Expanding your remote workforce can have a significant effect on IT architecture, security, and company culture. Progent has two decades of experience helping SMBs to design, deploy, administer, optimize, and debug IT environments that support work-from-home employees. Progent can help your Huntington Beach organization to select the right technologies and adhere to best practices in building and operating a safe virtual office solution for teleworkers that promotes teamwork and returns maximum value. Progent can provide services that go from as-needed expertise for helping you over occasional technical roadblocks to full project management or co-management to help you carry out business-critical tasks.

Progent's consultants can help Huntington Beach, California companies to succeed with any facet of creating a high-functioning work-at-home environment by providing network infrastructure configuration services, IP voice expertise, voice/video conferencing integration, collaboration platform selection and deployment, cloud connectivity, helpdesk services, cybersecurity, data protection solutions, and streamlined management.

Infrastructure for Teleworkers
Integrating the physical and software infrastructure needed for an at-home workforce can be particularly challenging if you must accommodate a mix of personal equipment such as PCs and notebooks, routers, and wireless appliances from different vendors and with a mix of OS software and firmware levels. Progent's experience delivering online help for both outdated as well as current technologies in virtual office venues allows you to make cost-effective use of your existing network infrastructure and provides you with fast access to expertise for making necessary upgrades. Services offered by Progent to assist you to implement a productive telecommuting ecosystem include:

  • VPN connectivity makes it possible to create a safe tunnel for authorized remote employees to use IT resources located at your corporate datacenter or in the cloud. Progent can help you to deploy and maintain VPN connections between your teleworkers and your key network resources by providing online VPN integration support. For organizations using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco-certified ASA Firewall experts can assist your at-home workers to set up Cisco's AnyConnect software to provide safe VPN connections for a broad selection of devices including Windows, Mac, Apple iOS, Linux, and Android.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) platforms enable a teleworker to view and use a data center computer's desktop. This provides network managers more control over the digital ecosystem of at-home employees and ensures remote users a consistent and more productive experience. Progent's virtual desktop consulting services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI expertise.
  • Routers attach home computer networks to the Internet and typically support VPN connections, home Wi-Fi networks, and firewall services. Progent offers top-tier remote support for integrating routers from all major vendors. See router integration support from Cisco-certified experts.
  • Home Wi-Fi networks, typically shared by the whole family and guests, are commonly used by at-home employees to access their router for work. This can cause performance and cybersecurity problems. Progent can assist businesses to resolve these issues by delivering services like Cisco Aironet configuration consulting, Cisco Meraki WiFi installation consulting, 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 network. Vital processes may require redundant Internet connections in case the normal connection breaks. Progent can provide expertise for identifying service providers, choosing sensible bandwidth and data volume bundles, and setting up redundant Internet connections. Refer to Internet connectivity integration services.

VoIP Integration for Remote Workers
Expanding the business phone system to include teleworkers is vital to supporting a productive work-at-home solution. A broad range of cloud-centric IP voice products are used by SMBs to server telecommuters. Many larger organizations depend on Cisco's current or older platforms for IP voice solutions. Progent can assist businesses of all sizes to design or maintain a remote VoIP environment that provides the versatility, convenience and protection needed for at-home workers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice experts can provide high-level support to assist organizations optimize their current Cisco IP voice systems to handle a growing remote workforce.

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM) extends advanced telephony features to devices like VoIP phones, media processing platforms, Voice over IP gateways, and multimedia applications deployed across the network. CUCM supports additional mixed media services like messaging, voice/video conferencing, and customer interaction networks. For details about Progent's Unified Communications Manager support, see Cisco Unified Communications Manager consulting services.
  • CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing agent and has been superseded by Cisco Unified CM. Progent's consultants can assist you to support your current CallManager environment or migrate smoothly to Cisco's modern IP telephony solutions. To learn about Progent's expertise for CallManager and Cisco's other older VoIP platforms, visit CallManager consulting services.
  • Cisco IP Gateways provide connectivity with public telephony networks and with clients operating outside the corporate firewall like at-home workers. Progent can provide consulting expertise for Cisco's legacy IP gateways like the UC520, UC540 and UC560 products and for modern Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway integration expertise.
  • Additional VoIP Platforms supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, RingCentral and 8x8. Progent can help you to update your wide area network infrastructure to work with these solutions and provide as-needed integration and troubleshooting expertise.

Voice/Video Conferencing for an At-Home Workforce
A broad range of voice/video conferencing products from major vendors support virtual meetings, video and voice conferencing, chat, and content sharing for both onsite workers and teleworkers. Many organizations use multiple products to meet the needs of their various partners and clients. Progent can assist you to maintain your current voice/video conferencing environment and enhance the productivity of your at-home workforce.

  • Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular communications platform that supports real-time presence, IM, voice and video calling and conferencing as well as the transparent integration of these capabilities within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 applications such as PowerPoint, Word, and Excel. Progent offers the expertise of Microsoft-certified consultants who can assist your company to configure and maintain Skype for Business client software to support your remote workforce. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Skype for Business, refer to Skype for Business integration experts.
  • FaceTime is Apple's multiuser video calling app for compatible iOS and Mac devices. FaceTime runs over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Later editions of FaceTime allow up to 32 concurrent users for voice/video calls. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Apple FaceTime, see Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
  • Webex Meeting Center supports online conferencing for virtually all desktop or mobile devices. Delivered through Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex services include sharing granular content or screens, presentations that embed rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording, plus revision and playback for future reference. For details about Progent's support expertise for Cisco Webex and for other IP video solutions from Cisco, see Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
  • Teams is Microsoft's next-generation replacement for Skype for Business. Teams provides a portal for conversations, contacts, and information with capabilities such as video calling, persistent threaded chat, plus file sharing. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Teams as well as for other Microsoft 365 apps, see Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
  • Additional Conferencing Platforms supported by Progent include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver integration and troubleshooting expertise for these products and assist your business to tune your WAN architecture to run them.

Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Software for Telecommuters
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's popular Office and Microsoft 365 suites, offering a rich ecosystem of applications that deliver a consistent user experience for exchanging information throughout a corporate network and on a wide selection of endpoints. Progent has provided online consulting services for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange Server since their initial publication and can assist your company to deploy these flagship collaboration products to maximize the productivity of your remote workforce.

Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's popular Office suite, providing a rich ecosystem of applications that deliver a consistent user experience for sharing information across multiple sites and on a wide variety of endpoint devices. Progent has provided remote consulting services for SharePoint and Exchange since their initial releases and can help at-home workers set up and use these flagship collaboration platforms to maximize productivity.

Microsoft Teams Integration Consultants for TelecommutersMicrosoft Teams works with Microsoft 365 and integrates with third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration and communication. Designed as a replacement for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium can enable chat, video meetings with screen sharing, phone calls, cloud voicemail, group email, as well as file and app sharing. Teams is closely integrated with Microsoft 365 and relies on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Entra (formerly called Azure Active Directory) for supporting its complete range of capabilities. For additional information about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium, visit solution design and deployment consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint Server Configuration Consultants for At-Home WorkersSharePoint uses web sites to promote collaboration and information sharing by providing policy-driven delivery of data, business processes, and utilities for looking through company-wide business data. SharePoint allows you to build secure web portals that enables remote workers to see and edit consolidated corporate intelligence via Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social networking web sites, and Web Parts. To learn about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, go to SharePoint configuration and development expertise.

Exchange Integration Consultants 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 expertise, refer to planning and configuration expertise for Exchange.

Onedrive Integration Experts for Remote WorkersOneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud-based file hosting and synchronization service, similar to GoogleDrive. Remote workers can store files to OneDrive, and co-workers anywhere can share them safely through a browser. Included with Office 365, OneDrive allows remote employees to co-edit files. Revisions created offline are automatically synced when you go back online. To find out about Progent's consulting services for OneDrive, visit Microsoft Onedrive configuration consulting.

Cloud Integration for At-Home Workers
Progent can provide advanced remote assistance for helping businesses to build, maintain and troubleshoot integrated hybrid network architectures that combine internal data centers, at-home workers, branches, plus public cloud resources. Progent offers top-tier consultant for all types of cloud service delivery such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help teleworkers fix problems with public cloud connectivity, authentication, and security.

Azure Integration Services for At-Home WorkersAzure is a popular platform for public cloud software and services that enables you to utilize IT infrastructure, virtual servers, and critical apps running on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Microsoft Azure includes more than one hundred cloud-based services including hosting for Windows and Linux-powered virtual machines, on-demand cloud storage, email and messaging, app development with Visual Studio, and data protection. Progent can assist you to deploy virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, configure cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity control with Azure AD, and design data backup and recovery solutions with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also show you how to establish secure access to Azure services for at-home workers by setting up and troubleshooting firewall appliances and VPN tunnels. For information about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Azure, see Azure expertise.

