Expanding your at-home workforce may have a significant effect on IT infrastructure, security/compliance, and corporate culture. Progent has two decades of experience helping businesses of all sizes to design, deploy, manage, tune, and debug IT networks that incorporate a remote workforce. Progent can assist your Boise organization to select the appropriate technologies and follow best practices in building and maintaining a secure virtual office ecosystem for telecommuters that promotes collaboration and delivers top value. Progent offers services that go from on demand expertise for getting you past occasional technical bottlenecks to full project management to help you successfully complete mission-critical initiatives.

Progent's consultants can assist Boise, Idaho organizations to succeed with any facet of creating a high-functioning remote work environment by delivering infrastructure design and configuration services, IP voice expertise, voice/video conferencing integration, collaboration platform selection and deployment, public cloud integration, helpdesk outsourcing, security and compliance, backup/restore solutions, and centralized management.

Infrastructure for Teleworkers
Setting up the physical and software infrastructure required for an at-home workforce can be particularly complex if you have to accommodate a mix of worker-owned equipment such as PCs and notebooks, routers, and Wi-Fi APs from different manufacturers and with a mix of OS software and firmware levels. Progent's background providing online support for both legacy and modern IT products in remote office venues enables you to make cost-effective use of your existing network infrastructure and provides you with fast access to expertise for making necessary upgrades. Support services offered by Progent to help your company to implement a productive work-at-home infrastructure include:

  • Virtual Private Network technology makes it possible to establish a safe tunnel for authenticated remote workers to use IT assets situated at your corporate data center or in the cloud. Progent's consultants can assist your company to deploy and manage VPN access between your at-home workforce and your key network resources by providing remote VPN integration consulting. For organizations using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco ASA consultants can help your at-home workers to set up Cisco's popular AnyConnect software to provide safe VPN connections for a broad range of endpoint devices such as Windows, macOS, Apple iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure products enable a telecommuter to see and use a remote PC's desktop. This technology gives IT managers significant control over the computing environment of telecommuters and ensures remote users a consistent and more productive experience. Progent's virtual desktop services include Windows Remote Desktop integration and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI consulting.
  • Routers connect at-home computer networks to the Internet and typically support VPN connections, local wireless connectivity, and firewall services. Progent offers expert online consulting for configuring home routers from a variety of manufacturers. See router configuration services from Cisco-certified experts.
  • Home Wi-Fi networks, typically supporting an entire household and guests, are frequently utilized by telecommuters to access their router for work. This can create performance as well as cybersecurity problems. Progent can assist you to mitigate these problems by providing services that include Aironet configuration expertise, Cisco-certified Meraki wireless installation consulting, and Ubiquiti WiFi AP integration help.
  • Internet connectivity methods affect the performance and reliability of connections between telecommuters and the corporate network. Business-critical applications might demand redundant Internet connections in the event the normal connection fails. Progent offers guidance for identifying service providers, picking appropriate service bundles, and integrating redundant Internet connections. See Internet access integration services.

VoIP Integration for Remote Workers
Expanding the corporate phone environment to include remote users is critical to supporting a productive at-home workforce. A variety of cloud-centric digital PBX products are used by SMBs to support teleworkers. Many enterprises depend on Cisco's current or older platforms for VoIP management. Progent can assist businesses of any size to plan or tune a telecommuter IP voice service that delivers the flexibility, transparency and security required for teleworkers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice experts can provide high-level support to help businesses tune their existing Cisco VoIP systems to support a growing remote workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM) extends high-end IP telephony capabilities to devices such as IP phones, media processing platforms, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media software deployed across the network. CUCM manages other combined media services such as unified messaging, voice/video conferencing, and customer interaction networks. For more information about Progent's Cisco Unified CM or CUCM expertise, see CUCM consultants.
  • Cisco CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing software and has been replaced by CUCM. Progent can assist you to maintain your existing CallManager deployment or upgrade smoothly to Cisco's modern IP telephony products. To find out about Progent's support services for CallManager and Cisco's other legacy IP voice products, see CallManager expertise.
  • Cisco IP Gateways provide connectivity with PSTN networks and with clients operating beyond the corporate perimeter such as telecommuters. Progent can provide expert support for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways such as the UC520, UC540 and UC560 product lines as well as for modern Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway configuration consulting.
  • Other VoIP Products supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, RingCentral and 8x8. Progent can help you to update your wide area network architecture to work with these VoIP solutions and provide on-demand integration and troubleshooting services.

