Enlarging your at-home workforce may have a significant impact on network architecture, security, and corporate culture. Progent has two decades of experience helping businesses of all sizes to design, deploy, manage, tune, and debug IT networks that support work-from-home employees. Progent can assist your Salinas organization to pick the right technologies and follow best practices in creating and maintaining a safe virtual solution for teleworkers that facilitates teamwork and delivers top value. Progent offers services ranging from on demand guidance for helping you over challenging technical bottlenecks to comprehensive project management or co-management to help you successfully complete mission-critical tasks.

Progent can assist Salinas, California businesses to succeed with any facet of creating a high-performing work-at-home environment by delivering network infrastructure configuration services, IP voice expertise, video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, public cloud integration, Call Desk outsourcing, cybersecurity, backup/restore solutions, and unified management.

Network Infrastructure for Teleworkers
Configuring the network infrastructure required for a remote workforce can be particularly complex if you have to manage a mix of worker-owned hardware like PCs and laptops, routers, and wireless appliances from various manufacturers and with a variety of operating systems and firmware levels. Progent's background delivering remote help for both legacy and modern IT products in virtual office solutions allows you to make cost-effective use of your existing infrastructure and provides you with fast access to expertise for making necessary upgrades. Services available from Progent to assist you to implement a productive work-at-home infrastructure include:

  • VPN connectivity makes it possible to create a safe connection for authorized at-home workers to access IT resources situated at your corporate data center or in a public cloud. Progent's consultants can assist your company to configure and maintain VPN access between your at-home workforce and your key network resources by providing online VPN integration support. For organizations using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco-certified ASA experts can help your at-home workers to utilize Cisco's AnyConnect software for safe VPN tunneling for a broad selection of endpoint devices such as Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) platforms enable an at-home worker to view and use a remote computer's desktop. This gives IT managers significant control over the digital ecosystem of at-home employees and ensures them a familiar work experience. Progent's virtual desktop consulting services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI consulting.
  • Routers attach at-home computer networks to the Internet and support VPN tunnels, home Wi-Fi networks, and firewalls. Progent offers expert remote consulting for integrating routers from all major manufacturers. See router configuration services from Cisco-certified consultants.
  • Home Wi-Fi networks, often supporting families and guests, are commonly utilized by telecommuters to connect to their router for work. This can create performance and cybersecurity problems. Progent can help businesses to resolve these issues by delivering services that include Cisco Aironet configuration expertise, Cisco Meraki WiFi installation expertise, and Ubiquiti wireless AP integration help.
  • Internet access methods impact the speed and reliability of connections between at-home workers and the corporate network. Line-of-business processes may require redundant Internet connections in case the normal connection breaks. Progent can provide expertise for picking service providers, choosing sensible bandwidth and data volume packages, and configuring fault-tolerant Internet connections. See Internet connectivity integration services.

VoIP Integration for Telecommuters
Expanding the business phone system to include remote users is critical to maintaining a productive at-home workforce. A variety of cloud-based digital PBX products are used by small and mid-size businesses to server telecommuters. Many enterprises rely on Cisco's modern or older platforms for IP voice solutions. Progent can help businesses of all sizes to design or tune a remote VoIP environment that delivers the versatility, transparency and security needed for telecommuters. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice consultants offer advanced support to assist organizations tune their existing Cisco IP voice systems to handle an expanding at-home workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM) extends high-end IP telephony features to devices such as VoIP phones, media processing products, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media applications deployed across the network. Unified Communications Manager supports other combined media services like unified messaging, voice/video conferencing, and team interaction networks. For details about Progent's Cisco Unified CM or CUCM expertise, refer to CUCM consulting services.
  • Cisco CallManager is Cisco's legacy call-processing software and has been replaced by Cisco Unified CM. Progent can assist you to support your current CallManager deployment or upgrade smoothly to Cisco's modern IP telephony solutions. For details about Progent's expertise for CallManager and Cisco's other early IP voice products, visit Cisco CallManager consulting services.
  • Cisco IP Gateways enable connectivity with PSTN networks and with users working outside the corporate firewall like telecommuters. Progent offers expert support for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways such as the UC520, UC540 and UC560 product lines and for modern Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway integration consulting.
  • Additional VoIP Platforms supported by Progent include Vonage, RingCentral and 8x8. Progent can assist you to enhance your wide area network architecture to support these VoIP solutions and deliver online deployment and debugging expertise.

