Expanding your at-home workforce can have a major effect on IT architecture, security, and corporate processes. Progent has two decades of background assisting small and mid-size businesses to design, deploy, manage, tune, and troubleshoot IT environments that support at-home workers. Progent can help your Tampa company to pick the right tools and adhere to leading practices in building and operating a safe virtual solution for teleworkers that promotes collaboration and returns top business value. Progent offers services ranging from as-needed guidance for getting you past challenging IT roadblocks to comprehensive project management to help you successfully complete mission-critical initiatives.

Progent's consultants can assist Tampa, Florida companies to with any aspect of building a high-performing remote work environment by delivering network infrastructure design and configuration services, IP voice troubleshooting, video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, public cloud integration, helpdesk services, endpoint security, data protection solutions, and streamlined management.

Network Infrastructure for an At-Home Workforce
Configuring the network infrastructure needed for a remote work environment can be especially challenging if you have to manage a combination of worker-owned hardware like desktop computers and laptops, Internet routers, and wireless APs from different vendors and with a variety of OS software and firmware releases. Progent's experience delivering remote support for both outdated as well as modern technologies in remote office venues enables you to make efficient use of your existing infrastructure and offers ready access to expertise for implement essential updates. Services available from Progent to assist your company to implement a productive work-at-home infrastructure include:

  • Virtual Private Network technology makes it possible to create a safe tunnel for authorized at-home workers to access IT resources situated at your company datacenter or in a public cloud. Progent's consultants can help your company to deploy and manage VPN connections between your at-home workforce and your key network resources by providing online VPN configuration consulting. For organizations with Cisco's ASA security appliances, Progent's Cisco ASA Firewall experts can help your remote workers to set up Cisco's AnyConnect software for safe VPN connections for a wide range of endpoint devices including Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) products allow a teleworker to view and use a remote computer's desktop. This provides network managers substantial control over the digital environment of telecommuters and ensures them a familiar work experience. Progent's virtual desktop consulting services include Windows Remote Desktop integration and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI consulting.
  • Routers connect home computer networks to the Internet and support VPN connections, home wireless networks, and firewall services. Progent offers expert remote support for configuring routers from all major vendors. See router configuration services from Cisco-certified consultants.
  • Home Wireless networks, typically supporting an entire household and guests, are commonly utilized by at-home employees to connect to their Internet router for work. This can create throughput as well as cybersecurity issues. Progent can help businesses to mitigate these problems by delivering expertise that include Aironet integration consulting, Cisco-certified Meraki wireless deployment expertise, and Ubiquiti Unifi wireless access point integration assistance.
  • Internet access methods affect the speed and reliability of connections between at-home workers and the company data center. Line-of-business applications might demand redundant Internet access in the event the normal connection breaks. Progent offers expertise for picking service providers, choosing appropriate bandwidth and data volume offerings, and setting up fault-tolerant Internet connections. Refer to Internet access solutions.

VoIP Solutions for At-Home Workers
Extending the company PBX system to include remote users is critical to maintaining a productive work-at-home solution. A broad range of cloud-based digital PBX platforms are popular with SMBs to server telecommuters. Many larger organizations rely on Cisco's modern or legacy products for VoIP management. Progent can assist organizations of any size to plan or maintain a telecommuter IP voice service that delivers the flexibility, convenience and security required for remote users. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice experts offer high-level support to assist businesses tune their existing Cisco VoIP systems to support an expanding at-home workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) delivers advanced IP telephony capabilities to devices like IP phones, media processing platforms, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media apps deployed across the network. Unified Communications Manager supports other mixed media services like messaging, voice/video conferencing, and customer interaction networks. For more information about Progent's Cisco Unified CM or CUCM expertise, refer to Cisco Unified CM expertise.
  • Cisco CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing software and has been replaced by Cisco Unified CM. Progent can help your company to support your current CallManager deployment or migrate efficiently to Cisco's modern IP telephony products. To find out about Progent's support services for Cisco CallManager and Cisco's other older IP voice products, visit Cisco CallManager consulting.
  • Cisco IP Gateways provide connectivity with public telephony networks and with users operating beyond the corporate firewall like telecommuters. Progent offers consulting expertise for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways like the UC520, UC540 and UC560 products as well as for current Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateways. See Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateway configuration consulting.
  • Additional VoIP Platforms supported by Progent include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can assist you to expand your WAN architecture to support these solutions and deliver online integration and debugging expertise.