Microsoft 365 Integration for TelecommutersMicrosoft 365, formerly branded Office 365, is Microsoft's growing family of business productivity applications and cloud-based services offered on a subscription basis. Office apps and cloud services are provided in a variety of bundles intended for customers ranging from individuals and small offices to large enterprises. Progent offers fast and easy online contact with consultants familiar with Microsoft 365-compatible devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent's experts can help your business to evaluate the various subscription plans available for Microsoft 365 and configure 365 apps for your teleworkers in a way that delivers top business value. To learn about Progent's support services for Microsoft 365, see Microsoft 365 integration expertise.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online Integration Services for At-Home WorkersMicrosoft 365 Exchange Online is one of the most popular applications in the Microsoft 365 product line. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online provides the benefits of reduced spending for physical infrastructure, simplified management, on-demand scaling, high availability, and additional benefits associated with cloud computing. Microsoft has engineered Microsoft 365 Exchange Online to operate smoothly with local Exchange environments, enabling you to build hybrid information systems. Progent's Exchange consultants can provide occasional help to guide you through tough technical bottlenecks and also offer comprehensive project management outsourcing to ensure your telecommuters have easy and safe access to your Exchange Online deployment. To learn Progent's support services for Exchange Online, see Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting consulting.

Amazon AWS Integration Services for TelecommutersAmazon Web Services (AWS) is a pioneer in the public cloud computing arena and is the world's biggest source of cloud-based services. Progent can provide rapid and affordable online access to cloud integration consultants who can help your organization to design, implement, manage, and debug hybrid information networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud services with local data centers and with other popular cloud platforms like Azure. Progent also can provide the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking experts to help your company to build a high-availability network architecture to make sure your users have a productive computing experience regardless of whether they are working from your headquarters, a remote branch, at home, or on the road. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Amazon AWS, see Amazon AWS integration support.

Google Cloud Platform Integration Services for TeleworkersGoogle Cloud is a leading collection of cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco consulting experts can assist your organization to expand your existing IT resources with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's DBA experts can show you how to make your key apps cloud ready so your teleworkers can benefit fully from Google Cloud services. Progent can assist your organization to set up VMs on Google Cloud Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage solution with Google Cloud Storage, and streamline access control for teleworkers with Google Cloud Identity. Progent can also assist you to use GCP's management tools to control and track your GCP ecosystem. To find out, refer to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) consulting support.

Help Desk Services for Remote Workers
A sudden, company-wide switchover to a telecommuter business model, which could be activated by an epidemic or as an element of a business continuity preparedness plan, can overwhelm even a high-performing internal Support Desk. Progent's Help Desk services make it possible for businesses of any size to outsource or augment their Help Desk Call Center with Progent's remote Technical Response Center team.

  • Progent's Standard Call Desk support services leverage Progent's extensive network of online technical support specialists along with enterprise-class ticketing and tracking software to offer an economical, modern Help Desk Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services offer a comprehensive solution that addresses all aspects of remote Level 1 PC technical support from initial help requests through ticket generation, screen sharing, problem resolution, and reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal enables from-home workers to check or update their active tickets, add information, and upload screen captures or relevant files. Technical support services are provided at a significant price reduction off Progent's ordinary Level 1 desktop support charges, and Progent makes available optional rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 support specialists to deal with advanced problems. To find out more, visit Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services for small businesses.
  • Progent's Call Center Supplemental Service allows your company to supplement your current Support Desk team by sharing responsibilities for Help Desk services seamlessly between your regular IT support organization and Progent's nationwide roster of desktop support engineers and subject matter experts. Progent's co-managed Help Desk Call Center service uses a collaborative support model utilizing the leading PSA platform for managing help requests and ticketing, assigning responsibility, tracking progress, and producing management reports. To learn how Progent's Help Desk Call Center Augmentation Services can help your business to deliver world-class technical support to your telecommuters, go to Progent's Call Desk augmentation Services.

Security and Compliance for Telecommuters
Work-from-Home (WFH) workers typically utilize their own devices and usually operate in a poorly secured physical area. This situation multiplies their susceptibility to malware attacks and calls for careful configuration of corporate firewalls, anti-malware tools, multi-factor authentication, remote monitoring, thorough user education, and the development of security policies based on best practices. Progent's seasoned roster of cybersecurity solutions experts can help your business to plan, implement and maintain a compliant cybersecurity solution that guards vital IT assets in networks that include at-home workers.

Firewall Integration Services for At-Home WorkersFirewalls enable you to create a network environment that can be safely utilized by on-premises users as well as by telecommuters, mobile workers, suppliers, customers, and the public. Next-generation firewall devices permit you to assign and control different access rights to different classes of users and to expand your network and adjust your security profile as your company evolves and as cyber threats grow increasingly complex. Progent supports both current and older firewall devices from all leading vendors including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. For details about Progent's firewall integration expertise, see firewall integration and support services.

Remote Endpoint Monitoring Services for TelecommutersOnline Endpoint Monitoring makes it easy to watch over the various devices utilized by telecommuters and either block or spot and mitigate the latest threats such as ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight software agent is put on every secured endpoint device, watching all activity and utilizing state-of-the-art machine learning from SentinelOne to identify zero-day attacks before they can spread. When an attack is spotted, ProSight ASM instantly disconnects the infected endpoint from the network to contain the malware. Since the ProSight ASM software agent is autonomous, endpoint devices stay protected even if they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. To find out more about ProSight ASM, refer to remote endpoint security monitoring for an at-home workforce.