Video Conferencing for At-Home Workers
A broad range of voice/video conferencing products from major technology companies support online discussions, video conferencing, chat, and screen sharing for both local users and telecommuters. Many companies use multiple products to meet the needs of their different partners and clients. Progent can help your organization to maintain your current conferencing environment and enhance the engagement of your at-home employees.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular communications product 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 applications such as PowerPoint, Word, and Excel. Progent offers the skills of Microsoft-certified consultants who can help your company to configure and manage Skype for Business client software to accommodate your remote workforce. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Skype for Business, refer to Skype for Business consulting services.
  • FaceTime is Apple's multiuser video phone app for compatible iOS and macOS devices. FaceTime runs over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Later editions of FaceTime allow up to 32 concurrent users for voice/video calls. For details about Progent's consulting services for Apple FaceTime, see Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center supports online conferencing for most desktop or mobile devices. Offered via Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex capabilities include sharing specific content or screens, presentations that embed rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint, session capture, plus editing and playback for future reference. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Cisco Webex and for other video conferencing solutions 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 information with features that include voice/video conferencing, persistent chat, plus file sharing. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Teams and for additional Microsoft 365 products, refer to Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Other Conferencing Platforms supported by Progent include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can provide configuration and troubleshooting services for these conferencing platforms and assist your business to optimize your network infrastructure to host them.

Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Platforms for Teleworkers
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's familiar Office and Microsoft 365 families, offering a rich environment of productivity apps that deliver a consistent user experience for exchanging information throughout multiple sites and on a wide selection of endpoint computers. Progent has provided online consulting support for SharePoint and Exchange since their original releases and can help businesses to tune these flagship collaboration products to maximize the effectiveness of your remote workers.

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 on top of Microsoft 365 and supports third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration. Designed as a replacement for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium can enable chat, audio/video meetings with screen sharing, phone calls, cloud voicemail, group email, plus file and app sharing. Teams is tightly 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 full range of features. For details about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams, see solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint Server Configuration Experts for At-Home WorkersSharePoint utilizes web entities to enable collaboration and information sharing by providing policy-based access to data, workflow, and utilities for looking through enterprise-wide information silos. SharePoint permits you to create secure web portals that enables remote workers to see and update consolidated corporate intelligence via Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). For information about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, refer to SharePoint configuration and application development consulting.

Exchange Deployment Consultants for At-Home WorkersExchange and Exchange Online offer secure collaboration features including public folders, shared mailboxes, and shared calendars and contacts. Progent's Microsoft certified Exchange experts can show you how to activate and utilize these features for your at-home workers. To find out about Progent's Exchange support services, go to integration consulting services for Microsoft Exchange Server.

Onedrive Configuration Experts for Remote WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s collaborative cloud-based storage service, similar to GoogleDrive. Remote workers can save files to the OneDrive service, and colleagues anywhere can share them securely through a browser. Provided with Office 365, OneDrive allows at-home workers to co-edit documents. Edits made offline are automatically synced when you reconnect to the Internet. To find out about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft OneDrive, refer to Onedrive configuration experts.

Cloud Integration Services for Remote Workers
Progent can provide advanced online assistance for enabling organizations to create, maintain and repair cohesive hybrid network architectures that include internal data centers, remote workers, branches, and cloud services. Progent can provide top-tier consultant for all types of public cloud service delivery including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service. Progent can help teleworkers resolve problems with public cloud connectivity, identity, and cybersecurity.

Azure Integration Services for TelecommutersMicrosoft Azure is a leading family of public cloud software and services that enables you to utilize IT infrastructure, virtual servers, and critical apps running on Microsoft's massive cloud. Azure offers more than 100 services services such as hosting for Windows and Linux-based virtual machines, on-demand cloud storage, messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and backup/restore. Progent can assist your organization to set up VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity control with Azure AD, and plan data backup and recovery systems with Azure Backup. Progent can also help you establish secure connections to Azure services for remote workers by configuring and troubleshooting firewalls and VPN tunnels. For details about Progent's support services for Microsoft Azure, refer to Microsoft Azure expertise.

Microsoft 365 Integration for Remote WorkersMicrosoft 365, formerly called Office 365, is Microsoft's popular family of business productivity applications and cloud services offered by subscription. Microsoft applications and services are marketed in a variety of bundles intended for customers ranging from students and households to large enterprises. Progent offers quick and easy online contact with experts familiar with Microsoft 365-compatible clients based on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent's experts can assist you to assess the numerous subscription bundles offered with Microsoft 365 and configure 365 apps for your remote workers in a way that delivers top business value. To find out about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft 365, visit Microsoft 365 consulting services.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online Integration for TelecommutersMicrosoft 365 Exchange Online is one of the most widely used cloud-based applications in Azure-hosted Microsoft 365 product line. Exchange Online provides the advantages of lower spending for physical infrastructure, easier management, on-demand scaling, high availability, and other advantages inherent with public clouds. Microsoft has designed Exchange Online to run seamlessly with on-premises deployments of Exchange, enabling customers to create hybrid cloud/onsite information systems. Progent's certified Exchange experts can provide as-needed help to guide you through challenging technical bottlenecks 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 deployment. To find out Progent's consulting expertise for Exchange Online, refer to Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting consulting.