Voice/Video Conferencing for an At-Home Workforce
A wide selection of video conferencing products from major vendors support online discussions, video and voice conferencing, chat sessions, and screen/content sharing for both local users and telecommuters. Many companies use multiple conferencing products to meet the needs of their various partners and customers. Progent can assist you to maintain your existing voice/video conferencing ecosystem and enhance the engagement of your remote workforce.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular communications platform that supports presence, instant messaging, voice and video calling and conferencing as well as the seamless integration of these functions within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent offers the skills of Microsoft-certified specialists who can assist you to configure and manage Skype for Business client software to support your at-home workforce. To learn more about Progent's support services for Skype for Business, visit Skype for Business integration experts.
  • FaceTime is Apple's group video calling app for compatible iOS, iPadOS, iPod and Mac devices. FaceTime runs on Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Current editions of FaceTime allow as many as 32 simultaneous users for video sessions. To learn more about Progent's support services for FaceTime, refer to Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center supports remote conferencing for most desktop or mobile devices. Delivered via Cisco's Webex Cloud platform, Webex services include sharing specific content or screens, presentations that embed rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording, plus revision and playback for training. For details about Progent's support expertise for Cisco Webex as well as for additional IP video products from Cisco, see Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's follow-up for Skype for Business. Teams provides a portal for conferencing, contacts, and content with features that include IP voice and video calling, persistent threaded chat, plus data sharing. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft Teams and for additional Microsoft 365 products, visit 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 deliver configuration and debugging expertise for these products and assist your business to optimize your network architecture to host them.

Microsoft Collaboration Platforms for Teleworkers
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's familiar Office families, offering a powerful environment of productivity apps that deliver a consistent user interface for exchanging information across multiple sites and on a broad selection of endpoint devices. Progent has provided remote consulting services for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange since their initial publication and can assist businesses to configure these critical collaboration products to maximize 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 Solutions Experts for TelecommutersMicrosoft Teams works on top of Microsoft 365 and integrates with third-party cloud services to deliver real-time collaboration. Designed as a substitute for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams can enable chat, audio/video meetings with screen sharing, calling, cloud voicemail, group email, plus file and app sharing. Teams is closely integrated with Microsoft 365 and relies on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Azure Entra (previously called Azure Active Directory) for delivering its complete range of features. To learn more about Progent's support services for Microsoft Teams, visit planning and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint Integration Experts for At-Home WorkersSharePoint utilizes web entities to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing by providing policy-driven delivery of content, workflow, and utilities for searching through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint allows you to create secure portals that permits at-home workforce to view and update consolidated corporate intelligence via Wikis, Blogs, social networking web sites, and Web Parts. To find out about Progent's SharePoint support services, see SharePoint integration and application development expertise.

Exchange Integration 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 details about Progent's Exchange support services, see integration consulting services for Microsoft Exchange Server.

Microsoft Onedrive Integration Consultants for At-Home WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s collaborative cloud-based file hosting and synchronization service, comparable to GoogleDrive. At-home users can save files to the OneDrive service, and colleagues can retrieve them safely through a browser. Included with Office 365, OneDrive enables remote employees to co-edit documents. Edits made offline are uploaded when you go back online. To find out about Progent's expertise for OneDrive, see Onedrive configuration consulting.

Cloud Integration Services for Remote Workers
Progent offers affordable online support for helping organizations to build, manage and troubleshoot cohesive hybrid network architectures that incorporate internal data centers, at-home workers, branch offices, and public cloud services. Progent offers expertise for all modes of cloud service including Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help remote workers fix issues with cloud access, identity, and cybersecurity.

Microsoft Azure Integration Services for Remote WorkersAzure is a popular family of public cloud software and services that allows you to use infrastructure, virtual servers, and key applications hosted on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Microsoft Azure features over one hundred services services including the ability to host Windows and Linux-based VMs, on-demand cloud storage, email and messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and data protection. Progent can assist you to set up virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity control with Azure Active Directory, and design backup and recovery solutions with Azure Backup. Progent can also help you create protected access to Azure services for remote workers by configuring and debugging firewall appliances and VPN IPsec tunnels. To find out about Progent's support services for Microsoft Azure, see Azure consulting.

Microsoft 365 Integration Services for TelecommutersMicrosoft 365, previously called Office 365, is Microsoft's popular family of business productivity software and cloud-based services offered by subscription. Microsoft applications and services are provided in a selection of plans intended for customers ranging from individuals and households to major enterprises. Progent can provide quick and affordable online access to consultants familiar with Microsoft 365-compatible client devices based on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent's experts can help you to evaluate the various subscription plans available for Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 applications for your at-home workers to achieve top business value. For information about Progent's expertise for Microsoft 365, refer to Microsoft 365 consulting expertise.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online Integration Services for At-Home WorkersExchange Online is one of the most popular cloud-based applications in Azure-hosted Microsoft 365 product suite. Exchange Online offers the benefits of reduced costs for data center infrastructure, simplified management, on-demand scaling, high availability, and additional benefits inherent with cloud computing. Microsoft has engineered Exchange Online to operate seamlessly with local Exchange environments, enabling you to create hybrid networks. Progent's Exchange consultants are available for as-needed assistance to get you through challenging technical bottlenecks and also offer comprehensive project management services to ensure your telecommuters have easy and secure access to your Exchange Online deployment. For details Progent's consulting services for Exchange Online, see Exchange Online configuration and support consulting.

