Beverly Hills Remote Workforce Integration Consulting

Expanding your remote workforce can have a major impact on IT architecture, cybersecurity, and corporate culture. Progent has 20 years of experience assisting SMBs to plan, configure, administer, tune, and troubleshoot IT environments that support at-home workers. Progent can assist your Beverly Hills organization to select the appropriate technologies and adhere to leading practices in building and maintaining a safe virtual solution for teleworkers that promotes collaboration and delivers top business value. Progent can provide support services ranging from on demand guidance for helping you over challenging IT roadblocks to comprehensive project management or co-management to help you carry out mission-critical initiatives.

Progent's consultants can help Beverly Hills, California organizations to with any facet of building a high-functioning work-at-home environment by providing network infrastructure design and configuration services, VoIP PBX expertise, video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, public cloud integration, Help Desk services, security monitoring, backup/restore solutions, and streamlined management.

Network Infrastructure for Telecommuters
Configuring the physical and software infrastructure needed for a remote workforce can be particularly complex if you have to accommodate a combination of worker-owned hardware such as PCs and notebooks, routers, and wireless appliances from an assortment of manufacturers and with a mix of OS software and firmware levels. Progent's background providing online support for both outdated as well as current technologies in remote office solutions enables you to make efficient use of your available network infrastructure and provides you with fast access to expertise for implement essential upgrades. Services available from Progent to assist your company to implement a high-functioning work-at-home ecosystem include:

• VPN technology allows you to establish a secure tunnel for authorized at-home employees to use IT resources located at your corporate datacenter or in the cloud. Progent can help your company to configure and manage VPN connections between your teleworkers and your various IT resources by providing remote VPN configuration support. For businesses using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco-certified ASA Firewall consultants can assist your at-home workers to utilize Cisco's AnyConnect software to provide secure VPN tunneling for a broad selection of endpoint devices including Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android.
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) platforms allow an at-home worker to view and use a remote computer's desktop. This technology gives IT managers more control over the digital ecosystem of at-home employees and offers them a familiar work experience. Progent's VDI services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops expertise.
• Routers connect home networks to the Internet and typically support VPN connections, home Wi-Fi networks, and firewall services. Progent offers expert remote support for deploying home routers from a variety of manufacturers. See router integration services from Cisco-certified experts.
• Home Wireless networks, often shared by an entire household and visitors, are commonly utilized by telecommuters to access their Internet router for work. This can cause throughput and cybersecurity problems. Progent can help businesses to resolve these problems by delivering expertise that include Aironet integration expertise, Cisco-certified Meraki wireless installation consulting, and Ubiquiti WiFi access point setup help.
• Internet access methods impact the speed and availability of connections between at-home workers and the corporate network. Line-of-business applications may require backup Internet access in case the normal connection fails. Progent offers guidance for identifying service providers, selecting sensible service packages, and integrating high-availability Internet access. Refer to Internet connectivity integration services.

VoIP Integration for an At-Home Workforce
Expanding the business phone system to accommodate teleworkers is critical to maintaining an effective work-at-home solution. A broad range of cloud-based IP voice platforms are used by SMBs to server teleworkers. Many enterprises depend on Cisco's modern or legacy platforms for VoIP solutions. Progent can help organizations of all sizes to plan or maintain a telecommuter VoIP environment that provides the flexibility, transparency and security required for at-home workers. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice experts can provide high-level support to assist businesses tune 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 products, VoIP gateways, and mixed media apps deployed across the network. CUCM manages other mixed media services like unified messaging, voice/video conferencing, and team interaction networks. For details about Progent's CUCM support, refer to CUCM expertise.
• CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing agent and has been replaced by CUCM. Progent's consultants can help you to support your existing CallManager environment or upgrade smoothly to Cisco's modern IP telephony products. To find out about Progent's support services for CallManager and Cisco's other early VoIP platforms, refer to Cisco CallManager expertise.
• Cisco IP Gateways provide connectivity with PSTN networks and with clients working beyond the corporate firewall like telecommuters. Progent offers consulting expertise for Cisco's legacy IP gateways like the UC520, UC540 and UC560 product lines and for modern Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateways. See Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateway configuration expertise.
• Additional VoIP Products supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can help you to update your WAN architecture to work with these solutions and deliver online configuration and troubleshooting expertise.

Voice/Video Conferencing for Remote Workers
A broad selection of video conferencing platforms from major vendors support online discussions, video and voice conferencing, chat sessions, and content sharing for both onsite users and at-home workers. Many organizations use a mix of conferencing products to accommodate their different partners and clients. Progent can help you to manage your current voice/video conferencing environment and optimize the experience of your remote employees.

• Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular communications platform that enables presence, instant messaging, audio and video 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 consultants who can help you to deploy and maintain Skype for Business clients to support your at-home workforce. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Skype for Business, see Skype for Business consulting experts.
• FaceTime is Apple's group video phone platform for iOS and macOS computers and smartphones. FaceTime works over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Newer versions of FaceTime allow up to 32 simultaneous users for video calls. To learn more about Progent's support services for FaceTime, see Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
• Webex Meeting Center supports online conferencing for most computing devices. Offered via Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex capabilities include sharing discrete content or computer screens, presentations that embed rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording, plus revision and playback for future reference. To learn more about Progent's support expertise for Webex and for other video conferencing products from Cisco, see Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
• Teams is Microsoft's follow-up for Skype for Business. Teams provides a hub for conversations, contacts, and content with capabilities that include video calling, persistent threaded chat, plus file sharing. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams and for additional Microsoft 365 products, refer to Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
• Additional Conferencing Platforms supported by Progent's conferencing experts include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver configuration and troubleshooting expertise for these products and help you to optimize your network architecture to host them.

Microsoft Collaboration Software for Remote and Hybrid Workers
Microsoft's collaboration platforms are closely integrated with Microsoft's popular Office and Microsoft 365 suites, offering a rich environment of productivity apps that deliver a consistent user interface for sharing information throughout a corporate network and on a broad selection of endpoint computers. Progent has delivered remote consulting support for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange since their original releases and can assist businesses to deploy these flagship collaboration platforms to optimize the effectiveness 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 works with Microsoft 365 and supports third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration. Developed as a replacement for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams can enable chat, audio/video meetings that include screen sharing, calling, cloud voicemail, group email, as well as file and app sharing. Teams is closely integrated with Microsoft 365 and depends on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Entra (previously branded Azure Active Directory) for delivering its complete range of features. For additional information about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft Teams, see solution design and deployment consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint uses web sites to facilitate collaboration and information delivery by offering policy-based access to data, business processes, and utilities for looking through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint enables you to create protected portals that enables remote workforce to view and update consolidated business intelligence via Wikis, Blogs, social web sites, and Web Parts. For information about Progent's SharePoint consulting services, 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 consulting expertise, see integration expertise for Exchange.

OneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud-based file hosting and synchronization service, comparable to GoogleDrive. Remote users can store files to OneDrive, and co-workers anywhere can access them safely through a browser. Provided with Office 365, OneDrive allows home workers to co-edit documents. Revisions made offline are synced when you go back online. To learn about Progent's support services for Microsoft OneDrive, refer to Microsoft Onedrive configuration experts.

Cloud Integration for Remote Workers
Progent can provide affordable remote support for helping businesses to create, manage and optimize cohesive hybrid network architectures that incorporate internal data centers, remote workers, branches, and public cloud resources. Progent offers expertise for all types of cloud service delivery including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help teleworkers resolve issues with cloud connectivity, authentication, and cybersecurity.

Azure is a leading platform for cloud software and services that enables you to use IT infrastructure, servers, and key applications running on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Microsoft Azure offers more than 100 services services including hosting for Windows and Linux-based VMs, on-demand cloud storage, messaging, app development with Visual Studio, and data backup. Progent can assist your organization to deploy virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity control with Azure Active Directory, and design data backup and recovery systems with Azure Backup. Progent can also help you establish protected connections to Azure for telecommuters by setting up and debugging firewalls and VPN tunnels. For details about Progent's support services for Microsoft Azure, refer to Azure consulting services.

Microsoft 365, formerly called Office 365, is Microsoft's popular suite of client productivity applications and cloud-based services offered on a subscription basis. Microsoft applications and services are provided in a selection of bundles designed for customers ranging from students and households to large enterprises. Progent can provide fast and affordable online contact with consultants knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible clients based on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent's experts can help your business to assess the various subscription bundles available for Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 applications for your telecommuters to achieve top business value. To learn about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft 365, go to Microsoft 365 integration services.