Video Conferencing for At-Home Workers
A wide selection of voice/video conferencing platforms from leading technology companies enable virtual discussions, video and voice conferencing, chat sessions, and screen sharing for both onsite users and at-home workers. Many companies utilize multiple conferencing products to accommodate their various partners and clients. Progent's communications experts can assist you to maintain your current conferencing ecosystem and enhance the productivity of your remote employees.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's leading unified communications platform that enables real-time presence, IM, voice and video calling and conferencing plus the transparent integration of these functions within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 applications such as PowerPoint, Word, and Excel. Progent can provide the expertise of Microsoft-certified consultants who can help your company to configure and manage Skype for Business clients to support your at-home workforce. For details about Progent's consulting services for Skype for Business, see Skype for Business consulting services.
  • FaceTime is Apple's group video phone platform for compatible iOS, iPadOS, iPod and Mac computers and smartphones. FaceTime works on Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Later versions of FaceTime allow up to 32 simultaneous users for video calls. To learn more about Progent's support expertise for Apple FaceTime, refer to Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center supports online conferencing for virtually all desktop or mobile devices. Delivered through Cisco's Webex Cloud platform, Webex services include sharing specific content or screens, presentations that embed rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint, session recording, plus editing and playback for future reference and training. To learn more about Progent's support expertise for Webex as well as for additional video conferencing products from Cisco, visit Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's next-generation replacement for Skype for Business. Teams provides a hub for conferencing, contacts, and content with features that include voice/video calling, threaded chat, plus data sharing. For details about Progent's support expertise for Microsoft Teams as well as for other Microsoft 365 products, visit Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Additional Voice/Video Conferencing Apps supported by Progent include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver configuration and troubleshooting expertise for these conferencing platforms and help you to tune your network architecture to host them.

Microsoft Collaboration Platforms for Teleworkers
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's familiar Office suites, providing a rich ecosystem of productivity apps that create a consistent user interface for exchanging information across multiple sites and on a broad range of endpoint devices. Progent has provided online consulting support for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange since their original releases and can help businesses to deploy these critical collaboration products to optimize the effectiveness of your remote 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 Integration Experts for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft Teams works with Microsoft 365 and supports third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration and communication. Developed as a replacement for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams can support chat, audio/video meetings that include screen sharing, phone calls, cloud voicemail, group email, plus file and application sharing. Teams is closely integrated with Microsoft 365 and relies on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Entra (formerly branded Azure Active Directory) for delivering its complete range of capabilities. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams, see planning and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint Server Deployment Experts for Remote WorkersSharePoint uses web sites to enable collaboration and knowledge delivery by providing policy-based access to content, workflow, and tools for looking through enterprise-wide information silos. SharePoint permits you to create protected portals that permits at-home workers to view and edit aggregated corporate intelligence by means of Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social networking web sites, and Web Parts. To find out about Progent's SharePoint expertise, see SharePoint integration and application development consulting.

Exchange Configuration Experts 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. For information about Progent's Exchange expertise, go to planning and configuration consulting services for Microsoft Exchange.

Microsoft Onedrive Configuration Consultants for Remote WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud-based storage service, similar to GoogleDrive. Remote users can store files to the OneDrive service, and co-workers anywhere can retrieve them safely via a browser. Provided with Microsoft 365, OneDrive enables home workers to co-author documents. Revisions made offline are automatically uploaded when you reconnect to the Internet. For information about Progent's consulting expertise for OneDrive, go to Onedrive integration experts.

Cloud Integration for At-Home Workers
Progent offers fast and affordable online assistance for helping organizations to create, manage and troubleshoot cohesive network architectures that incorporate internal data centers, remote workers, branches, and public cloud services. Progent offers expertise for all modes of cloud service delivery such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help remote workers fix issues with public cloud access, identity, and cybersecurity.

Azure Integration Services for Remote WorkersMicrosoft Azure is a popular family of cloud software and services that allows you to utilize IT infrastructure, servers, and key apps hosted on Microsoft's massive cloud. Microsoft Azure features more than 100 cloud-based services such as the ability to host Windows and Linux-powered virtual machines, on-demand cloud storage, messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and data protection. Progent can help you to set up VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity management with Azure Active Directory, and plan backup and restore systems with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also show you how to establish secure connections to Azure for teleworkers by setting up and debugging firewalls and VPN IPsec tunnels. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft Azure, see Microsoft Azure consulting.

Microsoft 365 Integration Services for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft 365, formerly branded Office 365, is Microsoft's popular family of client productivity software and cloud services available by subscription. Office apps and cloud services are provided in a variety of bundles intended for customers ranging from individuals and households to large corporations. Progent can provide fast and affordable online contact with consultants knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent's experts can assist you to assess the various subscription bundles available for Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 applications for your at-home workers to achieve maximum business value. For information about Progent's support services for Microsoft 365, visit Microsoft 365 consulting support.