Amazon AWS Integration for Remote WorkersAmazon Web Services (AWS) is a pioneer in the public cloud computing arena and is the world's biggest provider of cloud-based services. Progent offers quick and affordable online contact with cloud integration consultants who can help your organization to design, deploy, manage, and debug hybrid IT networks that integrate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with local data centers and with other public clouds such as Azure. Progent also offers the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to assist your company to create a high-availability network architecture to make sure your employees have a productive computing environment regardless of whether they are working from your headquarters, a remote branch, at home, or on the move. For information about Progent's support services for Amazon AWS, visit Amazon AWS integration support.

Google Cloud Integration Services for Remote WorkersGoogle Cloud Platform (GCP) is a leading set of public cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) products. Progent's Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco consulting experts can assist your business to scale your existing IT resources with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's database consultants can help you make your critical apps cloud ready so your telecommuters can take full advantage of Google Cloud Platform services. Progent can assist you to deploy virtual machines on Google Cloud Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage system with GCP Storage, and simplify identity management for at-home workers with GCP Cloud Identity. Progent's consultants can also help you to use GCP's unified management tools to control and monitor your GCP environment. To learn, visit Google Cloud Platform (GCP) consulting support.

Help Desk Call Center Support for At-Home Workers
A rapid, enterprise-wide changeover to a teleworker business model, which might be the result of a pandemic or as part of a business continuity plan, can overstretch even a high-performing in-house Help Desk. Progent's Help Desk services allow organizations to outsource or expand their Support Desk by using Progent's remote Technical Response Center (TRC) team.

  • Progent's Standard Support Desk support services leverage Progent's nationwide network of remote technical support experts combined with enterprise-class ticketing and tracking software to provide an affordable, modern Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide an end-to-end solution that addresses all facets of online Level 1 PC technical support from initial help requests to ticket generation, screen sharing, problem resolution, and reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal enables teleworkers to check or revise the status of their current tickets, add information, and append screen captures or attachments. Desktop support services are delivered at a substantial discount off Progent's normal Level 1 desktop support rates, and Progent makes available the option of rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 support specialists to resolve advanced issues. For more information, see Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services for small businesses.
  • Progent's Help Desk Augmentation Service allows your company to supplement your existing Call Desk team by sharing responsibilities for Call Desk support seamlessly between your regular IT support organization and Progent's extensive team of desktop support technicians and subject matter specialists. Progent's co-managed Call Center service uses a collective support solution utilizing the number one professional services automation platform for handling help requests and ticketing, assigning responsibility, tracking progress, and producing management reports. For information about how Progent's Help Desk Supplementation Services can enable your company to provide best-in-class IT support to your at-home workforce, refer to Progent's Help Desk Call Center supplementation Services.

Security for Teleworkers
Work-from-Home (WFH) staff members typically utilize their own computers and often work in a poorly secured physical space. This multiplies their vulnerability to malware attacks and requires judicious deployment of firewalls, AV tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote endpoint monitoring, extensive user education, and the creation of security policies built on best practices. Progent's seasoned group of IT security support consultants can help you to plan, configure and maintain an effective cybersecurity solution that guards critical IT resources in environments that include at-home workers.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls allow you to create a network environment that can be safely utilized by on-premises users as well as by an at-home workforce, mobile users, vendors, clients, and other stakeholders. Next-generation firewall devices allow you to configure and manage appropriate access rights to various groups of users and to expand your network and adjust your cybersecurity posture as your company evolves and as network attacks become more complex. Progent works with both current and older firewall appliances from all major vendors like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, and Fortinet. For more information about Progent's firewall support expertise, visit firewall integration and support services.

Remote Endpoint Monitoring and Management Services for At-Home WorkersRemote Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it easy to watch over the disparate computers used by at-home workers and either block or spot and mitigate the latest threats like ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight agent is installed on every secured endpoint, watching all activity and using state-of-the-art AI technology from SentinelOne to detect new threats at inception. When an attack is spotted, ProSight ASM instantly disconnects the infected endpoint device from the network to quarantine the threat. Because the ProSight ASM agent is self-contained, endpoints stay secure even when they are disconnected from the Internet. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. To learn more about ProSight ASM, refer to remote endpoint security monitoring for telecommuters.

