the leading PSA tool for managing service requests and ticketing, assigning ownership, tracking progress, and producing management reports. To find out how Progent's Call Desk Augmentation Services can help your business to deliver world-class IT support to your telecommuters, visit Progent's Call Desk supplementation Services.

Cybersecurity for At-Home Workers
At-home employees commonly use their personal devices and usually operate in a poorly secured physical environment. This situation multiplies their vulnerability to cyber threats and calls for judicious configuration of corporate firewalls, AV tools, multi-factor authentication, remote endpoint monitoring, intensive user training, and the creation of policies based on leading practices. Progent's veteran roster of cybersecurity support consultants can assist you to plan, deploy and manage an effective cybersecurity solution that guards critical information assets in environments that incorporate telecommuters.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls allow companies to create a network environment that can be securely accessed by local users and by an at-home workforce, mobile users, suppliers, clients, and other stakeholders. Modern firewall devices allow you to assign and manage appropriate permissions to various classes of users and to expand your IT network and adjust your security profile as your company evolves and as network attacks grow increasingly complex. Progent works with both current and older security devices from all leading manufacturers like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, and Fortinet. To learn more about Progent's firewall support services, see firewall configuration and support expertise.

Remote Security Monitoring for TelecommutersRemote Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it possible to track the disparate devices utilized by an at-home workforce and either reject or spot and respond to the latest threats such as ransomware. With Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight agent is put on every protected endpoint, monitoring all activity and using state-of-the-art AI technology from SentinelOne to detect new attacks before they can spread. When an attack is discovered, ProSight Active Security Monitoring immediately isolates the targeted device from the network to contain the malware. Since the ProSight ASM agent is autonomous, endpoints remain secure even when they are not connected to the Internet. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. To learn more about ProSight ASM, visit remote endpoint security monitoring for an at-home workforce.

Two-factor Authentication Services for Remote WorkersProgent's Duo authentication Managed Services utilize Cisco's Duo technology to defend against compromised passwords by using two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo supports single-tap identity verification on Apple iOS, Android, and other personal devices. Using 2FA, when you sign into a secured application and give your password you are asked to verify your identity via a unit that only you have and that is accessed using a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A broad range of devices can be used as this second means of ID validation including a smartphone or wearable, a hardware token, a landline phone, etc. You may register multiple validation devices. For more information about ProSight Duo identity validation services, go to Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for teleworkers.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can evaluate the vulnerability of your information system to all classes of external and local security threats for a network that includes teleworkers. Progent can run remote, automated security analysis software for quickly and affordably uncovering a broad range of security gaps that can be found over the Internet. Progent's security audit experts, which can be provided by security professionals with advanced certifications such as CISM, CISSP, and GIAC, can assist your business to evaluate your workflows and policies and review your network architecture to allow you to design top-level security for your remote workers.

NodeZero Pentetration Testing for At-Home WorkersHorizon3.ai's NodeZero PEN Testing Platform is a cutting-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that supports automated threat assessment of your work-from-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks so you can expose, rank, remediate, and verify cybersecurity vulnerabilities before threat actors can exploit them. Progent's pentest experts can help you to deploy NodeZero to perform comprehensive penetration tests of your perimeter and your internal network in order to evaluate your current security posture. Progent can also assist you to strengthen your existing network security and can assist you to plan and deploy a cohesive cybersecurity strategy that simplifies management and delivers optimum protection for on-prem, multi-cloud, remote, and perimeter IT assets. To find out additional details about Progent's vulnerability assessment services based on on NodeZero's PEN test platform, refer to Consulting Services for NodeZero's Pentest Platform.

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

Data Protection for Teleworkers
The field of Data Protection covers backing up and recovering critical information in order to avoid data loss and reduce restoration time and effort in case of storage problems due to equipment breakdowns, programming hiccups, human mistakes, malware, or other causes. Dependable data protection strategies can be especially difficult to design and manage in hybrid environments that incorporate private data centers, cloud resources, and an at-home workforce.

  • Backup/Restore strategies for at-home workers must cover diverse types of personally owned endpoints. Progent can provide quick online help from consultants knowledgeable about a wide range of platforms for protection Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX servers and desktops as well as laptops, iPads and smartphones. Popular backup/recovery products maintained by Progent's data protection experts include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, CrashPlan, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To protect resources spread throughout a hybrid network, Progent can provide ProSight Data Protection Services, a managed backup/recovery subscription service that uses cloud-based storage and includes fine-grained restore and centralized management capabilities.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity plans typically envision scenarios that require a temporary switch to a work-at-home environment. Progent's expert disaster recovery planning experts and business continuity planning consultants can help your company to produce, document and test a DR/BC plan that includes the process of switching to an at-home workforce.

Unified Management for Telecommuters
Microsoft has rebranded and reshuffled its endpoint management platforms under the name Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud-based management of remote endpoints and Configuration Manager for managing onsite endpoints. Microsoft Endpoint Manager features a centralized solution for protecting corporate data by controlling on-premises, mobile, and home-based endpoint devices.

Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also features Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and protecting remote devices and applications. Managed endpoint devices can be personally owned or business owned. IT admins managing the endpoint computers of telecommuters can use Intune to provision and authenticate apps on managed devices, push patches and certificates, configure policies for accessing data and networks, set passwords, create VPN tunnels, control how home-based workers share data, establish threat protection, ensure compliance, and delete sensitive data from missing, stolen or deactivated devices. Microsoft Intune can be used with Apple iOS, Google Android, Windows, and macOS devices. To find out about Intune and to find out how Progent can help your company to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to administer the devices of your at-home workforce, see Intune telecommuter device management expertise.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced centralized MDM platform that allows network administrators to keep remote endpoints up to date and secure. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch for centralized endpoint management combined with VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery platform for authorization control, application management, and configuration management of endpoints. Workspace ONE runs with endpoints powered by Windows 10, macOS, Apple iOS, 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 via a one-time purchase. Top capabilities of VMware Workspace ONE include rapid remote deployment of new notebooks, immediate onboarding of new users, policy setting and enforcement for all classes of endpoints, unifies management reporting and performance analytics, email encryption, and tight integration with Microsoft applications and cloud-based services. For details about Progent's support for VMware Workspace ONE, go to VMware Workspace ONE remote endpoint management consultants.

Contact Progent for Telecommuter Expertise
To contact Progent about creating and maintaining an efficient telecommuter environment for your Cleveland, Ohio company, phone 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.