Valencia Teleworkers Configuration Support Partner

Expanding your remote workforce may have a major impact on IT architecture, security, and corporate processes. Progent has two decades of experience assisting small and mid-size businesses to design, configure, administer, optimize, and debug IT networks that support a remote workforce. Progent can help your Valencia company to pick the right technologies and adhere to best practices in creating and operating a secure virtual ecosystem for telecommuters that promotes collaboration and delivers top value. Progent offers support services that go from as-needed guidance for getting you past occasional technical bottlenecks to full project management or co-management to help you carry out business-critical initiatives.

Progent can assist Valencia, California companies to succeed with any facet of building a high-functioning telecommuting environment by delivering network infrastructure design and configuration services, IP voice troubleshooting, video conferencing support, collaboration platform selection and deployment, public cloud integration, Help Desk outsourcing, endpoint security, backup/restore solutions, and streamlined management.

Network Infrastructure for Telecommuters
Configuring the physical and software infrastructure needed to support an at-home work environment can be particularly complex if you must manage a combination of personal hardware like desktop computers and laptops, Internet routers, and Wi-Fi APs from an assortment of vendors and with a variety of operating systems and firmware releases. Progent's background delivering remote help for both outdated and modern technologies in remote office venues enables you to make cost-effective use of your existing infrastructure and offers ready access to top-tire consultants for implement necessary upgrades. Support services available from Progent to help you to create a high-functioning work-at-home infrastructure include:

• Virtual Private Network technology allows you to establish a safe tunnel for authenticated at-home workers to use IT resources located at your corporate data center or in the cloud. Progent can help you to configure and maintain VPN access between your teleworkers and your key IT resources by providing online VPN integration support. For businesses using Cisco's ASA firewalls, Progent's Cisco ASA experts can assist your remote workers to set up Cisco's popular AnyConnect client software for safe VPN connections for a wide range of endpoint devices such as Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android.
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure platforms enable a teleworker to view and use a remote computer's desktop. This gives network managers significant control over the computing ecosystem of telecommuters and offers them a familiar experience. Progent's virtual desktop consulting services include Windows Remote Desktop support and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI solutions.
• Routers connect home networks to the Internet and typically support VPN tunnels, home wireless connectivity, and firewalls. Progent can provide top-tier remote support for configuring home routers from a variety of vendors. See router configuration services from Cisco-certified consultants.
• Home Wi-Fi networks, often shared by the whole family and visitors, are frequently utilized by telecommuters to access their Internet router for work. This can cause throughput as well as security issues. Progent can assist businesses to mitigate these issues by providing expertise that include Cisco Aironet configuration expertise, Cisco Meraki wireless installation consulting, and Ubiquiti Unifi WiFi access point integration assistance.
• Internet access methods impact the performance and availability of connections between at-home workers and the corporate data center. Business-critical processes might demand redundant Internet access in the event the primary connection breaks. Progent can provide expertise for identifying Internet service providers, selecting sensible service offerings, and integrating high-availability Internet access. See Internet access integration services.

VoIP Integration for Remote Workers
Extending the corporate PBX environment to accommodate remote users is critical to supporting a productive at-home workforce. A broad range of cloud-based VoIP products are popular with SMBs to server remote users. Many enterprises depend on Cisco's current or older products for IP voice solutions. Progent can help businesses of any size to design or tune a telecommuter VoIP environment that delivers the flexibility, transparency and security required for telecommuters. Progent's Cisco-certified CCIE Voice experts can provide high-level support to help organizations optimize their existing Cisco IP voice systems to support an expanding remote workforce.

• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Cisco Unified CM) delivers advanced IP telephony features to devices such as IP phones, media processing platforms, Voice over IP gateways, and multimedia applications deployed throughout the network. Unified Communications Manager supports other combined media services such as messaging, video conferencing, and team interaction networks. For details about Progent's Cisco Unified CM or CUCM expertise, refer to Cisco Unified Communications Manager expertise.
• CallManager is Cisco's earlier call-processing agent and has been replaced by CUCM. Progent can assist you to support your current CallManager environment or migrate smoothly to Cisco's current IP telephony solutions. To learn about Progent's support services for CallManager and Cisco's other early VoIP products, see Cisco CallManager expertise.
• Cisco IP Gateways enable integration with public telephony networks and with clients operating beyond the corporate firewall such as telecommuters. Progent offers expert support for Cisco's legacy IP gateways such as the UC520, UC540 and UC560 product lines and for current Cisco Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateways. See Cisco SIP gateway integration consulting.
• Additional VoIP Products supported by Progent's consultants include Vonage, Intermedia Unite and 8x8. Progent can help you to expand your wide area network architecture to support these solutions and provide on-demand integration and debugging services.

Video Conferencing for Remote Workers
A broad range of voice/video conferencing products from major vendors enable online discussions, video and voice conferencing, chat, and screen/content sharing for both local workers and at-home workers. Many organizations use multiple 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 experience of your at-home workforce.

• Skype for Business is Microsoft's popular unified communications product that supports presence, IM, voice and video calling and conferencing as well as the seamless integration of these capabilities within Office desktop and Microsoft 365 applications including PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook. Progent can provide the skills of Microsoft-certified specialists who can help you to configure and maintain Skype for Business client software to accommodate your at-home employees. For details about Progent's consulting services for Skype for Business, see Skype for Business consulting services.
• FaceTime is Apple's group video phone app for compatible iOS, iPadOS, iPod and macOS devices. FaceTime runs over Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connections. Current editions of FaceTime support up to 32 concurrent users for voice/video calls. For details about Progent's consulting services for FaceTime, visit Progent's FaceTime configuration expertise.
• Webex Meeting Center supports online conferencing for most desktop or mobile devices. Offered via Cisco's Webex Cloud platform, Webex capabilities include sharing discrete content or computer screens, presentations that incorporate rich media such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, session recording, plus revision and playback for future reference. To learn more about Progent's support services for Webex and for additional IP video products from Cisco, see 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 information with features that include IP voice and video calling, threaded chat, plus data sharing. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Teams and for other Microsoft 365 products, visit Progent's Microsoft Teams consulting services.
• Additional Conferencing Apps supported by Progent include Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Zoom, and Slack. Progent can deliver configuration and debugging expertise for these products and assist your business to tune your WAN architecture to host them.

Microsoft Integrated Collaboration Software for At-Home Workers
Microsoft's collaboration products are closely integrated with Microsoft's popular Office families, offering a powerful ecosystem of applications that deliver a cohesive user interface for sharing data and ideas across multiple sites and on a broad selection of endpoints. Progent has provided online consulting support for SharePoint and Exchange since their first publication and can assist 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 provide real-time collaboration. Developed as a substitute for Skype for Business Online, Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium can support chat, audio/video meetings with screen sharing, calling, cloud voicemail, group email, plus 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 branded Azure Active Directory) for supporting its complete range of capabilities. For additional information about Progent's support services for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium, visit solution design and configuration consulting for Microsoft Teams and Teams Premium.

SharePoint utilizes web sites to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing by offering policy-driven access to content, business processes, and tools for searching through enterprise-wide business data. SharePoint enables you to create secure web portals that enables remote workers to view and update aggregated business intelligence by means of Wikis, Blogs, social networking sites, and Web Parts (Widgets). To learn about Progent's SharePoint consulting expertise, see SharePoint integration and 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. For information about Progent's Exchange consulting expertise, see planning and configuration expertise for Exchange Server.

OneDrive is Microsoft�s shared cloud storage service, similar to GoogleDrive. Remote users can store files to OneDrive, and colleagues can share them securely through a web browser. Included with Office 365, OneDrive enables home workers to co-edit documents. Revisions created offline are automatically synced when you go back online. To learn about Progent's expertise for Microsoft OneDrive, refer to Microsoft Onedrive configuration experts.

