Enlarging your remote workforce may have a significant effect on network architecture, security/compliance, and corporate workflows. Progent has two decades of background assisting small and mid-size businesses to design, deploy, manage, tune, and debug IT environments that support work-from-home employees. Progent can help your Monterey company to select the appropriate tools and adhere to best practices in creating and operating a safe virtual solution for telecommuters that facilitates teamwork and delivers maximum business value. Progent can provide services ranging from as-needed expertise for helping you over challenging technical bottlenecks to full project management to help you carry out mission-critical tasks.

Progent can assist Monterey, California organizations to succeed with any aspect of building a high-performing work-at-home environment by delivering network infrastructure design and configuration services, IP voice expertise, voice/video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, cloud integration, Help Desk augmentation, security monitoring, backup/restore solutions, and unified management.

Network Infrastructure for an At-Home Workforce
Integrating the network infrastructure required to support an at-home workforce can be especially challenging if you must accommodate a combination of worker-owned equipment such as desktop computers and laptops, Internet routers, and wireless appliances from various manufacturers and with a mix of OS software and firmware levels. Progent's background delivering remote help for both outdated as well as modern technologies in remote office venues allows you to make cost-effective use of your available network infrastructure and provides you with fast access to expertise for making essential upgrades. Support services available from Progent to assist your company to implement a productive work-at-home ecosystem include:

  • VPN connectivity makes it possible to create a secure tunnel for authenticated at-home employees to access IT assets located at your corporate datacenter or in the cloud. Progent's consultants can assist you to deploy and maintain VPN access between your teleworkers and your various IT resources by providing remote VPN integration support. For organizations using Cisco's ASA security appliances, Progent's Cisco ASA Firewall experts can assist your at-home workers to utilize Cisco's AnyConnect software for secure VPN tunneling for a broad selection of devices such as Microsoft Windows, Mac, Apple iOS, Linux, and Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) platforms allow a telecommuter to view and interact with a remote computer's desktop. This technology provides IT managers significant control over the computing environment of at-home employees and offers them a familiar experience. Progent's VDI services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI consulting.
  • Routers connect home networks to the Internet and support VPN tunnels, local wireless networks, and firewall services. Progent offers top-tier online consulting for integrating routers from a range of manufacturers. See router configuration support from Cisco-certified experts.
  • Home Wireless networks, typically supporting an entire household and visitors, are frequently utilized by telecommuters to connect to their router for work. This can cause throughput and security issues. Progent can assist you to mitigate these issues by providing expertise that include Cisco Aironet configuration consulting, Cisco-certified Meraki wireless installation consulting, and Ubiquiti wireless access point integration help.
  • Internet access methods impact the speed and availability of connections between at-home workers and the company network. Vital applications may require backup Internet access in case the normal connection breaks. Progent offers guidance for selecting ISPs, selecting appropriate bandwidth and data volume packages, and configuring high-availability Internet access. See Internet connectivity integration services.

IP Voice Integration for At-Home Workers
Extending the business PBX system to accommodate remote users is vital to supporting a productive work-at-home solution. A broad range of cloud-based VoIP products are used by small and mid-size businesses to support teleworkers. Many larger organizations rely on Cisco's current or older platforms for IP voice management. Progent can help organizations of any size to plan or tune a remote VoIP service that delivers the flexibility, convenience and security needed for teleworkers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice consultants can provide advanced support to assist businesses optimize their existing Cisco IP voice environments to handle an expanding remote workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM) extends enterprise telephony features to devices like VoIP phones, media processing platforms, VoIP gateways, and multimedia apps deployed throughout the network. Unified Communications Manager manages other combined media services like messaging, video conferencing, and team interaction networks. For details about Progent's CUCM support, refer to Cisco Unified CM consulting services.
  • Cisco CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing software and has been replaced by Cisco Unified CM. Progent can help your company to maintain your current CallManager deployment or upgrade smoothly to Cisco's modern IP telephony products. To find out about Progent's expertise for Cisco CallManager and Cisco's other older IP voice platforms, refer to Cisco CallManager expertise.
  • Cisco IP Gateways enable connectivity with public telephony networks and with clients operating outside the corporate perimeter such as telecommuters. Progent can provide expert support for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways like the UC520, UC540 and UC560 products and for current Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway configuration expertise.
  • Additional VoIP Platforms supported by Progent include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can help you to update your wide area network infrastructure to work with these VoIP solutions and deliver online deployment and troubleshooting expertise.

