Brighton At Home Workforce Solutions Consulting Partner

Enlarging your remote workforce can have a significant impact on network infrastructure, security, and corporate culture. Progent has 20 years of background helping SMBs to design, configure, manage, tune, and debug IT networks that support work-from-home employees. Progent can help your Brighton organization to pick the appropriate technologies and adhere to leading practices in creating and operating a safe virtual solution for telecommuters that facilitates teamwork and returns maximum business value. Progent can provide support services ranging from on demand expertise for getting you past occasional IT bottlenecks to full project management to help you carry out business-critical initiatives.

Progent can assist Brighton, United Kingdom companies to with any facet of creating a high-functioning work-from-home environment by delivering network infrastructure configuration services, IP voice troubleshooting, voice/video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, public cloud connectivity, helpdesk augmentation, cybersecurity, data protection solutions, and streamlined management.

Network Infrastructure for a Remote Workforce
Configuring the network infrastructure needed to support a remote work environment can be especially challenging if you have to accommodate a mix of personal hardware such as desktop computers and laptops, Internet routers, and wireless APs from an assortment of vendors and with a variety of operating systems and firmware levels. Progent's experience providing online help for both outdated and current technologies in remote office solutions allows you to make cost-effective use of your existing network infrastructure and offers fast access to top-tire consultants for implement essential updates. Support services available from Progent to help you to create a productive work-at-home ecosystem include:

• Virtual Private Network connectivity makes it possible to create a safe connection for authorized at-home workers to use IT assets situated at your company datacenter or in a public cloud. Progent can assist your company to deploy 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 assist your remote workers to set up Cisco's popular AnyConnect software for secure VPN connections for a wide selection of endpoint devices such as Microsoft Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) products allow a telecommuter to see and use a data center computer's desktop. This gives IT managers significant control over the digital environment of at-home employees and offers them a familiar work experience. Progent's VDI services include Windows Remote Desktop integration and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI solutions.
• Routers attach at-home computer networks to the Internet and support VPN connections, home Wi-Fi connectivity, and firewalls. Progent offers top-tier online support for setting up routers from all major manufacturers. See router configuration services from Cisco-certified experts.
• Home Wireless networks, often supporting the whole family and visitors, are commonly used by telecommuters to access their Internet router for work. This can create throughput as well as cybersecurity problems. Progent can help you to resolve these problems by delivering expertise like Cisco Aironet configuration consulting, Cisco-certified Meraki wireless deployment consulting, and Ubiquiti Unifi WiFi access point integration help.
• Internet connectivity solutions impact the performance and reliability of connections between telecommuters and the company network. Mission-critical processes may require backup Internet access in case the normal connection fails. Progent offers expertise for identifying ISPs, selecting sensible service packages, and integrating fault-tolerant Internet access. See Internet connectivity integration services.

VoIP Integration for Teleworkers
Expanding the business phone environment to include telecommuters is vital to maintaining an effective at-home workforce. A broad range of cloud-centric digital PBX products are popular with small and mid-size businesses to server remote users. Many larger organizations depend on Cisco's current or older products for IP voice management. Progent can help organizations of all sizes to plan or tune a telecommuter VoIP environment that provides the versatility, convenience and protection needed for teleworkers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice consultants offer advanced support to assist organizations optimize their existing Cisco IP voice systems to handle a growing at-home workforce.

• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) delivers advanced telephony capabilities to devices like IP phones, media processing products, Voice over IP gateways, and multimedia software deployed throughout the network. CUCM supports additional mixed media services like messaging, video conferencing, and customer collaboration networks. For details about Progent's CUCM support, see Cisco Unified Communications Manager consulting services.
• Cisco CallManager is Cisco's legacy call-processing software and has been replaced by CUCM. Progent's consultants can assist you to support your current CallManager environment or upgrade smoothly to Cisco's current IP telephony solutions. To find out about Progent's expertise for CallManager and Cisco's other legacy IP voice platforms, refer to CallManager consulting.
• Cisco IP Gateways provide connectivity with PSTN networks and with clients working outside the corporate perimeter like at-home workers. Progent can provide expert support for Cisco's legacy IP gateways like the UC520, UC540 and UC560 product lines as well as for current Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateway integration consulting.
• Additional VoIP Platforms supported by Progent include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can assist you to enhance your wide area network architecture to support these solutions and deliver as-needed deployment and troubleshooting services.

Video Conferencing for Remote Workers
A wide range of voice/video conferencing products from leading technology companies enable online discussions, video conferencing, chat sessions, and screen/content sharing for both local workers and telecommuters. Many organizations use multiple conferencing products to meet the needs of their various partners and customers. Progent's communications experts can help your organization to manage your current voice/video conferencing environment and optimize the experience of your at-home workforce.

• Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular unified communications platform that supports presence, IM, voice and video calling and conferencing plus the transparent integration of these capabilities within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software including PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent offers the expertise of Microsoft-certified specialists who can assist your company to configure and maintain Skype for Business client software to support your at-home employees. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Skype for Business, refer to Skype for Business integration services.
• FaceTime is Apple's multiuser video phone platform for iOS and Mac devices. FaceTime works over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Later editions of FaceTime support as many as 32 concurrent users for voice/video sessions. For details about Progent's consulting expertise for FaceTime, refer to Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
• Webex Meeting Center supports remote conferencing for most computing devices. Offered via Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex services include sharing discrete content or screens, presentations that embed rich media such as Microsoft PowerPoint, 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 acts as a portal for conversations, contacts, and information with capabilities that include voice/video calling, persistent chat, plus data sharing. For details about Progent's support expertise for Teams as well as for additional Microsoft 365 apps, see Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
• Other Conferencing Apps supported by Progent include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver configuration and troubleshooting expertise for these conferencing platforms and help your business to tune your WAN architecture 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 create a consistent user interface for exchanging data and ideas across multiple sites and on a broad selection of endpoints. Progent has provided remote consulting support for SharePoint and Exchange Server since their first releases and can assist businesses to configure these critical collaboration products to optimize the productivity of your at-home 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 works with Microsoft 365 and supports third-party cloud services to deliver real-time collaboration. Designed as a substitute for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium can support chat, audio/video meetings that include screen sharing, phone calls, cloud voicemail, group email, plus file and app sharing. Teams is closely integrated with Microsoft 365 and relies on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Entra (previously branded Azure Active Directory) for supporting its full range of capabilities. For additional information about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams, see solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams.

SharePoint uses web sites to promote collaboration and knowledge delivery by offering policy-driven access to data, workflow, and utilities for searching through company-wide business data. SharePoint enables you to create secure portals that allows at-home workers to view and edit consolidated business intelligence via Intranets (Wikis), Blogs, social networking sites, and Web Parts. To find out about Progent's SharePoint support services, see SharePoint integration and application development consulting.

Exchange and Exchange Online offer secure collaboration features including public folders, shared mailboxes, and shared calendars and contacts. Progent's Microsoft certified Exchange experts can show you how to activate and utilize these features for your at-home workers. To find out about Progent's Exchange consulting services, visit planning and configuration consulting services for Exchange Server.

OneDrive is Microsoft�s collaborative cloud-based file hosting and synchronization service, comparable to GoogleDrive. At-home workers can save files to OneDrive, and colleagues anywhere can share them safely through a web browser. Included with Office 365, OneDrive enables home employees to co-author files. Edits made offline are synced when you go back online. To find out about Progent's consulting expertise for OneDrive, go to Onedrive configuration consulting.

Cloud Integration for Telecommuters
Progent can provide affordable online assistance for enabling businesses to build, manage and optimize integrated hybrid network models that include physical data centers, at-home workers, branch offices, and cloud services. Progent offers top-tier consultant for all modes of public cloud service such as Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help teleworkers fix issues with public cloud access, authentication, and cybersecurity.

Azure is a leading family of cloud software and services that allows you to utilize infrastructure, servers, and critical apps hosted on Microsoft's massive cloud. Microsoft Azure includes over 100 cloud-based services such as the ability to host Windows and Linux-based virtual machines, on-demand cloud storage, messaging, app development with Visual Studio, and backup/restore. Progent can assist you to set up VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, configure cloud-based storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity control with Azure Active Directory, and design backup and recovery solutions with Azure Backup. Progent's cloud experts can also help you create protected connections to Azure services for at-home workers by configuring and troubleshooting firewall appliances and VPN tunnels. For details about Progent's expertise for Microsoft Azure, refer to Azure consulting services.

Microsoft 365, formerly called Office 365, is Microsoft's popular family of client productivity software and cloud-based services offered on a subscription basis. Microsoft apps and cloud services are provided in a variety of bundles designed for users ranging from individuals and small offices to large corporations. Progent offers fast and affordable online access to consultants knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible client devices running Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent can help you to evaluate the various subscription plans available for Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 apps for your remote workers in a way that delivers top business value. For information about Progent's expertise for Microsoft 365, go to Microsoft 365 consulting services.