Exchange Online is one of the most popular cloud-based applications in the Microsoft 365 product suite. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online provides the benefits of lower spending for data center infrastructure, simplified management, dynamic scaling, high reliability, and additional benefits associated with public clouds. Microsoft has designed Microsoft 365 Exchange Online to operate seamlessly with on-premises Exchange environments, enabling you to build hybrid cloud/onsite networks. Progent's Exchange consultants are available for as-needed assistance to guide you past challenging technical bottlenecks and can also provide end-to-end project management outsourcing to ensure your remote workers have easy and secure access to your Exchange Online environment. To learn Progent's expertise for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, refer to Exchange Online integration and troubleshooting expertise.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a pioneer in the public cloud computing market and is the world's leading source of cloud-based services. Progent can provide quick and economical online access to cloud connectivity consultants who can help your business to plan, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot hybrid IT networks that integrate Amazon AWS cloud services with local resources and with other popular cloud platforms such as Azure. Progent also offers the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to help you to build a high-uptime network model to make sure your employees have a productive computing experience whether they are working from your headquarters, a remote branch, from home, or on the road. For information about Progent's consulting services for Amazon AWS, go to Amazon AWS consulting expertise.

Google Cloud Platform is a popular set of public cloud services that offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can help your organization to scale your existing IT assets with the Google Cloud, and Progent's DBA experts can help you make your critical applications cloud ready so your teleworkers can benefit fully from Google Cloud Platform services. Progent's consultants can assist your organization to deploy virtual machines on Google Cloud Compute Engine, plan a cost-effective storage system with GCP Storage services, and streamline access management for telecommuters with GCP Cloud Identity. Progent's experts can also assist your organization to use GCP's unified management technology to control and track your Google Cloud environment. To find out, go to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) consulting expertise.

Help Desk Call Center Support for At-Home Workers
An emergency, company-wide switchover to a teleworker workforce, which could be driven by an epidemic or as an element of a disaster recovery/business continuity plan, can overstretch even the most efficient internal Help Desk. Progent's Help Desk Call Center services allow businesses to outsource or expand their Help Desk by using Progent's remote Technical Response Center (TRC) services.

• Progent's Standard Support Desk support services utilize Progent's nationwide team of online technical support experts combined with world-class ticketing and tracking technology to offer an affordable, advanced Help Desk Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide an end-to-end solution that addresses all aspects of online Level 1 PC technical support from initial service requests to trouble ticket generation, desktop sharing, issue resolution, and incident reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal enables at-home employees to monitor or update the status of their current tickets, enter details, and upload screenshots and attachments. Support services are provided at a significant price reduction off Progent's normal Level 1 desktop service charges, and Progent offers the option of rapid escalation to Level 2 and Level 3 support experts to deal with complex problems. For details, visit Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services for small and mid-size companies.
• Progent's Support Desk Supplemental Service allows your company to supplement your existing Help Desk team by sharing delivery of Help Desk services seamlessly between your regular support personnel and Progent's nationwide team of PC support engineers and subject matter specialists. Progent's shared Help Desk service is based on a collaborative support solution utilizing the number one professional services automation platform for managing service requests and ticketing, assigning responsibility, monitoring progress, and generating reports. To learn how Progent's Support Desk Supplementation Services can enable your business to provide world-class technical support to your at-home employees, refer to Progent's Call Desk augmentation Services.

Cybersecurity for Telecommuters
At-home workers typically utilize their own devices and often operate in a poorly secured physical space. This multiplies their vulnerability to malware threats and requires judicious deployment of firewalls, AV tools, multi-factor authentication, remote endpoint monitoring, extensive user training, and the development of policies built on leading practices. Progent's seasoned group of IT security support consultants can assist your business to design, deploy and maintain a compliant security solution that protects vital information resources in networks that incorporate at-home workers.

Firewalls allow you to create a network that can be securely accessed by on-premises users and by telecommuters, mobile workers, suppliers, customers, and the public. Modern firewall devices allow you to configure and control different permissions to different groups of users and to expand your network and modify your cybersecurity posture as your company evolves and as cyber threats become increasingly complex. Progent supports both current and legacy firewall devices from all major vendors like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. For more information about Progent's firewall support expertise, visit firewall integration and support expertise.

Online Endpoint Security Monitoring makes it possible to track the various devices utilized by teleworkers and either block or spot and mitigate the latest threats like ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a small-footprint agent is put on each secured endpoint device, watching all activity and using advanced behavioral threat analysis from SentinelOne to detect new attacks at inception. When an attack is discovered, ProSight Active Security Monitoring instantly disconnects the targeted endpoint device from the network to contain the malware. Because the ProSight ASM agent is self-contained, endpoints stay secure even when they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. To find out more about ProSight ASM, go to remote endpoint security monitoring for an at-home workforce.

Progent's Duo MFA Service Plans incorporate Cisco's Duo technology to defend against stolen passwords by using two-factor authentication. Duo supports single-tap identity confirmation with Apple iOS, Google Android, and other personal devices. With Duo 2FA, when you sign into a secured application and give your password you are requested to confirm who you are via a device that only you have and that is accessed using a different network channel. A broad range of out-of-band devices can be used as this added means of ID validation including an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware/software token, a landline telephone, etc. You may designate multiple validation devices. To find out more about ProSight Duo identity validation services, refer to Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for teleworkers.