Cloud Integration for At-Home Workers
Progent offers affordable online support for helping organizations to create, maintain and optimize integrated hybrid network models that combine internal data centers, telecommuters, branches, and cloud services. Progent can provide expertise for all modes of public cloud service such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service (SaaS). Progent can help at-home workers fix issues with public cloud access, authentication, and security.

Azure is a popular family of cloud services that enables you to use IT infrastructure, virtual servers, and critical applications running on Microsoft's massive cloud. Azure includes more than one hundred services services including the ability to host Windows and Linux-based virtual machines, on-demand cloud storage, messaging, application development with Visual Studio, and data backup. Progent can help your organization to set up VMs on Azure Virtual Machines, integrate storage on Azure Storage services, unify identity control with Azure Active Directory, and plan backup and recovery systems with Azure Backup. Progent can also show you how to establish secure connections to Azure services for telecommuters by setting up and troubleshooting firewall appliances and VPN IPsec tunnels. To learn about Progent's consulting expertise for Azure, go to Azure expertise.

Microsoft 365, previously called Office 365, is Microsoft's growing suite of business productivity applications and cloud services available on a subscription basis. Office apps and services are marketed in a selection of bundles designed for users ranging from students and small offices to major enterprises. Progent can provide quick and affordable remote access to consultants knowledgeable about Microsoft 365-compatible client devices based on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Google Android operating systems. Progent's experts can assist your business to assess the numerous subscription bundles available for Microsoft 365 and deploy 365 apps for your at-home workers in a way that delivers maximum business value. To find out about Progent's consulting services for Microsoft 365, refer to Microsoft 365 integration expertise.

Exchange Online is one of 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, dynamic scaling, high reliability, and additional benefits associated with cloud computing. Microsoft has engineered Exchange Online to run transparently with local deployments of Exchange, enabling customers to build hybrid cloud/onsite information systems. Progent's Exchange experts can provide occasional help to guide you past tough technical roadblocks and also offer end-to-end project management services to make sure your at-home workers have easy and secure access to your Microsoft 365 Exchange Online environment. For details Progent's consulting services for Exchange Online, go to Exchange Online configuration and troubleshooting consulting.

Amazon AWS is a pioneer in the public cloud arena and is the world's top source of cloud-based services. Progent offers fast and economical online contact with cloud connectivity experts who can assist your business to design, deploy, maintain, and troubleshoot hybrid IT networks that incorporate Amazon AWS cloud-based services with on-premises data centers and with other public clouds like Azure. Progent also can provide access to Cisco-certified CCIE networking consultants to assist you to create a high-uptime network model to make sure your users have a consistent computing environment whether they are working from your main office, a remote branch, at home, or on the road. For details about Progent's consulting services for Amazon AWS, visit Amazon AWS consulting services.

Google Cloud is a leading suite of cloud services that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) products. Progent's certified Microsoft, Linux, and Cisco experts can assist your business to scale your current IT resources with the Google Cloud, and Progent's DBA experts can help you make your key applications cloud ready so your teleworkers can take full advantage of Google Cloud services. Progent can assist you to set up VMs on GCP Compute Engine, design a cost-effective storage system with GCP Storage services, and streamline identity management for teleworkers with GCP Cloud Identity services. Progent's consultants can also assist your organization to use GCP's management technology to control and monitor your Google Cloud ecosystem. To learn, go to Google Cloud Platform consulting services.

Help Desk Support for Remote Workers
A sudden, enterprise-wide switchover to a from-home workforce, which could be the result of a pandemic or as a component of a disaster recovery/business continuity preparedness plan, can overstretch even the most efficient internal Help Desk. Progent's Call Center services allow organizations to outsource or augment their Help Desk with Progent's online Technical Response Center (TRC) team.