Two-factor Authentication (2FA) Services for At-Home WorkersProgent's Duo MFA Services utilize Cisco's Duo technology to protect against stolen passwords through the use of two-factor authentication. Duo enables single-tap identity verification on Apple iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. Using 2FA, whenever you log into a secured online account and enter your password you are asked to verify who you are via a unit that only you have and that uses a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A broad range of out-of-band devices can be used for this second form of authentication such as a smartphone or watch, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You can designate multiple verification devices. For more information about Duo identity validation services, visit Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for remote workers.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can assess the vulnerability of your network to all classes of outside and local security attacks for an environment that incorporates teleworkers. Progent can deploy online, automated security inventory software for rapidly and economically uncovering a wide variety of security gaps that can be found over the Internet. Progent's endpoint security audit experts, which can be provided by data security experts with top credentials including CISA, ISSAP, and GIAC, can assist your business to evaluate your operations and governance policies and assess your WAN infrastructure to allow you to implement top-level protection for your an at-home workforce.

NodeZero Pen Testing for Work-from-Home EnpointsHorizon3.ai's NodeZero Pentest Platform is a leading-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that can deliver autonomous threat assessment of your at-home connectivity solution as well as your internal and perimeter networks so you can uncover, rank, fix, and confirm security vulnerabilities before threat actors can take advantage of them. Progent can assist you to deploy NodeZero to carry out thorough penetration tests of your perimeter and your internal network so you can determine your current security posture. Progent's NodeZero experts can also assist you to harden your network security and can assist you to plan and implement a cohesive cybersecurity ecosystem that simplifies management and provides maximum protection for on-prem, cloud-based, at-home, and perimeter IT resources. To learn additional information about Progent's vulnerability assessment services based on on NodeZero's PEN test platform, visit Consulting Support for NodeZero's Penetration Test Products.

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

Data Protection Solutions for At-Home Workers
Data Protection covers backing up and restoring critical information so as to prevent data loss and minimize recovery time and effort in case of storage system failures due to hardware breakdowns, software glitches, user error, malware, or any other reason. Dependable data protection strategies can be especially challenging to architect and maintain in hybrid environments that incorporate local data centers, public clouds, and at-home workers.

  • Backup/Restore solutions for telecommuters must cover diverse types of user-owned endpoints. Progent can provide quick remote access to consultants familiar with a broad array of platforms for protection Microsoft Windows, Apple and Linux/UNIX servers and desktop computers as well as notebooks, iPads and handhelds. Popular backup/restore products supported by Progent's data protection consultants include Barracuda Backup, Microsoft Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, CrashPlan, Mozy, and Time Machine. To protect data spread throughout a hybrid network, Progent can provide ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a managed backup/recovery service that uses cloud storage and includes fine-grained recovery and centralized management capabilities.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity plans typically envision scenarios that call for a rapid changeover to telecommuting. Progent's expert disaster recovery preparedness consultants and business continuity planning specialists can assist your business to develop, document and test a DR/BC plan that addresses the logistics of switching to an at-home workforce.

Unified Management for Remote Workers
Microsoft has rebranded and rebundled its endpoint management platforms under the title Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which includes Intune for cloud management of mobile and remote endpoints and Configuration Manager for managing local computers. Endpoint Manager offers a unified environment for safeguarding corporate information by controlling local, mobile, and at-home endpoints.

Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also includes Microsoft Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud service for managing and securing remote devices and applications. Managed endpoint computers can be personally owned or business owned. IT admins managing the endpoint computers of at-home workers can use Intune to provision and validate applications on devices, push updates and certificates, configure policies for permission to access information and networks, set passwords, establish VPN connections, control how home-based workers share data, set up threat protection, ensure compliance, and erase sensitive information from lost, stolen or decommissioned endpoint devices. Microsoft Intune runs with iOS/iPadOS, Android, Windows, and macOS devices. To learn about Microsoft Intune and to find out how Progent can assist you to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to administer the endpoint computers of your at-home workers, visit Intune mobile endpoint management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced centralized Mobile Device Management product that helps network administrators to keep offsite endpoint devices up to date and protected. Workspace ONE uses VMware AirWatch technology for centralized endpoint management along with VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery platform for identity control, application management, and setup management of endpoint computers. Workspace ONE runs with endpoints powered by Windows 10, macOS, Apple iOS, Android, Chrome OS, or popular distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-premises deployment through a one-time purchase. Top capabilities of Workspace ONE include fast over-the-air provisioning of out-of-the-box notebooks, immediate onboarding of new employees, policy set up and enforcement for all classes of endpoints, aggregated reporting and performance analytics, an email encryption gateway, and seamless integration with Microsoft applications and cloud-based products. For details about Progent's support services for VMware Workspace ONE, go to VMware Workspace ONE mobile endpoint management consultants.

Contact Progent for At-Home Worker Expertise
To get in touch with Progent about creating and maintaining a productive telecommuter solution for your Tampa, Florida business, phone 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.