Security Audits can evaluate the vulnerability of your network to all types of external and local security threats for an environment that includes at-home workers. Progent can deploy remote, automated security inventory software for quickly and affordably detecting a broad range of security weaknesses that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's endpoint security audit consulting services, which can be managed by network security experts with advanced certifications such as CISM, ISSAP, and GIAC, can help you to evaluate your processes and governance policies and assess your WAN infrastructure to enable you to implement the highest level of security for your an at-home workforce.

Horizon3.ai's NodeZero PEN Testing Platform is a cutting-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that supports autonomous threat assessment of your at-home connectivity solution and your internal and perimeter networks so you can identify, prioritize, fix, and confirm cybersecurity weaknesses before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Progent's pentest experts can assist you to use NodeZero to perform comprehensive pentests of your perimeter and your internal network so you can evaluate your current security posture. Progent can also assist you to strengthen your network security and can assist you to plan and implement a unified cybersecurity ecosystem that simplifies management and provides maximum protection for on-premises, cloud-based, remote, and perimeter IT resources. To find out more information about Progent's threat assessment solutions based on on NodeZero's penetration test platform, see Consulting Support for NodeZero's Penetration Test Platform.

Download White Paper: Securing a Work-From-Home Environment
To view or download a white paper describing key areas to concentrate on for securing an IT environment that includes work-from-home staff, click:
Protecting a Work-From-Home (WFH) Environment White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)

Data Protection for At-Home Workers
Data Protection involves saving and restoring critical data in order to avoid data loss and reduce restoration time in the event of storage problems due to equipment breakdowns, software hiccups, human error, malware, or any other reason. Reliable data protection solutions can be particularly difficult to architect and manage in hybrid environments that combine private data centers, public clouds, and at-home workers.

• Backup/Recovery strategies for at-home workers must cover diverse types of user-owned endpoint devices. Progent offers fast online access to experts familiar with a wide range of products for protection Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX servers and desktop computers as well as notebooks, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones. Popular backup/recovery products maintained by Progent's backup/recovery experts include Barracuda Backup, Azure Backup, DoubleTake Software, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Retrospect, and Time Machine. To protect resources distributed across a hybrid network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a managed backup/recovery subscription service that utilizes cloud storage and includes fine-grained restore and unified management capabilities.
• Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity plans typically anticipate scenarios that require a quick switch to telecommuting. Progent's expert disaster recovery preparedness consultants and business continuity planning consultants can assist your business to develop, document and test a DR/BC plan that addresses the logistics of moving to an at-home workforce.

Unified Management for Remote Workers
Microsoft has renamed and rebundled its endpoint management products under the title Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud management of remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing local computers. Endpoint Manager offers a unified environment for protecting corporate information by controlling local, mobile, and home-based endpoint devices.

Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also features Microsoft Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud service for managing and protecting off-premises computers and software. Remote endpoint devices can be user owned or business owned. Network admins managing the endpoint computers of at-home workers can utilize Intune to deploy and authenticate applications on devices, push patches and certificates, set up rules for permission to access information and resources, set passwords, establish VPN tunnels, control how teleworkers share information, establish threat defense, verify security compliance, and wipe corporate information from missing, stolen or deactivated devices. Microsoft Intune can be used with iOS, Google Android, Windows, and macOS/OS X devices. For details about Intune and how Progent can assist your company to use this platform to manage the endpoint computers of your telecommuters, go to Intune mobile endpoint management experts.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is a feature-rich centralized Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform that helps network managers to keep remote endpoints up to date and protected. Workspace ONE uses VMware AirWatch for centralized endpoint administration combined with VMware's Horizon virtual application delivery platform for authorization control, application management, and configuration management of endpoints. Workspace ONE operates with endpoints powered by Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or popular distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud service or as an on-site deployment via a perpetual license. Key capabilities of Workspace ONE include rapid over-the-air deployment of out-of-the-box laptops, immediate onboarding of new employees, policy set up and enforcement for all categories of endpoints, unifies reporting and analytics, an email encryption gateway, and integration with Microsoft apps and cloud products. For information about Progent's support services for VMware Workspace ONE, go to VMware Workspace ONE mobile device management expertise.

Contact Progent for Telecommuter Support Services
To get in touch with Progent about creating and managing an efficient telecommuter solution for your Beverly Hills, California organization, phone 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.