Enlarging your remote workforce may have a significant effect on network infrastructure, cybersecurity, and corporate culture. Progent has two decades of experience assisting small and mid-size businesses to plan, deploy, manage, optimize, and troubleshoot IT networks that support at-home workers. Progent can assist your Sioux Falls organization to pick the right tools and follow leading practices in building and operating a secure virtual ecosystem for telecommuters that promotes collaboration and returns top value. Progent can provide support services ranging from on demand expertise for getting you past occasional technical bottlenecks to comprehensive project management or co-management to help you carry out mission-critical tasks.
Progent can assist Sioux Falls, South Dakota organizations to with any aspect of building a high-functioning telecommuting ecosystem by providing infrastructure configuration services, IP voice troubleshooting, video conferencing support, collaboration platform customization and training, cloud connectivity, Call Desk services, security and compliance, data protection solutions, and centralized management.
Infrastructure for a Remote Workforce
Setting up the physical and software infrastructure required for an at-home work environment can be particularly complicated if you must accommodate a mix of worker-owned equipment such as PCs and notebooks, Internet routers, and wireless APs from various vendors and with a mix of OS software and firmware releases. Progent's background delivering remote support for both legacy as well as modern technologies in virtual office solutions allows you to make cost-effective use of your available network infrastructure and provides you with fast access to top-tire consultants for implement essential updates. Services offered by Progent to assist you to implement a productive work-at-home ecosystem include:
IP Voice Integration for Teleworkers
Extending the company phone system to accommodate teleworkers is vital to maintaining a productive at-home workforce. A variety of cloud-based VoIP platforms are popular with SMBs to server telecommuters. Many larger organizations rely on Cisco's modern or legacy platforms for VoIP solutions. Progent can help organizations of any size to plan or tune a telecommuter IP voice environment that delivers the versatility, convenience and protection required for at-home workers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice consultants offer advanced support to help organizations tune their existing Cisco VoIP environments to support a growing remote workforce.
Video Conferencing for Remote Workers
A broad range of voice/video conferencing products from major technology companies enable online discussions, video conferencing, chat, and content sharing for both onsite users and teleworkers. Many organizations utilize multiple conferencing products to accommodate their various partners and customers. Progent's communications experts can assist your organization to maintain your existing conferencing ecosystem and optimize the productivity of your remote workforce.
Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Software for At-Home Workers
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's familiar Office and Microsoft 365 suites, offering a rich environment of applications that deliver a consistent user interface for exchanging data and ideas across multiple sites and on a wide range of endpoint devices. Progent has provided remote consulting support for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange Server since their first publication and can assist your company to tune these flagship collaboration products to maximize the effectiveness 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 works with Microsoft 365 and integrates with third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration. Developed as a substitute for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams can enable chat, audio/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 depends on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Entra (previously branded Azure Active Directory) for supporting its complete range of capabilities. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams, visit solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.
SharePoint utilizes web sites to promote collaboration and information delivery by providing policy-based access to content, workflow, and utilities for looking through company-wide information silos. SharePoint permits you to build protected portals that permits at-home workforce to see and update consolidated corporate intelligence by means of Wikis, Blogs, social networking web sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). For details about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, visit SharePoint configuration and application development consulting.
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. For details about Progent's Exchange consulting services, refer to deployment expertise for Exchange.
OneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud-based file hosting and synchronization service, comparable to GoogleDrive. At-home workers can save files to OneDrive, and colleagues anywhere can retrieve them securely through a browser. Provided with Office 365, OneDrive enables at-home workers to co-edit files. Revisions made offline are uploaded when you reconnect to the Internet. For details about Progent's support services for OneDrive, see Onedrive configuration experts.
Public Cloud Integration Services for Telecommuters
Progent can provide affordable online support for enabling organizations to build, manage and repair cohesive hybrid network architectures that combine physical data centers, at-home workers, branch offices, and cloud resources. Progent can provide expertise for all modes of cloud service delivery such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help telecommuters resolve problems with public cloud access, identity, and security.
