Austin Offsite Workforce Connectivity Consulting Partner

Enlarging your remote workforce can have a significant impact on IT architecture, cybersecurity, and corporate processes. Progent has two decades of experience helping small and mid-size businesses to design, configure, administer, optimize, and troubleshoot IT networks that support at-home workers. Progent can assist your Austin organization to pick the right tools and adhere to leading practices in creating and operating a secure virtual solution for telecommuters that facilitates teamwork and returns top value. Progent offers services that go from on demand expertise for helping you past occasional technical bottlenecks to comprehensive project management to help you successfully complete mission-critical tasks.

Progent's consultants can assist Austin, Texas companies to succeed with any facet of building a high-functioning remote work ecosystem by delivering infrastructure design and configuration services, VoIP PBX troubleshooting, video conferencing support, collaboration platform customization and training, public cloud connectivity, Help Desk services, cybersecurity, data protection solutions, and unified management.

Infrastructure for Teleworkers
Configuring the network infrastructure required to support an at-home work environment can be especially challenging if you must manage a mix of worker-owned hardware like desktop computers and notebooks, Internet routers, and Wi-Fi appliances from different manufacturers and with a variety of OS software and firmware levels. Progent's background delivering online help for both legacy and current technologies in remote office venues enables you to make efficient use of your existing infrastructure and offers fast access to top-tire consultants for implement necessary upgrades. Support services available from Progent to assist you to implement a productive work-at-home infrastructure include:

• VPN technology makes it possible to establish a safe tunnel for authorized at-home workers to access IT assets located at your company data center or in the cloud. Progent can assist you to deploy and manage VPN connections between your teleworkers and your key IT resources by providing remote VPN configuration consulting. For businesses using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco ASA consultants can help your at-home workers to utilize Cisco's popular AnyConnect client software for secure VPN tunneling for a wide selection of devices including Windows, macOS, Apple iOS, Linux, and Android.
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure platforms enable a telecommuter to view and use a data center PC's desktop. This provides IT managers substantial control over the computing environment of at-home employees and ensures them a consistent and more productive work experience. Progent's VDI services include Windows Remote Desktop integration and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI solutions.
• Routers attach home networks to the Internet and support VPN tunnels, local Wi-Fi connectivity, and firewall services. Progent offers top-tier remote support for configuring routers from a variety of vendors. See router configuration services from Cisco-certified experts.
• Home Wi-Fi networks, typically supporting families and visitors, are frequently utilized by telecommuters to connect to their router for work. This can cause throughput as well as cybersecurity issues. Progent can assist you to mitigate these issues by delivering expertise like Aironet configuration consulting, Cisco-certified Meraki wireless deployment expertise, and Ubiquiti Unifi wireless access point integration help.
• Internet connectivity methods affect the performance and reliability of connections between at-home workers and the corporate network. Vital applications may demand redundant Internet connections in the event the primary connection fails. Progent can provide expertise for identifying ISPs, picking sensible bandwidth and data volume packages, and configuring redundant Internet access. Refer to Internet access integration services.

IP Voice Solutions for Telecommuters
Extending the business PBX environment to accommodate teleworkers is vital to supporting a productive work-at-home solution. A variety of cloud-centric IP voice platforms are used by SMBs to server teleworkers. Many enterprises rely on Cisco's current or legacy products for VoIP solutions. Progent can assist businesses of any size to plan or tune a remote IP voice environment that delivers the flexibility, convenience and security needed for remote users. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE IP Voice consultants offer high-level support to assist organizations optimize their current Cisco IP voice systems to support a growing at-home workforce.

• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM) delivers enterprise telephony features to devices like VoIP phones, media processing platforms, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media applications used throughout the network. Unified Communications Manager supports other 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 legacy call-processing software and has been superseded by Cisco Unified CM or CUCM. Progent can assist your company to maintain your current CallManager deployment or upgrade efficiently to Cisco's modern IP telephony solutions. To learn about Progent's expertise for CallManager and Cisco's other early VoIP products, refer to Cisco CallManager expertise.
• Cisco IP Gateways provide integration with PSTN networks and with users operating beyond the corporate firewall like at-home workers. Progent offers expert support for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways like the UC520, UC540 and UC560 series as well as for modern Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway integration consulting.
• Additional VoIP Products supported by Progent include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can help you to expand your wide area network architecture to work with these solutions and provide online deployment and troubleshooting expertise.

Voice/Video Conferencing for Telecommuters
A wide selection of voice/video conferencing products from leading vendors support online meetings, video and voice conferencing, chat, and screen sharing for both onsite users and teleworkers. Many organizations use a mix of products to accommodate their various partners and customers. Progent can help you to manage your existing voice/video conferencing environment and optimize the experience of your at-home employees.

• Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular communications product that supports presence, IM, voice and video conferencing as well as the transparent integration of these capabilities within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software such as PowerPoint, Word, and Excel. Progent can provide the skills of Microsoft-certified specialists who can assist you to set up and maintain Skype for Business clients to support your at-home workforce. For details about Progent's support expertise for Skype for Business, refer to Skype for Business integration experts.
• FaceTime is Apple's multiuser video phone platform for compatible iOS, iPadOS, iPod and Mac computers and smartphones. FaceTime works over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Newer editions of FaceTime support up to 32 simultaneous users for voice/video sessions. For details about Progent's consulting services for FaceTime, visit Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
• Webex Meeting Center provides online conferencing for virtually all computing devices. Delivered via Cisco's Webex Cloud platform, Webex services include sharing specific content or screens, presentations that embed rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording, plus editing and playback for future reference. To learn more about Progent's support expertise for Cisco Webex and for other video conferencing 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 features that include voice/video calling, persistent chat, plus file sharing. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams as well as for additional Microsoft 365 apps, see Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
• Additional Voice/Video Conferencing Platforms supported by Progent include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can provide configuration and debugging expertise for these products and assist you to optimize your network infrastructure to host them.

Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Software for At-Home Workers
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are tightly integrated with Microsoft's familiar Office families, providing a rich environment of applications that deliver a cohesive user interface for sharing data and ideas throughout a corporate network and on a wide selection of endpoint devices. Progent has provided remote consulting services for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange Server since their original publication and can help businesses to configure these flagship collaboration platforms 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 supports third-party cloud services to deliver real-time collaboration. Developed as a replacement for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams can enable chat, audio/video meetings that include screen sharing, phone calls, cloud voicemail, group email, as well as file and application sharing. Teams is closely integrated with Microsoft 365 and depends on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Azure Entra (previously called Azure Active Directory) for supporting its full range of features. For additional information about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium, see solution design and configuration expertise for Microsoft Teams.

SharePoint uses web sites to allow collaboration and information delivery by offering policy-driven delivery of data, workflow, and tools for looking through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint enables you to build secure portals that permits remote workforce to view and update aggregated business intelligence via Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social networking sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). For information about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, go to SharePoint configuration and application development expertise.

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 expertise, visit planning and configuration expertise for Microsoft Exchange Server.

OneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud storage service, comparable to GoogleDrive. Remote users can store files to the OneDrive service, and colleagues anywhere can share them securely via a web browser. Included with Office 365, OneDrive allows remote workers to jointly author files. Edits created offline are synced when you go back online. To learn about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft OneDrive, see Microsoft Onedrive configuration experts.

Cloud Integration for Remote Workers
Progent offers advanced online support for enabling businesses to build, maintain and troubleshoot integrated hybrid network models that combine physical data centers, remote workers, branch offices, plus cloud resources. Progent can provide expertise for all modes of cloud service such as Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service. Progent can help at-home workers fix problems with public cloud connectivity, authentication, and cybersecurity.

Azure is a popular platform for cloud services that allows you to use infrastructure, servers, and critical apps hosted on Microsoft's massive cloud. Microsoft Azure features more than 100 services services including hosting for Windows and Linux-powered virtual machines, on-demand cloud storage, email and messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and data protection. Progent can help your organization to set up virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity control with Azure Active Directory, and plan backup and recovery solutions with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also help you establish protected access to Azure services for teleworkers by setting up and troubleshooting firewalls and VPN tunnels. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft Azure, visit Microsoft Azure expertise.

Microsoft 365, previously branded Office 365, is Microsoft's growing family of client productivity applications and cloud-based services offered by subscription. Office applications and services are marketed in a variety of bundles intended for customers ranging from students and households to large enterprises. Progent can provide quick and affordable online contact with experts knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible client devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android technology. Progent's experts can help your business to assess the various subscription plans available for Microsoft 365 and configure 365 applications for your at-home workers to achieve maximum business value. For information about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft 365, see Microsoft 365 consulting expertise.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online is one of the most widely used cloud-based applications in the Microsoft 365 product line. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online offers the advantages of reduced costs for physical infrastructure, easier management, on-demand scaling, high availability, and additional benefits inherent with cloud computing. Microsoft has designed Microsoft 365 Exchange Online to operate seamlessly with local deployments of Exchange, enabling customers to create hybrid information systems. Progent's Exchange consultants can provide as-needed assistance to get you through tough technical bottlenecks and can also provide comprehensive project management services to ensure your telecommuters have convenient and safe access to your Microsoft 365 Exchange Online deployment. For information Progent's consulting expertise for Exchange Online, visit Exchange Online configuration and support consulting.

