Monterey Teleworkers Solutions Consulting

Enlarging your telecommuter workforce may have a major impact on network infrastructure, security/compliance, and corporate processes. Progent has two decades of background helping small and mid-size businesses to design, configure, manage, optimize, and debug IT networks that incorporate a remote workforce. Progent can assist your Monterey company to pick the right technologies and follow best practices in building and operating a secure virtual office solution for telecommuters that facilitates collaboration and delivers top value. Progent offers support services ranging from on demand guidance for getting you past occasional technical roadblocks to full project management to help you carry out mission-critical initiatives.

Progent's consultants can assist Monterey, California organizations to succeed with any aspect of creating a high-performing remote work environment by delivering infrastructure configuration services, IP voice expertise, video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, public cloud integration, Call Desk services, security monitoring, data protection solutions, and streamlined management.

Infrastructure for Teleworkers
Integrating the physical and software infrastructure needed to support a remote work environment can be particularly complicated if you must accommodate a combination of personal equipment such as PCs and notebooks, Internet routers, and Wi-Fi appliances from an assortment of vendors and with a variety of OS software and firmware releases. Progent's experience delivering online help for both outdated and current technologies in remote office venues allows you to make cost-effective use of your existing network infrastructure and provides you with ready access to top-tire consultants for making necessary updates. Support services available from Progent to help your company to implement a productive work-at-home infrastructure include:

• Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity allows you to create a safe tunnel for authorized at-home employees to access IT resources located at your company data center or in the cloud. Progent can assist you to configure and manage VPN access between your at-home workforce and your various network resources by providing online VPN configuration support. For organizations with Cisco's ASA security appliances, Progent's Cisco ASA consultants can help your remote workers to set up Cisco's AnyConnect software for secure VPN tunneling for a wide selection of endpoint devices such as Microsoft Windows, macOS, Apple iOS, Linux, and Google Android.
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) platforms allow an at-home worker to see and use a remote computer's desktop. This provides network managers substantial control over the computing ecosystem of at-home employees and offers them a familiar experience. Progent's VDI services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI solutions.
• Routers attach home networks to the Internet and typically support VPN tunnels, home wireless networks, and firewall services. Progent can provide top-tier online consulting for setting up routers from all major vendors. See router configuration support from Cisco-certified experts.
• Home Wireless networks, often supporting the whole family and guests, are frequently utilized by at-home employees to connect to their router for work. This can create throughput as well as cybersecurity problems. Progent can assist businesses to mitigate these problems by delivering expertise that include Aironet configuration consulting, Cisco-certified Meraki WiFi installation consulting, and Ubiquiti Unifi wireless access point setup assistance.
• Internet access solutions impact the performance and reliability of connections between telecommuters and the company network. Business-critical processes might demand redundant Internet access in the event the normal connection breaks. Progent can provide guidance for picking ISPs, picking appropriate service bundles, and setting up high-availability Internet connections. See Internet access solutions.

IP Voice Solutions for Telecommuters
Expanding the business phone system to accommodate remote users is critical to maintaining an effective at-home workforce. A variety of cloud-centric IP voice products are popular with small and mid-size businesses to server telecommuters. Many enterprises depend on Cisco's current or older platforms for VoIP solutions. Progent can assist organizations of any size to design or tune a telecommuter IP voice environment that provides the flexibility, convenience and protection required for remote users. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice experts offer high-level support to assist businesses optimize their existing Cisco VoIP systems to support a growing at-home workforce.

• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM or CUCM) extends advanced IP telephony capabilities to devices like VoIP phones, media processing platforms, VoIP gateways, and mixed media software used throughout the network. Unified Communications Manager supports other combined media services such as messaging, video conferencing, and customer collaboration networks. For more information about Progent's Cisco Unified CM or CUCM support, see CUCM consultants.
• CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing agent and has been replaced by Cisco Unified CM. Progent can assist you to support your existing CallManager deployment or migrate smoothly to Cisco's modern IP telephony products. For details about Progent's expertise for CallManager and Cisco's other older IP voice platforms, see CallManager consulting services.
• Cisco IP Gateways enable integration with PSTN networks and with users operating beyond the corporate perimeter like telecommuters. Progent can provide expert support for Cisco's earlier generation IP gateways such as the UC520, UC540 and UC560 product lines as well as for modern Cisco SIP gateways. See Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateway configuration expertise.
• Additional VoIP Platforms supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can help you to update your WAN architecture to work with these VoIP solutions and deliver online integration and debugging services.

Video Conferencing for Teleworkers
A broad selection of voice/video conferencing platforms from major vendors enable virtual discussions, video and voice conferencing, chat sessions, and screen sharing for both onsite users and telecommuters. Many companies use a mix of products to accommodate their various partners and clients. Progent's communications experts can assist you to maintain your existing voice/video conferencing ecosystem and enhance the productivity of your remote workforce.