Azure is a leading platform for public cloud services that enables you to use IT infrastructure, virtual servers, and key applications running on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Microsoft Azure offers more than one hundred cloud-based services including hosting for Windows and Linux-powered VMs, scalable cloud storage, messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and data protection. Progent can help you to set up VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, configure cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity control with Azure AD, and design data backup and restore systems with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also show you how to establish protected access to Azure services for remote workers by setting up and troubleshooting firewalls and VPN IPsec tunnels. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Azure, visit Microsoft Azure consulting.
Microsoft 365, previously branded Office 365, is Microsoft's popular suite of client productivity software and cloud-based services available by subscription. Office applications and cloud services are marketed in a selection of bundles intended for customers ranging from individuals and households to major corporations. Progent can provide quick and affordable remote access to consultants familiar with Microsoft 365-compatible clients running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent can assist you to assess the various subscription plans offered with Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 applications for your at-home workers in a way that delivers top business value. To learn about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft 365, refer to Microsoft 365 integration support.
Microsoft 365 Exchange Online is among the most widely used cloud-based applications in Azure-hosted Microsoft 365 product suite. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online provides the benefits of reduced costs for physical infrastructure, simplified management, dynamic scaling, high availability, and additional benefits inherent with cloud computing. Microsoft has engineered Exchange Online to operate transparently with local Exchange environments, allowing you to create hybrid networks. Progent's Exchange consultants are available for occasional assistance to get you past challenging IT roadblocks and can also provide comprehensive project management services to make sure your remote workers have convenient and safe access to your Microsoft 365 Exchange Online environment. For information Progent's expertise for Exchange Online, go to Exchange Online configuration and troubleshooting consulting.
Amazon AWS is a trailblazer in the public cloud computing arena and is the world's top provider of cloud-based services. Progent offers rapid and affordable online contact with cloud connectivity experts who can assist your business to design, implement, maintain, and debug hybrid IT networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud services with on-premises resources and with other popular cloud platforms like Azure. Progent also can provide access to Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to assist you to create a high-uptime network model so your users have a productive computing environment whether they are working from your headquarters, a remote branch, at home, or on the road. To find out about Progent's consulting services for Amazon AWS, go to Amazon AWS consulting support.
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a leading set of cloud computing services that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco consulting experts can assist your organization to expand your current IT resources with the Google Cloud, and Progent's DBA experts can show you how to make your critical applications cloud ready so your at-home workers can benefit fully from Google Cloud services. Progent can assist you to deploy virtual machines on GCP Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage system with Google Cloud Storage services, and simplify identity management for remote workers with Google Cloud Identity services. Progent's experts can also assist your organization to utilize GCP's unified management technology to control and track your GCP ecosystem. For details, visit Google Cloud Platform integration support.
Help Desk Support for Remote Workers
An emergency, company-wide changeover to a teleworker workforce, which might be the result of a pandemic or as an element of a business continuity preparedness plan, can overstretch even a well-staffed internal Support Desk. Progent's Help Desk Call Center services make it possible for organizations of any size to outsource or supplement their Help Desk Call Center by using Progent's online Technical Response Center (TRC) team.
Cybersecurity for Remote Workers
Work-from-Home employees typically use their personal computers and usually work in an unsecured physical environment. This multiplies their vulnerability to cyber attacks and requires judicious configuration of corporate firewalls, AV tools, multi-factor authentication, remote monitoring, intensive user education, and the creation of policies built on leading practices. Progent's veteran roster of IT security support experts can assist your business to design, deploy and maintain an effective security solution that guards critical IT resources in networks that incorporate an at-home workforce.
Firewalls enable you to build a network environment that can be safely utilized by local users as well as by telecommuters, mobile workers, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders. Modern firewall devices permit you to assign and manage appropriate permissions to various classes of users and to scale your IT network and adjust your cybersecurity posture as your business evolves and as cyber threats grow more sophisticated. Progent works with both current and older security appliances from all leading vendors including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, and Fortinet. To learn more about Progent's firewall integration expertise, go to firewall integration and support services.
Online Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it possible to watch over the various computers used by telecommuters and either reject or identify and mitigate modern cyber attacks such as ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring services, a lightweight agent is put on each secured endpoint device, monitoring all activity and utilizing state-of-the-art behavioral threat analysis from SentinelOne to identify new threats on arrival. When a cyberattack is spotted, ProSight Active Security Monitoring immediately disconnects the targeted endpoint from the network to quarantine the malware. Because the ProSight Active Security Monitoring agent is autonomous, endpoints remain secure even when they are disconnected from the Internet. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. For more information about ProSight Active Security Monitoring, visit remote endpoint security monitoring for remote workers.
