Chris Edwards, Cissp Email & Phone Number

Carrollton, Tx, Us

Carrollton, Texas, United States

Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex

Cloud, Network, and Systems Infrastructure/Architecture design and consulting as well as general IT solutions.

Plano, Texas

In this position I work with a developing team of technology managers, engineers, and support staff which collectively strive to produce the highest level of technical direction, guidance, vision, and support for the City, business partners, and its constituents.In this position, I evaluate both existing and acquired products, services, maintenance agreements, and augment and improve the IP network architecture in place today as we continue to grow and improve our technology position. I am heavily involved in the design, development, implementation, and testing phases of upgrades and new technologies in our existing architecture and redesign facets of existing infrastructure to increase productivity and decrease cost.As a member of the Infrastructure Team, I am an integral part of developing and implementing an aggressive strategy to stabilize, improve, maintain, and monitor the City’s enterprise class network to support both growing demand and scaling for future applications and technology. In this role, I am responsible for understanding how our infrastructure, technologies, and applications are being used within the network, identifying, developing, and implementing new products and solutions that meet and exceed expectations. I am responsible for existing monitoring tools including configuring and improving these tools, and helping to define a long-term strategic monitoring road map (along with intermediate short-term steps) for our City’s network. I act as a technology evangelist and escalation point for our entire infrastructure team.

Mckinney, Texas

Played a pivotal role in the IT department across all sections in the design, configuration and management of a highly available network and systems architecture to support the City’s IT goals and organization’s vision to become a next generation municipal government IT solutions provider. Seen as the go-to guy for all aspects of IT.• Reduced IT operational cost through reduction of professional services needed, reduction of redundant network monitoring tools and configuration and replacement of all City routers and switches followed by complete data center systems and storage refresh and configuration within first year of employment. • Quickly branched out to other sections to assist in the design and implementation of System Center environment based of previous employment experience to include creating the City’s first standardized enterprise system image deployable via PXE.• Transitioned the City to new ISP while simultaneously converting from Cisco ASA firewalls to Palo Alto and migrating public address space by working with vendors and application owners to migrate their services.• Migrated City from Cisco AnyConnect VPN solution to more cost-effective redundant and scalable Microsoft VPN for general employees and NetMotion Mobility upgrade for Fire and Police.• Primary designer and maintainer of City’s Virtual Private Cloud in Amazon Web Services to include training and supporting others within the department in cloud design methodology and use of wide array of automation and management tools.• Created quality, detailed network documentation including overall network diagrams, data center specific, cloud specific, public safety specific, and the first set of section standard operating procedures and continuity of operations book.• Recognized by department leadership and City Management for greatly reducing IT related costs while expanding capability and performance receiving exceeds expectation reviews for first 2 years of employment.

Kuwait

Quickly promoted from previous Network Admin position to Network Analyst for the Regional Network Operations & Security Center (RNOSC) for the United States Army 54th Signal Battalion.• RNOSC oversees all systems and network operations throughout Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.• Also provide Tier II support to all subordinate units throughout the area of responsibility (AOR) on NIPR, SIPR, and CENTRIX supporting over 13,000 users.• Provide technical and operational requirements to improve performance and quality of service for all networks and systems under the responsibility of the RNOSC.• Analyze and perform troubleshooting of networks, to include router and switch management and configuration.• Exercise network security policies and procedures, and identify possible faults. Use network analysis tools and observation techniques to recommend changes based on trends.• Processes Firewall Modification Requests for implementation on firewalls upon receipt from local site service desk.• Maintain Unclassified and Classified network devices in accordance with DISA STIG standards of operations.• Troubleshoot Top Level Architecture (TLA) network outages to resolution to include routing abnormalities, firewall outages and blocks, and optimization of traffic flows.• Assist in the troubleshooting and isolation of LAN routing and switching incidents as they occur.• Monitor the status of the Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (Classified) and Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (Unclassified); initiates corrective action in cooperation with various support activities, and commercial carriers to resolve network anomalies.

Provided network operation and support services of site’s Tier 2 LAN. Skills used include but not limited to - Network Performance Tuning, LAN Knowledge, Network Design and Implementation, Problem Solving, Strategic Planning, Multi-tasking, Quality Focus, Coordination, Technical Understanding, • Configure network according to DISA security standards.• Established network specifications by conferring with users; analyzing workflow, access, information, and security requirements.• Maintain network performance by evaluating network performance issues including availability, utilization, throughput, and latency; planning and executing the selection, installation, configuration, and testing of equipment; defining network policies and procedures; establishing connections.• Secure network by developing network access, monitoring, control, and evaluation while maintaining documentation for all changes and designs.• Prepare users by designing and conducting training programs; providing references and support.• Upgrade network by conferring with vendor and/or higher support; developing, testing, evaluating, and installing enhancements.• Provide weekly and monthly reports on activities and network metrics.• Constantly updating job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks.• Protect organization value by keeping information confidential or secured to classification levels.• Accomplish organization goals by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests while exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

Kuwait

Lead and managed a staff of eight service desk analysts. Played a pivotal role as one of the three service desks of the United States Army 54th Signal Battalion providing onsite and offsite user support via ITIL modeled virtual Service Desk. Rendered strategic oversight and direction to ITILv3-modeled service desk supporting three United States Army bases in northern Kuwait with over 10,000 users and more than 4,000 computers across two separate domains of both classified and non-classified information systems (IS).• Developed and adhered to all service desk standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other standards to be used across the battalion for customer service.• Functioned as key member of the Consolidation Team that combined service desks to provide support to multiple sites efficiently from centralized locations.• Supervised and trained personnel on new technologies as they arise and establish procedures for support.• Automated various tasks that are completed by the service desk through use of scripting.• Built and maintained servers utilized for Service Desk operations including remote patch management and web server.• Upgraded the troubleshooting process and provided solutions for subject matter expert’s (SME) tiers above the support level.• Rendered technical support to draw down and merge of Iraq networks with the Kuwait SWA network.• Facilitated training and mentored all contract service desk analysts and military personnel.• Played a lead role as the escalation point for complex issues and handled irate customers.• Made a significant contribution and surpassed the level of technical service provided.• Coordinated large enterprise projects, including service desk consolidation project that streamlined the 54th Signal Battalion operations.• Utilized Cisco switch configuration and network design for network operations; Cisco Unified Call Manager for Cisco IP phones configuration and installation; and DISA STIGs for Linux server build-up.

Grapevine - Corporate

Spearheaded hardware refurbishment and supervised 20 to 30 technicians to generate higher shift output of daily completed systems while maintaining high QA/QC results.- Managed the repair, replacement, and maintenance of electronics on several platforms of systems.- Established goals and standards to enhance productivity.- Effectively cross-trained technicians on multiple platforms.- Played an instrumental part in boosting total output of quality refurbished systems that significantly drove overall efficiency and revenues for the company through effective training, coaching and supervision.

Commerce, Texas

- Wireless High Speed Internet Service Provider.- Duties included customer service, walk-through support over the phone, software and hardware repair and upgrades, and setup/provisioning of Internet services.- Trusted with keys to business and worked alone and efficiently in the evenings generating high revenues for company through customer service.- Assisted with new installs of long range Motorola wireless hardware at remote customer locations.