Amazon AWS Integration for TelecommutersAmazon Web Services (AWS) is a trailblazer in the public cloud computing arena and is the world's biggest provider of cloud services. Progent can provide rapid and economical online access to cloud integration experts who can assist your organization to plan, deploy, maintain, and debug hybrid information networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with on-premises resources and with other public clouds such as Microsoft Azure. Progent also offers access to Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to assist you to create a high-uptime network architecture to make sure your users have a productive computing environment regardless of whether they are working from your headquarters, a remote branch, at home, or on the move. To find out about Progent's expertise for Amazon AWS, refer to Amazon AWS consulting expertise.

Google Cloud Platform Integration for At-Home WorkersGoogle Cloud is a leading suite of cloud computing services that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco consulting experts can assist your organization to scale your existing IT resources with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's database consultants can help you make your key applications cloud ready so your at-home workers can take full advantage of Google Cloud services. Progent can help you to deploy VMs on GCP Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage system with GCP Storage, and simplify identity management for remote workers with GCP Cloud Identity services. Progent can also help your organization to utilize GCP's unified management technology to control and track your Google Cloud ecosystem. To learn, go to Google Cloud Platform consulting services.

Help Desk Support for Telecommuters
A fast, organization-wide switchover to a from-home workforce, which could be driven by an epidemic or as an element of a disaster recovery plan, can overwhelm even a well-staffed in-house Help Desk. Progent's Call Center services allow organizations of any size to outsource or expand their Help Desk with Progent's online Technical Response Center (TRC) services.

  • Progent's Standard Help Desk Call Center support services utilize Progent's extensive team of online IT support specialists combined with enterprise-class ticketing and tracking software to offer an affordable, advanced Help Desk. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide an end-to-end solution that addresses all facets of online Level 1 desktop support from service requests to ticket creation, screen sharing, issue resolution, and reporting. A browser-based User's Service Portal enables teleworkers to monitor or edit their active tickets, add information, and upload screen captures or attachments. Technical support services are delivered at a substantial discount off Progent's ordinary Level 1 desktop support charges, and Progent makes available the option of rapid escalation to Level 2 and Level 3 IT experts to resolve complex issues. To learn more, go to Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small businesses.
  • Progent's Call Desk Augmentation Service enables you to supplement your existing Call Center staff by splitting delivery of Call Desk support transparently between your regular IT support organization and Progent's nationwide team of PC support technicians and subject matter specialists. Progent's co-managed Help Desk service uses a co-sourcing support solution based on the leading professional services automation (PSA) platform for managing help requests and trouble tickets, establishing responsibility, monitoring progress, and producing management reports. For information about how Progent's Call Center Supplementation Services can enable your business to deliver best-in-class IT support to your telecommuters, see Progent's Call Center supplementation Services.

Security and Compliance for Teleworkers
Work-from-Home workers commonly use their personal computers and often work in a poorly secured physical space. This multiplies their susceptibility to malware threats and requires careful deployment of corporate firewalls, AV tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote monitoring, thorough user education, and the development of policies based on best practices. Progent's seasoned team of cybersecurity support experts can assist you to design, configure and maintain a compliant cybersecurity solution that protects vital information resources in networks that incorporate an at-home workforce.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls enable companies to create a network environment that can be securely utilized by on-premises users as well as by teleworkers, mobile workers, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders. Modern firewall appliances allow you to configure and manage different access rights to different classes of users and to expand your IT network and adjust your security profile as your business evolves and as cyber threats grow increasingly complex. Progent works with both new and older firewall devices from all major vendors including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. To learn more about Progent's firewall configuration expertise, visit firewall support services.

Remote Security Monitoring for TeleworkersRemote Endpoint Monitoring makes it possible to track the various computers utilized by an at-home workforce and either reject or spot and mitigate the latest threats like ransomware. With Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight software agent is put on every secured endpoint, monitoring all activity and utilizing advanced AI technology from SentinelOne to identify new attacks before they can spread. When an attack is discovered, ProSight ASM immediately isolates the infected endpoint from the corporate network to quarantine the malware. Since the ProSight ASM agent is autonomous, endpoints stay protected even if they are disconnected from the Internet. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. For more information about ProSight Active Security Monitoring, see remote endpoint security monitoring for at-home workers.