• Skype for Business is Microsoft's leading communications platform that supports real-time presence, IM, audio and video calling and conferencing as well as the transparent integration of these functions within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 productivity software such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent offers the expertise of Microsoft-certified specialists who can help you to deploy and maintain Skype for Business clients to accommodate your at-home workforce. To learn more about Progent's support services for Skype for Business, see Skype for Business integration experts.
• FaceTime is Apple's multiuser video calling platform for compatible iOS and macOS computers and smartphones. FaceTime works over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Newer editions of FaceTime support as many as 32 concurrent users for voice/video calls. For details about Progent's consulting services for FaceTime, refer to Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
• Webex Meeting Center supports online conferencing for virtually all computing devices. Offered through Cisco's Webex Cloud, Webex services include sharing discrete content or computer screens, presentations that embed rich media including Microsoft PowerPoint, network-based capture, plus editing and playback for training. For details about Progent's support services for Webex as well as for additional video conferencing solutions from Cisco, refer to Progent's Webex Meeting Center support services.
• Teams is Microsoft's follow-up for Skype for Business. Teams acts as a portal for conferencing, contacts, and content with features that include video calling, persistent threaded chat, plus file sharing. To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for Teams as well as for additional Microsoft 365 products, visit Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
• Additional Voice/Video Conferencing Platforms supported by Progent's conferencing experts include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver configuration and debugging services for these conferencing platforms and assist you to optimize your network architecture to host them.

Microsoft Collaboration Platforms for Remote Workers
Microsoft's collaboration products are tightly integrated with Microsoft's familiar Office families, providing a rich ecosystem of applications that create a cohesive user interface for exchanging information throughout a corporate network and on a wide range of endpoint computers. Progent has provided online consulting services for Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange since their first publication and can help your company to configure these flagship collaboration platforms to maximize the productivity of your remote workers.

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

Microsoft Teams works with Microsoft 365 and supports third-party cloud services to provide real-time collaboration. Designed as a substitute for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium can enable chat, 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 (formerly called Azure Active Directory) for delivering its complete range of capabilities. To learn more about Progent's support services for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium, see solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams.

SharePoint utilizes web sites to allow collaboration and knowledge delivery by offering policy-driven delivery of content, workflow, and utilities for searching through company-wide information silos. SharePoint enables you to build secure portals that allows remote workers to view and update consolidated business intelligence via Wikis, Blogs, social networking sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). For information about Progent's SharePoint consulting services, go to SharePoint configuration 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 learn about Progent's Exchange consulting expertise, visit integration consulting for Microsoft Exchange Server.

OneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud-based storage service, similar to GoogleDrive. At-home workers can store files to OneDrive, and colleagues can access them safely through a browser. Provided with Microsoft 365, OneDrive enables remote workers to co-author files. Revisions created offline are automatically synced when you go back online. To find out about Progent's consulting expertise for Microsoft OneDrive, visit Microsoft Onedrive configuration consulting.

Public Cloud Integration for At-Home Workers
Progent offers advanced online support for enabling organizations to create, manage and repair integrated hybrid network models that include physical data centers, remote workers, branches, plus cloud services. Progent can provide expertise for all types of public cloud service including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help telecommuters fix problems with cloud access, identity, and security.

Azure is a popular family of public cloud software and services that enables you to utilize IT infrastructure, virtual servers, and key apps running on Microsoft's extensive cloud. Microsoft Azure includes over one hundred services services including hosting for Windows and Linux-powered VMs, scalable cloud storage, email and messaging, app development with Visual Studio, and data backup. Progent can help you to deploy virtual machines on Azure Virtual Machines, configure storage on Azure Storage services, streamline identity control with Azure Active Directory, and plan data backup and restore solutions with Azure Backup. Progent can also help you establish protected access to Azure for remote workers by setting up and debugging firewall appliances and VPN tunnels. For information about Progent's support services for Azure, refer to Microsoft Azure consulting services.