Progent's Duo authentication Managed Services incorporate Cisco's Duo technology to defend against stolen passwords by using two-factor authentication. Duo enables one-tap identity confirmation with Apple iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. With Duo 2FA, when you log into a secured online account and enter your password you are requested to confirm who you are on a device that only you have and that uses a different network channel. A wide selection of devices can be utilized for this added form of ID validation such as an iPhone or Android or wearable, a hardware/software token, a landline telephone, etc. You can designate multiple verification devices. To learn more about Duo identity validation services, go to Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for remote workers.
Security Audits can evaluate the exposure of your network to all classes of outside and local security attacks for an environment that incorporates remote workers. Progent can deploy online, automated security analysis software for quickly and economically detecting a broad range of security holes that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's security audit consulting services, which can be provided by network security professionals with advanced credentials including CISA, CISSP, and GIAC, can help you to evaluate your operations and governance policies and review your WAN architecture to allow you to design top-level protection for your at-home workers.
Horizon3.ai's NodeZero Pentest Platform is a breakthrough penetration test (pentest) product family that can deliver autonomous testing of your at-home connectivity solution as well as your internal and perimeter networks so you can expose, rank, remediate, and confirm security weaknesses before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Progent's pentest experts can assist you to deploy NodeZero to carry out comprehensive penetration tests of your network perimeter and your internal IT infrastructure in order to determine your current security profile. Progent can also help you to harden your existing network security and can help you to plan and deploy a unified cybersecurity ecosystem that streamlines management and delivers optimum cyber defense for on-premises, cloud-based, at-home, and perimeter IT resources. To learn more details about Progent's vulnerability assessment services based on on NodeZero's PEN test platform, see Consulting Services for NodeZero's Pentest Platform.
Download White Paper: Protecting a Work-From-Home Network
To read or download a white paper describing key areas to focus on for protecting a network that incorporates work-from-home staff, click:
Securing a Work-From-Home (WFH) Environment White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)
Data Protection Solutions for Teleworkers
The field of Data Protection covers saving and restoring vital information in order to prevent data loss and reduce restoration time in the event of storage system failures resulting from hardware issues, programming hiccups, human mistakes, cyber attack, or other causes. Dependable data protection strategies can be especially challenging to architect and manage in hybrid environments that incorporate private data centers, cloud resources, and at-home workers.
Unified Management for Telecommuters
Microsoft has rebranded and reshuffled its endpoint management products under the name Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud management of mobile and remote endpoints and Configuration Manager for managing on-premises computers. Endpoint Manager offers a unified platform for protecting critical data by managing on-premises, mobile, and at-home endpoints.
Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also includes Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud service for managing and securing mobile devices and software. Remote endpoint computers can be personally owned or business owned. Network administrators managing the endpoint computers of telecommuters can use Intune to deploy and authenticate apps on managed devices, push updates and certificates, set up rules for accessing information and networks, set passwords, create VPN connections, determine how teleworkers share information, establish threat protection, ensure security compliance, and erase sensitive data from lost, stolen or deactivated devices. Intune can be used with iOS, Google Android, Windows, and macOS devices. 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 telecommuters, go to Intune telecommuter device management experts.
VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is a feature-rich centralized Mobile Device Management platform that allows network administrators to keep remote endpoints current and secure. Workspace ONE uses VMware AirWatch technology for unified endpoint administration combined with VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery platform for identity control, app management, and setup management of endpoints. Workspace ONE runs with devices powered by Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, or leading distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is available by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-premises deployment through a one-time purchase. Top capabilities of VMware Workspace ONE include fast over-the-air deployment of new notebooks, immediate onboarding of new users, policy set up and enforcement for all categories of devices, unifies reporting and performance analytics, an email encryption gateway, and tight integration with Microsoft applications and cloud services. For information about Progent's support services for VMware Workspace ONE, refer to VMware Workspace ONE mobile device management expertise.
Contact Progent for Remote Workforce Expertise
To contact Progent about creating and maintaining an efficient work-from-home environment for your Sioux Falls, South Dakota organization, call