Exchange Online Integration Services for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft 365 Exchange Online is one of the most widely used cloud-based applications in Azure-hosted Microsoft 365 product suite. Exchange Online provides the advantages of lower costs for physical infrastructure, easier management, dynamic scaling, high availability, and other advantages associated with cloud computing. Microsoft has designed Exchange Online to operate transparently with local Exchange environments, enabling you to create hybrid networks. Progent's certified Exchange experts are available for occasional help to guide you past challenging IT bottlenecks and can also provide end-to-end project management outsourcing to make sure your teleworkers have convenient and secure access to your Microsoft 365 Exchange Online deployment. To learn Progent's consulting services for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, see Exchange Online integration and support consulting.

Amazon AWS Integration Services for TelecommutersAmazon AWS is a pioneer in the public cloud arena and is the industry's top provider of cloud-based services. Progent can provide quick and affordable online access to cloud connectivity consultants who can assist your organization to design, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot hybrid IT networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with local data centers and with other public clouds such as Azure. Progent also can provide the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking experts to assist you to create a high-availability network model to make sure your employees have a consistent computing environment 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 Platform Integration Services for TeleworkersGoogle Cloud (GCP) is a leading collection 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 you to expand your existing IT resources with the Google Cloud, and Progent's DBA consultants can show you how to make your key applications cloud ready so your at-home workers can take full advantage of Google Cloud Platform services. Progent can assist your business to set up VMs on Google Cloud Compute Engine, design an efficient storage solution with GCP Storage, and simplify identity control for at-home workers with GCP Cloud Identity services. Progent can also assist your organization to use GCP's management tools to administer and track your GCP environment. To find out, see Google Cloud Platform consulting services.

Help Desk Call Center Services for Teleworkers
An emergency, company-wide changeover to a teleworker business model, which might be motivated by an epidemic or as part of a disaster recovery process, can overstretch even a high-performing internal Help Desk. Progent's Help Desk Call Center services allow businesses to outsource or supplement their Call Center by using Progent's remote Technical Response Center (TRC) services.

  • Progent's Standard Call Desk support services utilize Progent's extensive network of online technical support experts along with enterprise-class ticketing and follow-up software to offer an economical, advanced Call Desk. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services offer a comprehensive solution that addresses all facets of online Level 1 desktop support from help requests through trouble ticket generation, screen sharing, issue resolution, and reporting. A browser-based User's Service Portal allows at-home employees to track or edit the status of their active trouble tickets, add details, and upload screen captures or attachments. Desktop support services are provided at a substantial discount off Progent's normal Level 1 technical support charges, and Progent offers the option of rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 support experts to deal with complex issues. For details, go to Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services for small and mid-size businesses.
  • Progent's Call Desk Augmentation Service allows your business to supplement your current Help Desk Call Center staff by sharing responsibilities for Call Center support seamlessly between your regular support organization and Progent's extensive roster of PC support engineers and subject matter specialists. Progent's co-managed Call Center service uses a collaborative support model utilizing the number one professional services automation (PSA) tool for managing service requests and ticketing, assigning ownership, tracking progress, and producing management reports. To find out how Progent's Help Desk Supplementation Services can help your company to provide world-class desktop support to your telecommuters, go to Progent's Help Desk augmentation Services.

Security for Teleworkers
Work-from-Home workers commonly use their own devices and usually work in a poorly secured physical environment. This multiplies their susceptibility to malware threats and calls for careful configuration of corporate firewalls, anti-malware tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote monitoring, extensive end-user education, and the development of security policies based on best practices. Progent's veteran group of cybersecurity support experts can help you to plan, implement and manage an effective security solution that protects vital IT resources in environments that incorporate remote workers.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls enable you to build a network that can be safely accessed by local users and by teleworkers, mobile employees, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders. Next-generation firewall appliances permit you to configure and control appropriate permissions to various classes of users and to scale your network and modify your security profile as your business evolves and as network attacks grow increasingly complex. Progent works with both new and legacy security appliances from all leading manufacturers like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. To learn more about Progent's firewall integration expertise, go to firewall integration and support services.

Remote Security Monitoring and Management for TelecommutersRemote Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it easy to watch over the various devices utilized by at-home workers and either reject or spot and respond to the latest threats like ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a small-footprint software agent is installed on each secured endpoint device, watching all activity and using state-of-the-art AI technology from SentinelOne to detect new threats on arrival. When an attack is spotted, ProSight Active Security Monitoring instantly disconnects the impacted device from the network to contain the malware. Because the ProSight ASM software agent is autonomous, endpoints remain protected even when they are not connected to the Internet. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. For more information about ProSight Active Security Monitoring, visit remote endpoint monitoring for teleworkers.