Microsoft 365, previously branded Office 365, is Microsoft's growing family of client productivity applications and cloud-based services available on a subscription basis. Microsoft applications and services are provided in a selection of bundles intended for users ranging from individuals and small offices to large corporations. Progent offers fast and affordable remote contact with consultants familiar with Microsoft 365-compatible endpoints based on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent can assist you to evaluate the numerous subscription plans offered with Microsoft 365 and configure 365 applications for your teleworkers in a way that delivers maximum business value. For details about Progent's support services for Microsoft 365, visit Microsoft 365 integration expertise.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online is among the most widely used cloud-based applications in Azure-hosted Microsoft 365 product line. Microsoft 365 Exchange Online provides the advantages of reduced costs for physical infrastructure, simplified management, on-demand scaling, high reliability, and other advantages inherent with cloud computing. Microsoft has designed Exchange Online to operate transparently with on-premises deployments of Exchange, allowing you to build hybrid networks. Progent's Exchange consultants are available for as-needed assistance to guide you through challenging IT roadblocks and also offer end-to-end project management services to ensure your remote workers have convenient and safe access to your Microsoft 365 Exchange Online environment. To learn Progent's consulting services for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, refer to Microsoft 365 Exchange Online configuration and support expertise.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a pioneer in the public cloud arena and is the world's biggest source of cloud services. Progent offers rapid and economical online contact with cloud connectivity consultants who can assist your business to design, implement, manage, and debug hybrid information networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with on-premises data centers and with other popular cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure. Progent also can provide the skills of Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to assist you to create a high-availability network model to make sure your users have a productive computing environment regardless of whether they are working from your main office, a remote branch, from home, or on the road. For information about Progent's consulting expertise for Amazon AWS, see Amazon AWS integration support.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a popular collection of cloud computing services that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service products. Progent's Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can assist you to scale your current IT resources with the Google Cloud, and Progent's DBA experts can help you make your key applications cloud friendly so your teleworkers can take full advantage of Google Cloud Platform services. Progent can help your organization to deploy VMs on Google Cloud Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage system with GCP Storage, and streamline access control for telecommuters with Google Cloud Identity services. Progent's consultants can also help you to use GCP's unified management tools to administer and monitor your GCP environment. To find out, see Google Cloud Platform (GCP) integration services.

Help Desk Services for Telecommuters
An emergency, enterprise-wide switchover to a from-home business model, which might be driven by an epidemic or as an element of a disaster recovery process, can overwhelm even a well-staffed in-house Call Center. Progent's Help Desk services make it possible for organizations to outsource or expand their Support Desk by using Progent's remote Technical Response Center (TRC) services.

• Progent's Standard Call Center services leverage Progent's extensive team of online IT support experts combined with world-class ticketing and tracking software to provide an economical, modern Call Center. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide an end-to-end solution that addresses all aspects of remote Level 1 desktop technical support from help requests through trouble ticket creation, screen sharing, problem resolution, and reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal allows teleworkers to check or edit their active trouble tickets, add details, and upload screenshots and relevant files. Technical support services are provided at a substantial price reduction off Progent's normal Level 1 technical support rates, and Progent makes available optional rapid escalation to Level 2 and Level 3 IT experts to deal with complex issues. For more information, refer to Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services for small and mid-size businesses.
• Progent's Call Desk Supplemental Service allows your company to expand your current Help Desk Call Center organization by splitting delivery of Help Desk support services seamlessly between your regular IT support staff and Progent's extensive pool of desktop support engineers and subject matter specialists. Progent's co-managed Support Desk service is based on a collective support solution utilizing the number one professional services automation (PSA) platform for handling help requests and trouble tickets, establishing responsibility, tracking progress, and generating management reports. To learn how Progent's Help Desk Augmentation Services can enable your company to deliver world-class IT support to your teleworkers, see Progent's Call Desk augmentation Services.

Cybersecurity for Telecommuters
Work-from-Home staff members typically use their own computers and usually operate in an unsecured physical space. This multiplies their vulnerability to malware threats and requires judicious deployment of corporate firewalls, anti-malware tools, multi-factor authentication, remote monitoring, thorough user training, and the development of policies built on leading practices. Progent's seasoned team of IT security support consultants can assist you to plan, deploy and maintain an effective security solution that protects critical IT assets in networks that include telecommuters.

Firewalls enable you to build a network environment that can be safely utilized by on-premises users as well as by telecommuters, mobile workers, vendors, clients, and other stakeholders. Next-generation firewall devices allow you to assign and control appropriate access rights to various classes of users and to expand your network and modify your security as your business evolves and as cyber threats become more sophisticated. Progent works with both current and legacy security appliances from all major vendors including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, and Fortinet. For more information about Progent's firewall integration expertise, visit firewall configuration and support services.

Remote Endpoint Monitoring makes it easy to watch over the disparate computers utilized by teleworkers and either block or spot and respond to modern threats such as ransomware. With ProSight Active Security Monitoring services, a small-footprint agent is installed on every secured endpoint device, monitoring all activity and utilizing state-of-the-art behavioral threat analysis from SentinelOne to detect zero-day attacks on arrival. When a cyberattack is discovered, ProSight Active Security Monitoring instantly isolates the targeted endpoint from the network to quarantine the malware. Because the ProSight ASM agent is self-contained, endpoint devices remain secure even when they are offline. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. To find out more about ProSight ASM, visit remote endpoint security monitoring for an at-home workforce.