Amazon AWS is a trailblazer in the public cloud computing arena and is the industry's biggest source of cloud-based services. Progent can provide fast and affordable online access to cloud connectivity consultants who can assist your organization to design, deploy, manage, and debug hybrid information networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud services with on-premises data centers and with other public clouds such as Azure. Progent also can provide access to Cisco-certified CCIE networking experts to help your company to create a high-uptime network architecture so your employees have a productive computing environment regardless of whether they are working from your main office, a branch office, at home, or on the move. For information about Progent's support services for Amazon AWS, visit Amazon AWS integration support.

Google Cloud Platform is a popular suite of public cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) products. Progent's Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can assist your organization to extend your current IT resources with the Google Cloud, and Progent's database experts can show you how to make your critical apps cloud ready so your telecommuters can benefit fully from Google Cloud services. Progent's consultants can help your business to deploy virtual machines on GCP Compute Engine, plan an efficient storage solution with Google Cloud Storage services, and streamline access management for at-home workers with Google Cloud Identity services. Progent can also assist your business to use GCP's unified management technology to administer and monitor your GCP ecosystem. For information, see Google Cloud Platform consulting support.

Help Desk Services for Telecommuters
A sudden, enterprise-wide switchover to a from-home business model, which could be activated by an epidemic or as part of a business continuity plan, can overstretch even a well-staffed in-house Call Desk. Progent's Help Desk Call Center services allow businesses to outsource or expand their Support Desk by using Progent's online Technical Response Center (TRC) services.

• Progent's Standard Support Desk support services leverage Progent's nationwide team of remote technical support experts along with world-class ticketing and tracking technology to offer an economical, state-of-the-art Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services offer an end-to-end solution that handles all aspects of remote Level 1 PC technical support from help requests through trouble ticket creation, screen sharing, issue resolution, and incident reporting. A browser-based User's Service Portal allows telecommuters to monitor or edit their active tickets, enter details, and append screenshots or attachments. Technical support services are provided at a significant discount off Progent's normal Level 1 technical support rates, and Progent offers optional rapid escalation to Level 2 and Level 3 support experts to resolve complex issues. For details, go to Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small and mid-size companies.
• Progent's Call Desk Supplemental Service enables your business to supplement your current Call Center organization by splitting delivery of Help Desk services seamlessly between your in-house support personnel and Progent's extensive roster of desktop support technicians and subject matter experts. Progent's co-managed Call Center service uses a co-sourcing support model utilizing the leading professional services automation (PSA) platform for handling help requests and trouble tickets, establishing ownership, monitoring progress, and generating reports. To learn how Progent's Support Desk Supplementation Services can help your company to deliver best-in-class IT support to your at-home employees, go to Progent's Help Desk supplementation Services.

Security for Remote Workers
At-home employees commonly utilize their personal computers and usually work in a poorly secured physical area. This multiplies their vulnerability to cyber threats and requires judicious configuration of firewalls, AV tools, multi-factor authentication, remote endpoint monitoring, thorough end-user training, and the development of security policies built on best practices. Progent's seasoned group of data security support consultants can help your business to design, configure and manage an effective cybersecurity solution that protects vital IT resources in environments that incorporate telecommuters.

Firewalls enable you to build a network that can be securely accessed by on-premises users and by an at-home workforce, mobile workers, suppliers, clients, and other stakeholders. Modern firewall appliances permit you to configure and manage different access rights to different groups of users and to scale your network and adjust your cybersecurity posture as your company evolves and as cyber threats grow increasingly complex. Progent works with both new and legacy security devices from all major manufacturers like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, and Fortinet. To learn more about Progent's firewall integration expertise, refer to firewall integration and support services.

Remote Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it easy to watch over the various computers utilized by at-home workers and either reject or spot and mitigate modern cyber attacks such as ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring services, a lightweight software agent is put on every protected endpoint, watching all activity and utilizing advanced machine learning from SentinelOne to detect zero-day threats at inception. When a cyberattack is discovered, ProSight Active Security Monitoring immediately disconnects the impacted device from the corporate network to quarantine the malware. Since the ProSight Active Security Monitoring agent is self-contained, endpoint devices stay protected even when they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. To learn more about ProSight Active Security Monitoring, go to remote endpoint security monitoring for teleworkers.