Two-factor Authentication (2FA) Services for TelecommutersProgent's Duo authentication Managed Services utilize Cisco's Duo technology to defend against compromised passwords through the use of two-factor authentication. Duo supports one-tap identity verification with iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. Using 2FA, when you log into a secured application and give your password you are requested to verify your identity on a device that only you possess and that is accessed using a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A broad selection of devices can be utilized as this added means of authentication including an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You can register multiple verification devices. For details about ProSight Duo identity validation services, refer to Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for telecommuters.

Security Audit Services for At-Home WorkersSecurity Audits can assess the exposure of your network to all classes of outside and local security threats for a network that includes at-home workers. Progent can run remote, automated security inventory software for quickly and affordably uncovering a wide variety of security gaps that can be found over the Internet. Progent's security assessment experts, which can be managed by network security experts with top certifications including CISA, CISSP, and GIAC, can assist your company to audit your procedures and policies and review your WAN architecture to enable you to implement the highest level of security for your at-home workers.

NodeZero Pen Testing for Work-from-Home EnpointsHorizon3.ai's NodeZero PEN Testing Platform is a leading-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that supports autonomous testing of your at-home environment as well as your internal and perimeter networks so you can identify, rank, fix, and confirm security vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Progent can assist you to use NodeZero to perform comprehensive pentests of your network perimeter and your internal network in order to evaluate your present security profile. Progent can also assist you to strengthen your network security and can help you to plan and implement a cohesive cybersecurity ecosystem that streamlines management and provides optimum protection for on-premises, multi-cloud, at-home, and perimeter IT assets. To learn more information about Progent's vulnerability analysis services powered by on NodeZero's PEN test products, visit Consulting Services for NodeZero's Penetration Test Platform.

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

Data Protection for Teleworkers
Data Protection involves saving and restoring critical information in order to avoid data loss and reduce restoration time in case of storage system failures due to equipment breakdowns, programming hiccups, user error, malware, or other causes. Reliable data protection solutions can be particularly difficult to architect and manage in hybrid environments that combine private data centers, cloud resources, and at-home workers.

  • Backup/Restore strategies for an at-home workforce must address diverse types of personally owned endpoints. Progent can provide quick remote help from consultants familiar with a broad range of platforms for backing up Microsoft Windows, Apple and Linux/UNIX powered servers and desktop computers as well as laptops, tablets and smartphones. Popular backup/recovery solutions maintained by Progent's backup/recovery experts include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To protect resources spread throughout a hybrid network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a backup/recovery service that uses cloud-based storage and includes granular restore and unified management.
  • Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity (DR/BC) plans often envision circumstances that require a quick switch to telecommuting. Progent's expert disaster recovery planning experts and business continuity consultants can assist you to create, document and test a DR/BC plan that includes the logistics of moving to telecommuting.

Unified Management for At-Home Workers
Microsoft has rebranded and rebundled its endpoint management platforms under the name Endpoint Manager, which includes Intune for cloud management of remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing local computers. Endpoint Manager features a unified platform for safeguarding corporate information by controlling onsite, mobile, and at-home endpoint devices.

Microsoft Intune
Intune is a component of Microsoft's Endpoint Management family that also includes Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and protecting remote devices and software. Managed endpoint devices can be personally owned or company owned. Network admins managing the enrolled endpoint computers of telecommuters can utilize Intune to provision and authenticate applications on managed devices, push patches and certificates, set up policies for permission to access information and resources, manage passwords, establish VPN connections, determine how teleworkers share data, establish threat defense, ensure security compliance, and wipe sensitive information from missing, stolen or decommissioned endpoint devices. Intune runs with Apple iOS, Google Android, Windows, and macOS computers. For information about Microsoft Intune and to find out how Progent can help you to use this platform to administer the endpoint computers of your at-home workforce, visit Intune teleworker device management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced unified Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform that allows network managers to keep off-premises endpoint devices up to date and secure. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch technology for unified endpoint administration plus VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery platform for access control, application management, and setup management of endpoints. Workspace ONE runs with endpoints based on Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or leading distributions of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is available by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-site product via a one-time purchase. Top features of VMware Workspace ONE include fast remote provisioning of new notebooks, immediate onboarding of new users, policy setting and enforcement for all classes of endpoints, unifies reporting and performance analytics, email encryption, and seamless integration with Microsoft apps and cloud-based products. For information about Progent's support for VMware Workspace ONE, refer to VMware Workspace ONE remote device management expertise.

Contact Progent for At-Home Worker Support Services
To contact Progent about creating and maintaining a productive work-from-home solution for your Huntington Beach, California organization, call 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.