Progent's Duo authentication Services utilize Cisco's Duo technology to defend against password theft through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables one-tap identity confirmation with iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. Using Duo 2FA, whenever you log into a secured application and give your password you are requested to confirm your identity via a unit that only you have and that uses a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A broad range of out-of-band devices can be used as this second means of ID validation including an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You can designate several validation devices. To learn more about Duo identity validation services, see Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for at-home workers.

Security Audits can assess the exposure of your network to all types of external and internal security threats for an environment that includes teleworkers. Progent can deploy remote, automated cybersecurity analysis software for rapidly and affordably uncovering a wide variety of security holes that can be found over the Internet. Progent's security audit consulting services, which can be provided by network security professionals with advanced certifications including CISM, CISSP, and GIAC, can help you to evaluate your processes and governance policies and review your IT architecture to enable you to design the highest level of security for your telecommuters.

Horizon3.ai's NodeZero Penetration Testing Platform is a leading-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that can deliver autonomous threat assessment of your work-from-home environment as well as your internal and perimeter networks to help you identify, prioritize, fix, and verify security weaknesses before threat actors can exploit them. Progent can assist you to use NodeZero to perform thorough pentests of your perimeter and your internal IT infrastructure so you can evaluate your current security profile. Progent's NodeZero experts can also help you to harden your existing network security and can assist you to plan and deploy a cohesive cybersecurity strategy that streamlines management and provides maximum protection for on-premises, multi-cloud, at-home, and perimeter IT resources. To find out more details about Progent's threat assessment solutions powered by on NodeZero's PEN test platform, refer to Consulting Support for NodeZero's PEN Test Platform.

Download White Paper: Securing a Work-From-Home Network
To read or download a white paper describing critical things to concentrate on for securing a network that supports work-from-home staff, click:
Protecting a Work-From-Home Environment White Paper. (PDF - 2.4 MB)

Data Protection Solutions for Teleworkers
Data Protection covers saving and restoring vital data in order to avoid data loss and reduce restoration time in case of storage system problems resulting from equipment issues, software glitches, human mistakes, malware, or any other reason. Dependable data protection solutions can be especially challenging to design and maintain in hybrid environments that combine in-house data centers, public clouds, and an at-home workforce.

• Backup/Restore solutions for remote workers must cover diverse types of personally owned endpoints. Progent offers quick remote access to consultants familiar with a broad array of products for backing up Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX powered servers and desktop computers as well as notebooks, tablets and smartphones. Popular backup/restore solutions supported by Progent's backup/recovery consultants include Barracuda Backup, Microsoft Azure Backup, DoubleTake Software, Acronis Backup and Recovery, Mozy, and Time Machine. To back up data spread throughout a wide area network, Progent offers ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a managed backup/recovery subscription service that utilizes cloud-based storage and features granular restore and centralized management capabilities.
• Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity (DR/BC) strategies often envision scenarios that require a rapid switch to telecommuting. Progent's expert disaster recovery preparedness consultants and business continuity consultants can assist you to develop, document and validate a DR/BC strategy that addresses the process of moving to telecommuting.

Unified Management for Teleworkers
Microsoft has rebranded and rebundled its endpoint management platforms under the name Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which includes Intune for cloud management of remote endpoints and Configuration Manager for managing onsite endpoints. Endpoint Manager offers a centralized solution for safeguarding critical information by managing local, mobile, and at-home endpoint devices.

Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management family that also features Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud service for managing and securing mobile computers and applications. Managed endpoint computers can be user owned or company owned. Network admins managing the endpoint computers of teleworkers can utilize Intune to provision and validate applications on managed devices, push patches and certificates, configure rules for permission to access information and networks, manage passwords, establish VPN tunnels, determine how home-based workers share information, establish threat protection, ensure compliance, and delete corporate information from lost, stolen or deactivated devices. Microsoft Intune runs with iOS, Google Android, Windows, and macOS/OS X devices. To find out about Intune and to find out how Progent can assist your company to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to manage the devices of your teleworkers, visit Intune telecommuter endpoint management consultants.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced unified Mobile Device Management (MDM) product that allows network managers to keep remote endpoint devices up to date and protected. Workspace ONE incorporates VMware AirWatch technology for centralized endpoint administration along with VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery technology for authorization control, application management, and setup management of endpoint computers. Workspace ONE operates with devices based on Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, or popular distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is offered by subscription as a cloud service or as an on-site product through a perpetual license. Key features of VMware Workspace ONE include rapid remote deployment of out-of-the-box laptops, quick onboarding of new employees, policy setting and enforcement for all classes of endpoints, aggregated reporting and performance analytics, email encryption, and seamless integration with Microsoft apps and cloud services. To learn about Progent's support services for VMware Workspace ONE, refer to VMware Workspace ONE remote endpoint management expertise.

Contact Progent for Remote Workforce Support Services
To get in touch with Progent about creating and managing a productive telecommuter environment for your Monterey, California company, phone 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.