Two-factor Authentication Services for TeleworkersProgent's Duo MFA Service Plans incorporate Cisco's Duo cloud technology to protect against password theft by using two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables single-tap identity confirmation on Apple iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. With Duo 2FA, whenever you log into a secured application and give your password you are requested to verify who you are on a unit that only you possess and that uses a different network channel. A wide selection of devices can be used as this added means of authentication including an iPhone or Android or wearable, a hardware token, a landline phone, etc. You may designate several verification devices. For details about Duo two-factor identity authentication 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 types of external and internal security threats for a network that includes at-home workers. Progent can deploy online, automated cybersecurity inventory scanning for rapidly and affordably uncovering a wide variety of security holes that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's endpoint security assessment consulting services, which can be provided by security professionals with advanced certifications such as CISM, ISSAP, and GIAC, can help your business to evaluate your processes and policies and review your IT architecture to enable you to implement top-level security for your an at-home workforce.

NodeZero Pen Testing for At-Home WorkersHorizon3.ai's NodeZero PEN Testing Platform is a cutting-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that can deliver automated threat assessment of your at-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks to help you uncover, rank, remediate, and verify security vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Progent's pentest experts can help you to use NodeZero to perform thorough pentests of your network perimeter and your internal IT infrastructure so you can evaluate your current security profile. Progent can also help you to strengthen your existing network security and can help you to design and deploy a cohesive cybersecurity ecosystem that simplifies management and provides optimum cyber defense for on-premises, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT resources. To find out additional information about Progent's threat assessment solutions powered by on NodeZero's pentest products, refer to Consulting Services for NodeZero's PEN Test Platform.

Download White Paper: Securing a Work-From-Home (WFH) Network
To view or download a white paper about key areas to concentrate on for securing a network that supports telecommuters, click:
Securing a Work-From-Home (WFH) Network White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)

Data Protection Solutions for Remote Workers
The field of Data Protection involves saving and restoring critical information so as to prevent data loss and minimize restoration time in the event of storage system failures due to hardware issues, software hiccups, human mistakes, cyber attack, or other causes. Dependable data protection solutions can be especially difficult to architect and manage in hybrid environments that incorporate private data centers, cloud resources, and at-home workers.

  • Backup/Restore solutions for an at-home workforce must address multiple kinds of personally owned endpoints. Progent can provide quick remote access to consultants familiar with a broad range of platforms for protection Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX servers and desktop computers as well as notebooks, iPads and handhelds. Leading backup/recovery solutions maintained by Progent's backup/recovery consultants include Barracuda Backup, Microsoft Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To protect data spread across a wide area network, Progent can provide ProSight Data Protection Services, a managed backup/recovery subscription service that uses cloud storage and includes fine-grained restore and centralized 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 assist your company to produce, document and test a DR/BC strategy that addresses the logistics of switching to telecommuting.

Unified Management for Telecommuters
Microsoft has renamed and rebundled its endpoint management platforms under the title Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud management of remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing local computers. Endpoint Manager offers a unified environment for safeguarding corporate data by managing on-premises, mobile, and at-home endpoint devices.

Intune
Intune is a component 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 personally owned or company owned. Network admins managing the endpoint computers of telecommuters can use Intune to deploy and authenticate applications on devices, push updates and certificates, set up rules for accessing data and networks, manage passwords, create VPN connections, control how home-based workers share information, establish threat defense, ensure compliance, and wipe sensitive information from lost, stolen or decommissioned devices. Intune can be used with Apple iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS endpoints. To find out about Intune and to find out how Progent can assist you to use this platform to manage the endpoint computers of your at-home workforce, visit Intune remote endpoint management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced centralized Mobile Device Management (MDM) product that helps network managers to keep remote endpoint devices up to date and secure. Workspace ONE uses VMware AirWatch for centralized endpoint administration along with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery platform for identity control, app management, and configuration management of endpoints. Workspace ONE operates with devices based on Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or popular distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud service or as an on-site deployment through a one-time purchase. Top capabilities of Workspace ONE include rapid over-the-air provisioning of new laptops, immediate onboarding of new users, policy set up and enforcement for all classes of devices, unifies management reporting and performance analytics, email encryption, and tight integration with Microsoft applications and cloud-based services. For information about Progent's support for VMware Workspace ONE, refer to VMware Workspace ONE mobile endpoint management consultants.

Contact Progent for Telecommuter Expertise
To get in touch with Progent about building and maintaining an efficient work-from-home environment for your Boise, Idaho business, phone 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.