Voice/Video Conferencing for Telecommuters
A wide selection of video conferencing products from major technology companies support virtual meetings, video conferencing, chat, and screen sharing for both onsite users and telecommuters. Many organizations use multiple products to meet the needs of their different partners and customers. Progent's communications experts can assist you to manage your current conferencing environment and optimize the engagement of your remote workforce.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's leading communications platform that enables presence, instant messaging, audio and video calling and conferencing plus 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 deploy and maintain Skype for Business client software to accommodate your at-home employees. To learn more about Progent's support services for Skype for Business, refer to Skype for Business integration services.
  • FaceTime is Apple's group video phone app for compatible iOS and Mac devices. FaceTime works on Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Later editions of FaceTime allow as many as 32 simultaneous users for video sessions. For details about Progent's consulting services for FaceTime, see Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center provides online conferencing for most desktop or mobile devices. Offered through Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex services include sharing specific content or screens, presentations that incorporate rich media such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, session capture, plus revision and playback for training. To learn more about Progent's support services for Cisco Webex as well as for additional IP video solutions from Cisco, visit Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's follow-up for Skype for Business. Teams provides a hub for conferencing, contacts, and information with capabilities that include IP voice and video conferencing, threaded chat, plus data sharing. To learn more about Progent's support services for Microsoft Teams as well as for additional Microsoft 365 apps, see Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Additional Conferencing Platforms supported by Progent's conferencing experts include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can provide integration and troubleshooting expertise for these products and help your business to optimize your WAN architecture to host them.

Microsoft Collaboration Platforms for Teleworkers
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are closely integrated with Microsoft's familiar Office suites, offering a powerful ecosystem of applications that create a cohesive user interface for exchanging information throughout multiple sites and on a broad selection of endpoint devices. Progent has provided remote consulting support for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange since their first releases and can help businesses to tune these critical 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 TelecommutersMicrosoft Teams works on top of Microsoft 365 and integrates with third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration and communication. Developed as a substitute for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams can enable chat, audio/video meetings with screen sharing, phone calls, cloud voicemail, group email, as well as file and app sharing. Teams is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 and relies on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Entra (previously called 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 planning and deployment expertise for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint Deployment Consultants for At-Home WorkersSharePoint utilizes web entities to enable collaboration and knowledge delivery by offering policy-driven access to content, workflow, and tools for searching through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint enables you to build secure web portals that permits at-home workforce to view and edit aggregated business intelligence by means of Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social networking sites, and Web Parts. To learn about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, refer to SharePoint integration and development consulting.

Exchange Integration 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. To find out about Progent's Exchange support services, refer to planning and configuration consulting for Exchange Server.

Microsoft Onedrive Integration Consultants for Remote WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s collaborative cloud-based file hosting and synchronization service, similar to GoogleDrive. At-home users can store files to the OneDrive service, and colleagues can access them safely via a browser. Included with Office 365, OneDrive allows remote employees to jointly author documents. Revisions made offline are synced when you go back online. For information about Progent's support services for OneDrive, go to Microsoft Onedrive configuration experts.

Public Cloud Integration Services for Telecommuters
Progent offers affordable online support for enabling organizations to build, maintain and repair cohesive network architectures that incorporate physical data centers, telecommuters, branches, and public cloud services. Progent can provide top-tier consultant for all modes of cloud service such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service. Progent can help telecommuters resolve problems with public cloud access, authentication, and cybersecurity.

Microsoft Azure Integration Services for Remote WorkersAzure is a popular family of cloud services that enables you to utilize infrastructure, virtual servers, and key apps hosted on Microsoft's massive cloud. Azure offers over 100 cloud-based services such as the ability to host Windows and Linux-based VMs, on-demand cloud storage, messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and data backup. Progent can assist your organization to set up virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity control with Azure Active Directory, and plan data backup and restore systems with Azure Backup. Progent can also show you how to create secure access to Azure services for at-home workers by configuring and debugging firewalls and VPN IPsec tunnels. To learn about Progent's support services for Microsoft Azure, visit Microsoft Azure consulting.

Microsoft 365 Integration for TeleworkersMicrosoft 365, formerly called Office 365, is Microsoft's popular family of client productivity software and cloud services available on a subscription basis. Office apps and cloud services are marketed in a selection of bundles designed for users ranging from individuals and households to large enterprises. Progent offers quick and easy online access to experts knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent can help your business to evaluate the numerous subscription bundles available for Microsoft 365 and configure 365 apps for your teleworkers in a way that delivers maximum business value. To learn about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft 365, refer to Microsoft 365 consulting services.