Two-factor Authentication Services for TeleworkersProgent's Duo authentication Service Plans utilize Cisco's Duo technology to defend against compromised passwords through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables single-tap identity confirmation with iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. With 2FA, when you log into a secured online account and give your password you are requested to confirm your identity via a unit that only you have and that is accessed using a different network channel. A wide selection of devices can be used for this added means of ID validation such as an iPhone or Android or wearable, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You can designate multiple verification devices. To find out more about ProSight Duo identity authentication services, go to Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for telecommuters.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can evaluate the vulnerability of your network to all classes of external and local security attacks for an environment that incorporates telecommuters. Progent can deploy remote, automated security inventory software for rapidly and affordably 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 data security experts with advanced certifications such as CISA, ISSAP, and GIAC, can assist you to audit your processes and policies and assess your WAN architecture to enable you to implement top-level security for your remote workers.

NodeZero Pen Testing for At-Home WorkersHorizon3.ai's NodeZero Pentest Platform is a breakthrough penetration test (pentest) product family that can deliver automated threat assessment of your at-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks so you can find, rank, fix, and confirm cybersecurity vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. Progent can help you to use NodeZero to carry out thorough pentests of your network perimeter and your internal network in order to determine your current security posture. Progent's NodeZero experts can also assist you to harden your existing network security and can help you to plan and deploy a cohesive cybersecurity strategy that streamlines management and delivers maximum protection for on-prem, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT assets. To learn additional details about Progent's vulnerability assessment services based on on NodeZero's penetration test products, refer to Consulting Support for NodeZero's Penetration Test Products.

Download White Paper: Protecting a Work-From-Home Environment
To read or download a white paper about key things to concentrate on for protecting an IT environment that supports work-from-home staff, click:
Protecting a Work-From-Home Network White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)

Data Protection for Telecommuters
Data Protection involves saving and recovering vital information so as to avoid data loss and minimize restoration time in the event of storage problems due to equipment breakdowns, software glitches, human error, malware, or any other reason. Dependable data protection strategies can be especially challenging to design and manage in hybrid environments that combine in-house data centers, cloud resources, and at-home workers.

  • Backup/Recovery strategies for remote workers must address multiple kinds of personally owned endpoints. Progent can provide quick online access to experts familiar with a wide array of products for protection Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX servers and desktops as well as notebooks, tablets and smartphones. Popular backup/restore solutions maintained by Progent's data protection experts include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, CrashPlan, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To protect data distributed throughout a wide area network, Progent can provide ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a backup/recovery service that utilizes cloud storage and includes granular restore and centralized management.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity strategies commonly anticipate scenarios that call for a temporary changeover to telecommuting. Progent's expert disaster recovery preparedness consultants and business continuity consultants can assist your business to create, document and validate a DR/BC plan that includes the process of moving to an at-home workforce.

Unified Management for Teleworkers
Microsoft has rebranded and rebundled its endpoint management products under the name Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which includes Intune for cloud-based management of mobile and remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing on-premises endpoints. Microsoft Endpoint Manager offers a unified environment for safeguarding corporate data by managing local, mobile, and home-based endpoint devices.

Microsoft 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 computers and applications. Managed endpoint computers can be personally owned or company owned. IT admins managing the endpoint devices of teleworkers can use Intune to provision and authenticate apps on managed devices, push patches and certificates, configure policies for permission to access data and networks, set passwords, create VPN tunnels, control how home-based workers share data, establish threat protection, verify compliance, and wipe corporate information from missing, stolen or decommissioned endpoint devices. Microsoft Intune can be used with iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS computers. For details about Microsoft Intune and how Progent can assist your company to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to administer the devices of your teleworkers, visit Intune mobile endpoint management expertise.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced centralized Mobile Device Management platform that helps network managers to keep off-premises endpoints current and secure. Workspace ONE uses VMware AirWatch for centralized endpoint management combined with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery technology for access control, application management, and setup management of endpoints. Workspace ONE operates with endpoints powered by Windows 10, macOS, Apple iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or leading distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is available by subscription as a cloud service or as an on-site product via a one-time purchase. Key features of Workspace ONE include fast over-the-air provisioning of new notebooks, quick onboarding of new users, policy set up and enforcement for all categories of endpoints, unifies management reporting and analytics, email encryption, and integration with Microsoft apps and cloud services. For information about Progent's expertise for VMware Workspace ONE, refer to VMware Workspace ONE mobile device management consultants.

Contact Progent for Remote Workforce Expertise
To contact Progent about creating and maintaining an efficient telecommuter solution for your Salinas, California organization, call 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.