Progent's Duo MFA Managed Services utilize Cisco's Duo cloud technology to defend against compromised passwords by using two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables one-tap identity verification on Apple iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. With Duo 2FA, when you sign into a secured online account and enter your password you are asked to confirm your identity via a unit that only you possess and that uses a different network channel. A wide selection of devices can be utilized as this added means of authentication including a smartphone or watch, a hardware/software token, a landline phone, etc. You may designate multiple validation devices. For details about ProSight Duo identity authentication services, see Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for an at-home workforce.

Security Audits can evaluate the exposure of your information system to all types of external and local security threats for a network that includes at-home workers. Progent can deploy remote, automated security inventory scanning for quickly and affordably uncovering a wide variety of security holes that can be found via the Internet. Progent's security assessment consulting services, which can be provided by security professionals with top credentials such as CISA, ISSAP, and GIAC, can assist you to evaluate your processes and policies and assess your WAN architecture to enable you to implement top-level protection for your remote workers.

Horizon3.ai's NodeZero PEN Testing Platform is a leading-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that supports automated testing of your at-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks so you can find, rank, fix, and confirm security vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Progent's pentest experts can assist you to deploy NodeZero to perform thorough pentests of your perimeter and your internal IT infrastructure in order to evaluate your present security posture. Progent can also assist you to harden your network security and can help you to plan and implement a cohesive cybersecurity ecosystem that streamlines management and delivers maximum protection for on-prem, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT resources. To learn more details about Progent's vulnerability assessment solutions based on on NodeZero's pentest platform, visit Consulting Support for NodeZero's PEN Test Platform.

Download White Paper: Securing a Work-From-Home Environment
To view or download a white paper about key things to concentrate on for securing an IT environment that includes telecommuters, click:
Protecting a Work-From-Home Network White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)

Data Protection Solutions for Telecommuters
The field of Data Protection covers saving and restoring critical information so as to prevent data loss and minimize restoration time and effort in the event of storage system problems due to equipment issues, software glitches, operator error, cyber attack, or any other reason. Dependable data protection solutions can be especially difficult to design and manage in hybrid environments that combine private data centers, cloud resources, and at-home workers.

• Backup/Recovery solutions for remote workers must cover multiple types of user-owned endpoint devices. Progent can provide fast remote help from consultants familiar with a wide array of platforms for protection Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX powered servers and desktops as well as laptops, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones. Leading backup/restore products supported by Progent's backup/recovery experts include Barracuda Backup, Microsoft Azure Backup, DoubleTake Software, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To back up resources distributed across a hybrid network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services, a managed backup/recovery service that utilizes cloud-based storage and features granular restore and centralized management capabilities.
• Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity (DR/BC) plans typically envision circumstances that call for a quick changeover to telecommuting. Progent's senior disaster recovery preparedness consultants and business continuity specialists can help your business to produce, document and validate a DR/BC plan that addresses the process of switching to an at-home workforce.

Unified Management for Remote Workers
Microsoft has renamed and reshuffled its endpoint management products under the name Endpoint Manager, which includes Intune for cloud-based management of mobile and remote endpoints and Configuration Manager for managing on-premises computers. Microsoft Endpoint Manager offers a centralized solution for safeguarding corporate information by managing local, mobile, and home-based endpoints.

Microsoft Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management family that also features Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and securing mobile computers and software. Managed endpoint computers can be user owned or business owned. Network admins managing the enrolled endpoint devices of telecommuters can utilize Intune to deploy and validate apps on devices, push updates and certificates, configure policies for permission to access information and resources, manage passwords, create VPN connections, determine how telecommuters share data, establish threat protection, verify compliance, and erase corporate information from missing, stolen or deactivated devices. Intune runs with iOS/iPadOS, Android, Windows, and macOS/OS X endpoints. To learn about Microsoft Intune and to find out how Progent can help your company to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to administer the endpoint computers of your at-home workers, refer to Intune teleworker device management consultants.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is a feature-rich centralized Mobile Device Management platform that helps network administrators to keep remote endpoint devices up to date and secure. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch for unified endpoint management combined with VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery platform for identity control, app management, and configuration management of endpoint computers. Workspace ONE runs with endpoints based on Windows 10, macOS, Apple iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or leading distributions of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud service or as an on-premises deployment through a perpetual license. Key capabilities of Workspace ONE include rapid remote provisioning of new laptops, quick onboarding of new employees, policy set up and enforcement for all classes of endpoints, unifies management reporting and performance analytics, an email encryption gateway, and tight integration with Microsoft apps and cloud services. To learn about Progent's support for VMware Workspace ONE, see VMware Workspace ONE mobile endpoint management expertise.

Contact Progent for Remote Workforce Expertise
To get in touch with Progent about creating and maintaining an efficient telecommuter environment for your Austin, Texas company, call 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.