Exchange Online Integration for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft 365 Exchange Online is among the most widely used applications in the Microsoft 365 product line. Exchange Online provides the benefits of reduced costs for data center infrastructure, simplified management, dynamic scaling, high availability, and additional benefits associated with cloud computing. Microsoft has designed Exchange Online to operate seamlessly with local Exchange environments, enabling customers to create hybrid networks. Progent's certified Exchange consultants are available for as-needed help to get you past tough IT roadblocks and can also provide comprehensive project management outsourcing to ensure your remote workers have convenient and safe access to your Exchange Online environment. For details Progent's consulting expertise for Exchange Online, go to Microsoft 365 Exchange Online configuration and support consulting.

Amazon AWS Integration for At-Home WorkersAmazon Web Services (AWS) is a pioneer in the public cloud computing market and is the world's top provider of cloud services. Progent can provide quick and economical online access to cloud connectivity experts who can help your business to plan, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot hybrid IT networks that integrate Amazon AWS cloud services with local resources and with other popular cloud platforms such as Azure. Progent also can provide access to Cisco-certified CCIE networking experts to help your company to create a high-availability network architecture to make sure your users have a productive computing environment regardless of whether they are working from your headquarters, a remote branch, from home, or on the move. For details about Progent's consulting services for Amazon AWS, visit Amazon AWS integration services.

Google Cloud Integration for At-Home WorkersGoogle Cloud Platform (GCP) is a leading suite of public cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can assist you to expand your current IT resources with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's database consultants can show you how to make your key apps cloud friendly so your telecommuters can benefit fully from Google Cloud Platform services. Progent can assist your organization to set up virtual machines on GCP Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage system with GCP Storage, and simplify identity control for telecommuters with GCP Cloud Identity services. Progent can also assist your business to utilize GCP's management technology to administer and monitor your GCP ecosystem. For details, refer to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) consulting expertise.

Help Desk Support for Remote Workers
An emergency, organization-wide switchover to a telecommuter business model, which could be driven by an epidemic or as an element of a disaster recovery/business continuity process, can overstretch even a well-staffed internal Call Desk. Progent's Help Desk services allow businesses to outsource or augment their Call Center with Progent's remote Technical Response Center services.

  • Progent's Standard Support Desk services leverage Progent's nationwide team of remote technical support experts combined with enterprise-class ticketing and follow-up technology to provide an economical, advanced Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services offer a comprehensive solution that handles all aspects of online Level 1 PC technical support from initial help requests to trouble ticket generation, screen sharing, issue resolution, and incident reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal allows from-home workers to monitor or update the status of their current tickets, enter information, and upload screen captures or relevant files. Support services are delivered at a substantial price reduction off Progent's ordinary Level 1 technical support rates, and Progent makes available the option of rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 IT specialists to resolve complex issues. To learn more, see Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small and mid-size businesses.
  • Progent's Help Desk Augmentation Service enables your company to augment your existing Help Desk Call Center organization by sharing responsibilities for Help Desk services seamlessly between your regular IT support organization and Progent's extensive team of desktop support engineers and subject matter specialists. Progent's shared Help Desk Call Center service is based on a collaborative support model utilizing the leading professional services automation (PSA) tool for managing service requests and trouble tickets, establishing responsibility, tracking progress, and producing reports. For details about how Progent's Call Center Augmentation Services can enable your business to provide world-class technical support to your at-home workforce, go to Progent's Call Desk augmentation Services.

Cybersecurity for Teleworkers
At-home staff members commonly use their personal computing devices and often work in a poorly secured physical area. This increases their vulnerability to malware threats and requires careful configuration of corporate firewalls, anti-malware tools, multi-factor authentication, remote monitoring, extensive user education, and the development of policies based on best practices. Progent's seasoned group of cybersecurity solutions consultants can assist your business to design, configure and maintain an effective cybersecurity solution that guards critical information resources in networks that incorporate an at-home workforce.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls allow companies to build a network environment that can be securely utilized by local users as well as by telecommuters, mobile workers, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders. Next-generation firewall appliances permit you to configure and manage appropriate access rights to different classes of users and to expand your network and adjust your security profile as your business evolves and as cyber threats become more complex. Progent works with both current and legacy firewall appliances from all major manufacturers like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. For details about Progent's firewall support services, see firewall integration and support services.

Remote Endpoint Monitoring Services for At-Home WorkersOnline Endpoint Monitoring makes it easy to watch over the various computers utilized by remote workers and either reject or identify and respond to modern threats like ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight software agent is installed on each protected endpoint, monitoring all activity and utilizing advanced machine learning and full execution context from SentinelOne to detect zero-day threats before they can spread. When a cyberattack is spotted, ProSight ASM instantly disconnects the targeted endpoint from the corporate network to quarantine the threat. Because the ProSight Active Security Monitoring agent is self-contained, endpoints stay secure even if they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. For details about ProSight Active Security Monitoring, refer to remote endpoint monitoring for remote workers.