• Progent's Standard Call Desk support services utilize Progent's extensive network of remote technical support experts along with enterprise-class trouble ticketing and follow-up technology to provide an economical, advanced Call Desk. Progent's Standard Help Desk Services provide a comprehensive solution that addresses all facets of remote Level 1 desktop technical support from initial help requests through trouble ticket generation, screen sharing, issue resolution, and incident reporting. A web-based User's Service Portal allows at-home employees to monitor or edit their current trouble tickets, enter information, and upload screenshots or relevant files. Support services are delivered at a significant price reduction off Progent's ordinary Level 1 desktop service rates, and Progent offers the option of rapid escalation to Level 2 and Level 3 IT experts to deal with complex problems. To find out more, see Progent's Standard Helpdesk Services outsourcing for small businesses.
• Progent's Support Desk Supplemental Service enables your business to augment your existing Support Desk team by sharing responsibilities for Help Desk Call Center support services seamlessly between your in-house IT support staff and Progent's extensive pool of desktop support technicians and subject matter experts. Progent's shared Help Desk Call Center service uses a collaborative support solution utilizing the number one PSA platform for managing service requests and trouble tickets, establishing responsibility, monitoring progress, and generating reports. For details about how Progent's Support Desk Supplementation Services can enable your company to deliver best-in-class IT support to your at-home employees, visit Progent's Help Desk Call Center augmentation Services.

Security and Compliance for Teleworkers
At-home employees typically use their own computing devices and usually work in an unsecured physical area. This situation increases their susceptibility to malware threats and requires judicious configuration of corporate firewalls, AV tools, MFA-based identity verification, remote monitoring, extensive user training, and the creation of security policies built on leading practices. Progent's seasoned team of data security solutions experts can assist your business to plan, implement and maintain a compliant security solution that protects vital IT resources in networks that incorporate an at-home workforce.

Firewalls allow you to build a network that can be safely accessed by on-premises users as well as by an at-home workforce, mobile workers, suppliers, customers, and the public. Modern firewall devices permit you to assign and manage different permissions to different classes of users and to expand your network and adjust your security as your company evolves and as cyber threats grow more sophisticated. Progent works with both current and legacy security appliances from all major manufacturers including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, Juniper, SonicWall and Fortinet. For more information about Progent's firewall support services, go to firewall configuration and support services.

Online Endpoint Monitoring makes it easy to track the disparate computers utilized by teleworkers and either reject or spot and mitigate the latest threats such as ransomware. With Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) services, a lightweight software agent is installed on every secured endpoint device, watching all activity and utilizing advanced machine learning from SentinelOne to identify new attacks at inception. When an attack is spotted, ProSight Active Security Monitoring instantly isolates the targeted device from the corporate network to quarantine the threat. Since the ProSight ASM agent is autonomous, endpoints remain protected even if they are not connected to the Internet. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. For details about ProSight ASM, go to remote endpoint security monitoring for remote workers.

Progent's Duo authentication Managed Services incorporate Cisco's Duo cloud technology to defend against password theft by using two-factor authentication. Duo supports single-tap identity verification with Apple iOS, Android, and other personal devices. Using 2FA, when you log into a secured online account and enter your password you are asked to confirm who you are via a unit that only you possess and that is accessed using a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A wide selection of devices can be utilized for this added form of ID validation including an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware/software token, a landline telephone, etc. You may register several verification devices. For more information about Duo identity authentication services, refer to Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for telecommuters.

Security Audits can evaluate the exposure of your information system to all types of outside and internal security attacks for an environment that incorporates an at-home workforce. Progent can deploy remote, automated security analysis software for quickly and economically uncovering a broad range of security holes that can be surfaced over the Internet. Progent's security assessment consulting services, which can be managed by data security professionals with advanced certifications including CISA, CISSP, and GIAC, can assist your business to audit your operations and policies and assess your IT architecture to allow you to implement top-level 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 automated threat assessment of your at-home environment as well as your internal and perimeter networks so you can identify, rank, fix, and verify cybersecurity vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. Progent can assist you to deploy NodeZero to carry out comprehensive pentests of your network perimeter and your internal network so you can determine your current security posture. Progent's NodeZero experts can also assist you to strengthen your network security and can assist you to plan and deploy a unified cybersecurity strategy that streamlines management and delivers maximum protection for on-premises, multi-cloud, at-home, and perimeter IT resources. To learn additional details about Progent's vulnerability analysis services based on on NodeZero's pentest products, visit Consulting Support for NodeZero's Pentest Platform.