Exchange Online is one of the most widely used cloud-based applications in Azure-hosted Microsoft 365 product suite. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online offers the advantages of reduced costs for physical infrastructure, easier management, dynamic scaling, high availability, and additional benefits inherent with cloud computing. Microsoft has designed Microsoft 365 Exchange Online to run seamlessly with local deployments of Exchange, enabling customers to build hybrid cloud/onsite information systems. Progent's Exchange experts can provide occasional assistance to guide you through tough IT roadblocks and can also provide end-to-end project management outsourcing to ensure your remote workers have easy and safe access to your Microsoft 365 Exchange Online deployment. For information Progent's expertise for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, refer to Exchange Online integration and support expertise.

Amazon AWS is a pioneer in the public cloud computing arena and is the world's top provider of cloud-based services. Progent offers rapid and affordable online access to cloud integration consultants who can help your organization to plan, deploy, manage, and debug hybrid IT networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with local data centers and with other public clouds like Azure. Progent also offers the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking experts to assist you to create a high-availability network architecture so your users have a consistent computing environment regardless of whether they are working from your main office, a branch office, from home, or on the road. For details about Progent's consulting services for Amazon AWS, refer to Amazon AWS integration expertise.

Google Cloud is a popular set of cloud computing services that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco consulting experts can help your organization to scale your existing IT assets with the Google Cloud Platform, and Progent's database consultants can show you how to make your mission-critical apps cloud friendly so your remote workers can take full advantage of Google Cloud services. Progent can help your business to deploy virtual machines on GCP Compute Engine, design an efficient storage system with Google Cloud Storage services, and simplify identity control for teleworkers with Google Cloud Identity. Progent can also help your business to utilize GCP's unified management technology to control and monitor your Google Cloud environment. For information, go to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) integration support.

Help Desk Call Center Services for Teleworkers
A rapid, company-wide switchover to a telecommuter business model, which might be the result of an epidemic or as part of a business continuity process, can overwhelm even a well-staffed internal Call Desk. Progent's Help Desk Call Center services make it possible for organizations of any size to outsource or augment their Help Desk Call Center by using Progent's remote Technical Response Center services.

• Progent's Standard Support Desk services leverage Progent's nationwide network of remote technical support experts combined with world-class trouble ticketing and tracking technology to provide an economical, advanced Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services offer an end-to-end solution that addresses all facets of remote Level 1 PC support from help requests to trouble ticket generation, screen sharing, issue resolution, and incident reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal allows teleworkers to check or update the status of their current tickets, enter details, and append screen captures and relevant files. Technical support services are delivered at a significant discount off Progent's ordinary Level 1 technical service charges, and Progent offers optional rapid hand-off to Level 2 and Level 3 support specialists to resolve advanced problems. For more information, visit Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small businesses.
• Progent's Call Desk Supplemental Service allows your company to expand your existing Call Desk staff by splitting delivery of Call Center support services seamlessly between your in-house IT support staff and Progent's extensive pool of PC support engineers and subject matter specialists. Progent's shared Help Desk service uses a collective support model based on the leading professional services automation platform for managing service requests and ticketing, assigning responsibility, monitoring progress, and generating reports. To find out how Progent's Help Desk Call Center Augmentation Services can enable your company to provide world-class desktop support to your at-home employees, see Progent's Help Desk augmentation Services.

Security for Remote Workers
Work-from-Home (WFH) employees typically use their own computers and often operate in a poorly secured physical environment. This situation multiplies their susceptibility to cyber threats and calls for judicious deployment of corporate firewalls, AV tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote endpoint monitoring, thorough user training, and the creation of policies based on leading practices. Progent's seasoned roster of IT security support experts can help your business to plan, deploy and manage a compliant cybersecurity solution that guards vital information resources in environments that include telecommuters.

Firewalls allow companies to create a network environment that can be safely accessed by local users and by an at-home workforce, mobile employees, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders. Next-generation firewall devices allow you to assign and manage different access rights to various classes of users and to expand your IT network and modify your security as your company evolves and as cyber threats grow more sophisticated. Progent supports both current and legacy security devices from all leading manufacturers like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, and Fortinet. To find out more about Progent's firewall support services, go to firewall integration and support services.

Online Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it possible to track the disparate devices utilized by telecommuters and either block or spot and mitigate the latest cyber attacks like ransomware. With Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight software agent is installed on each protected endpoint device, watching all activity and using advanced behavioral threat analysis from SentinelOne to identify new attacks on arrival. When an attack is spotted, ProSight Active Security Monitoring immediately isolates the impacted endpoint device from the corporate network to quarantine the threat. Since the ProSight Active Security Monitoring agent is autonomous, endpoint devices stay protected even when they are not connected to the Internet. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. For details about ProSight Active Security Monitoring, see remote endpoint monitoring for an at-home workforce.