Two-factor Authentication Services for TeleworkersProgent's Duo authentication Service Plans utilize Cisco's Duo technology to defend against stolen passwords through the use of two-factor authentication. Duo supports single-tap identity confirmation on Apple iOS, Android, and other personal devices. Using 2FA, when you sign into a protected online account and enter your password you are asked to verify who you are on a unit that only you possess and that uses a different network channel. A broad range of devices can be utilized for this added means of ID validation including an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware/software token, a landline phone, etc. You can designate multiple verification devices. To learn more about Duo two-factor identity validation services, refer to Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for telecommuters.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can evaluate the exposure of your information system to all classes of external and local security attacks for a network that includes remote workers. Progent can run remote, automated cybersecurity inventory software for quickly and economically uncovering a broad range of security gaps that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's endpoint security audit consulting services, which can be managed by network security professionals with advanced credentials such as CISA, ISSAP, and GIAC, can help your company to evaluate your workflows and governance policies and assess your IT architecture to allow you to design top-level security for your at-home workers.

NodeZero Pen Testing for At-Home WorkersHorizon3.ai's NodeZero Pentest Platform is a cutting-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that can deliver autonomous testing of your at-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks so you can find, rank, fix, and verify security weaknesses before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Progent can help you to use NodeZero to carry out thorough penetration tests of your perimeter and your internal IT infrastructure so you can evaluate your current security profile. Progent's NodeZero experts can also help you to strengthen your network security and can help you to plan and deploy a unified cybersecurity strategy that simplifies management and delivers maximum cyber defense for on-prem, multi-cloud, remote, and perimeter IT assets. To find out more information about Progent's vulnerability analysis services powered by on NodeZero's pentest products, visit Consulting Support for NodeZero's PEN Test Products.

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

Data Protection Solutions for Telecommuters
Data Protection covers backing up and recovering vital data so as to avoid data loss and reduce restoration time and effort in case of storage system problems due to equipment issues, programming glitches, user mistakes, malware, or other causes. Dependable data protection strategies can be especially difficult to architect and manage in hybrid networks that combine local data centers, cloud resources, and an at-home workforce.

  • Backup/Restore solutions for teleworkers must cover diverse kinds of user-owned endpoints. Progent can provide quick remote access to experts knowledgeable about a wide range of products for protection Windows, Apple and Linux/UNIX servers and desktops as well as laptops, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones. Popular backup/restore solutions supported by Progent's backup/recovery consultants include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, DoubleTake Software, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To protect data spread across a wide area network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services, a backup/recovery service that utilizes cloud-based storage and includes fine-grained recovery and unified management capabilities.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity plans commonly anticipate circumstances that call for a quick changeover to a work-at-home environment. Progent's senior disaster recovery planning experts and business continuity specialists can help your business to create, document and test a DR/BC plan that includes the process of moving to telecommuting.

Unified Management for Telecommuters
Microsoft has renamed and rebundled its endpoint management products under the name Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud management of remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing onsite endpoints. Endpoint Manager features a centralized solution for protecting critical information by managing onsite, mobile, and at-home endpoint devices.

Microsoft Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management family that also features Microsoft Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and protecting remote devices and applications. Remote endpoint computers can be personally owned or company owned. IT administrators managing the endpoint devices of telecommuters can utilize Intune to deploy and authenticate apps on devices, push updates and certificates, set up policies for accessing information and resources, set passwords, create VPN tunnels, determine how home-based workers share information, set up threat defense, verify compliance, and wipe sensitive information from lost, stolen or deactivated devices. Intune runs with iOS/iPadOS, Android, Windows, and macOS endpoints. For details about Intune and to find out how Progent can assist you to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to administer the devices of your at-home workers, see Intune teleworker device management consultants.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced centralized MDM product that allows network administrators to keep remote endpoints up to date and protected. Workspace ONE uses VMware AirWatch technology for centralized endpoint management combined with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery platform for identity control, app management, and configuration management of endpoint devices. Workspace ONE operates with devices powered by Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, or leading distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-site product through a perpetual license. Key features of Workspace ONE include rapid over-the-air deployment of out-of-the-box laptops, quick onboarding of new employees, policy setting and enforcement for all classes of endpoints, unifies reporting and analytics, an email encryption gateway, and integration with Microsoft apps and cloud products. For details about Progent's support services for VMware Workspace ONE, visit VMware Workspace ONE remote device management consultants.

Contact Progent for At-Home Worker Expertise
To contact Progent about building and managing an efficient work-from-home solution for your Monterey, California business, phone 1-800-993-9400 or refer to Contact Progent.