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

Data Protection Solutions for Telecommuters
Data Protection covers backing up and restoring critical information in order to prevent data loss and reduce restoration time in the event of storage problems resulting from hardware breakdowns, programming hiccups, operator mistakes, cyber attack, or any other reason. Dependable data protection strategies can be especially difficult to design and manage in hybrid networks that incorporate local data centers, cloud resources, and an at-home workforce.

• Backup/Recovery strategies for an at-home workforce must cover multiple kinds of user-owned endpoints. Progent can provide fast remote access to consultants familiar with a wide array of platforms for backing up Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux/UNIX powered servers and desktops as well as laptops, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones. Popular backup/recovery products maintained by Progent's backup/recovery consultants include Barracuda Backup, Microsoft Azure Backup, Symantec Backup Exec, CrashPlan, Mozy, and Time Machine. To back up data spread throughout a wide area network, Progent can provide ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a managed backup/recovery subscription service that uses cloud storage and includes granular recovery and unified management capabilities.
• Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity strategies typically anticipate circumstances that require a temporary switch to a work-at-home environment. Progent's senior disaster recovery planning consultants and business continuity planning specialists can assist your business to produce, document and validate a DR/BC strategy that includes the process of moving to an at-home workforce.

Unified Management for Telecommuters
Microsoft has renamed and rebundled its endpoint management products under the title Endpoint Manager, which encompasses Intune for cloud-based management of remote devices and Configuration Manager for managing local computers. Microsoft Endpoint Manager features a unified environment for protecting critical data by controlling local, mobile, and at-home endpoints.

Intune
Intune is part of Microsoft's Endpoint Management suite that also features Microsoft Configuration Manager. Intune is a cloud-based service for managing and protecting off-premises devices and software. Remote endpoint devices can be user owned or business owned. IT administrators managing the enrolled endpoint devices of telecommuters can utilize Intune to provision and authenticate applications on managed devices, push patches and certificates, set up policies for accessing information and networks, set passwords, establish VPN tunnels, determine how teleworkers share data, set up threat defense, verify compliance, and delete corporate information from missing, stolen or decommissioned devices. Microsoft Intune runs with iOS, Google Android, Windows, and macOS endpoints. To learn about Microsoft Intune and to find out how Progent can assist you to use Microsoft's Endpoint Management to administer the devices of your telecommuters, see Intune remote endpoint management expertise.

VMware Workspace ONE
VMware Workspace ONE is an advanced unified Mobile Device Management (MDM) product that allows network managers to keep offsite endpoints up to date and protected. Workspace ONE uses VMware AirWatch for centralized endpoint management plus VMware's Horizon virtual software delivery platform for access control, application management, and setup management of endpoint devices. Workspace ONE operates with endpoints based on Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Google Android, Chrome OS, or leading distros of Linux. VMware Workspace ONE is available by subscription as a cloud service or as an on-site product through a one-time purchase. Top features of VMware Workspace ONE include fast remote provisioning of new notebooks, immediate onboarding of new employees, policy set up and enforcement for all classes of endpoints, unifies reporting and performance analytics, an email encryption gateway, and seamless integration with Microsoft apps and cloud-based services. For information about Progent's expertise for VMware Workspace ONE, go to VMware Workspace ONE mobile device management expertise.

Contact Progent for At-Home Worker Expertise
To get in touch with Progent about building and managing a productive work-from-home environment for your Valencia, California organization, phone 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.