Progent's Duo MFA Managed Services incorporate Cisco's Duo technology to protect against compromised passwords by using two-factor authentication. Duo enables one-tap identity verification with iOS, Google Android, and other personal devices. Using 2FA, whenever you sign into a secured application and give your password you are asked to confirm your identity on a unit that only you have and that is accessed using a separate network channel. A wide range of devices can be utilized as this second means of authentication including an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware/software token, a landline phone, etc. You may register several validation devices. To learn more about ProSight Duo identity validation services, refer to Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for remote workers.

Security Audits can assess the exposure of your network to all classes of external and local security threats for an environment that incorporates at-home workers. Progent can deploy remote, automated cybersecurity inventory software for quickly and affordably uncovering a broad range of security gaps that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's security assessment consulting services, which can be managed by data security professionals with advanced credentials such as CISM, ISSAP, and GIAC, can assist your company to evaluate your procedures and governance policies and review your network infrastructure to enable you to implement top-level protection for your remote workers.

Horizon3.ai's NodeZero Pentest Platform is a cutting-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that supports automated testing of your work-from-home environment as well as your internal and perimeter networks to help you identify, rank, remediate, and verify cybersecurity weaknesses before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Progent can assist you to use NodeZero to carry out comprehensive pentests of your network perimeter and your internal IT infrastructure so you can evaluate your present security posture. Progent can also help you to harden your network security and can help you to design and deploy a cohesive cybersecurity ecosystem that streamlines management and delivers optimum cyber defense for on-prem, cloud-based, at-home, and perimeter IT resources. To learn more information about Progent's threat analysis services powered by on NodeZero's pentest products, see Consulting Services for NodeZero's PEN Test Products.

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

Data Protection Solutions for Remote Workers
Data Protection covers backing up and recovering critical data so as to avoid data loss and minimize recovery time in the event of storage system problems resulting from hardware issues, programming glitches, user error, malware, or any other reason. Reliable data protection solutions can be especially challenging to architect and manage in hybrid environments that incorporate local data centers, cloud resources, and an at-home workforce.

• Backup/Recovery strategies for teleworkers must address multiple kinds of personally owned endpoints. Progent offers fast online help from consultants familiar with a wide range of platforms for protection Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX servers and desktop computers as well as laptops, iPads and handhelds. Popular backup/restore solutions supported by Progent's data protection consultants include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, DoubleTake Software, CrashPlan, Mozy, and Time Machine. To protect data spread across a wide area network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services, a managed backup/recovery subscription service that utilizes cloud storage and includes fine-grained recovery and centralized management capabilities.
• Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity plans typically envision circumstances that call for a quick switch to a work-at-home environment. Progent's expert disaster recovery planning experts and business continuity consultants can assist your company to develop, document and validate a DR/BC plan that addresses the process of switching to an at-home workforce.

Unified Management for an At-Home Workforce
Microsoft has renamed and rebundled its endpoint management platforms under the name Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud management of mobile and remote endpoints and Configuration Manager for managing local endpoints. Endpoint Manager provides a centralized platform for protecting critical 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 Microsoft Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud service for managing and protecting mobile computers and applications. Managed endpoint computers can be personally owned or company owned. IT administrators managing the endpoint computers of teleworkers can utilize Intune to deploy and validate apps on managed devices, push patches and certificates, configure policies for accessing data and networks, manage passwords, create VPN connections, determine how telecommuters share information, set up threat defense, ensure security compliance, and erase corporate information from missing, stolen or deactivated endpoint devices. Microsoft Intune runs with iOS/iPadOS, Android, Windows, and macOS endpoints. For information about Intune and to find out how Progent can help you to use this platform to manage the endpoint computers of your telecommuters, refer to Intune teleworker endpoint management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced unified Mobile Device Management platform that allows network administrators to keep off-premises endpoint devices current and secure. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch for centralized endpoint administration combined with VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery technology for access control, application management, and configuration management of endpoint computers. Workspace ONE operates with devices powered by Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or leading distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud-based service or as an on-premises deployment through a one-time purchase. Top capabilities of VMware Workspace ONE include fast over-the-air provisioning of out-of-the-box notebooks, quick onboarding of new employees, policy set up and enforcement for all classes of devices, aggregated management reporting and performance analytics, an email encryption gateway, and tight integration with Microsoft applications and cloud products. To learn about Progent's support for VMware Workspace ONE, visit VMware Workspace ONE remote device management consultants.

Contact Progent for At-Home Worker Support Services
To contact Progent about creating and maintaining a productive telecommuter solution for your Brighton, United Kingdom organization, phone 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.