As the Lead Systems Engineer at a dynamic startup specializing in Shared Hosting, Cloud solutions, Virtual Private Servers (VPS), and Virtual Private Networks (VPN), my role is as diverse as it is exciting. With an emphasis on innovative technologies and infrastructural improvements, I drive the technical strategy, ensuring our services are not only robust and secure but also perform at an optimal level.Our primary Content Management System (CMS) platform is WordPress, a choice inspired… Show more As the Lead Systems Engineer at a dynamic startup specializing in Shared Hosting, Cloud solutions, Virtual Private Servers (VPS), and Virtual Private Networks (VPN), my role is as diverse as it is exciting. With an emphasis on innovative technologies and infrastructural improvements, I drive the technical strategy, ensuring our services are not only robust and secure but also perform at an optimal level.Our primary Content Management System (CMS) platform is WordPress, a choice inspired by its versatility, user-friendliness, and widespread adoption. Recognizing the need for enhanced performance for our high-traffic Shared Hosting sites, I led the strategic transition to the LiteSpeed web server. This move was aimed at substantially improving PHP performance and has since resulted in noticeable improvements in site speed, user experience, and overall system efficiency. For our lower traffic sites, we continue to leverage the power of NGINX in combination with Apache. This setup offers a robust and reliable solution that caters to the unique requirements of these platforms. My role involves continuous monitoring and fine-tuning of these systems to ensure they deliver the best possible performance. Beyond these specific projects, my responsibilities also encompass a broad range of tasks aimed at maintaining our system's integrity. This includes proactive troubleshooting, system upgrades, security audits, and the implementation of backup and disaster recovery plans. I work closely with other team members, providing technical leadership and sharing my expertise to drive our collective success.My role as Lead Systems Engineer is about ensuring that our technical infrastructure not only meets our clients' current needs but is also well-positioned to accommodate future growth and evolution. It's a challenging, rewarding role that puts me at the forefront of the ever-evolving hosting landscape, and I relish the opportunity to drive innovation in this space. Show less

GreyPonyIT embarked on a mission to redefine the hosting landscape by prioritizing privacy, security, and performance. We recognized the growing need for a hosting solution that offered unparalleled protection for sensitive data while empowering businesses to thrive in the digital sphere. Thus, we meticulously crafted a comprehensive suite of services, underpinned by cutting-edge technologies, to deliver an unmatched hosting experience.At the core of our offerings was our commitment to… Show more GreyPonyIT embarked on a mission to redefine the hosting landscape by prioritizing privacy, security, and performance. We recognized the growing need for a hosting solution that offered unparalleled protection for sensitive data while empowering businesses to thrive in the digital sphere. Thus, we meticulously crafted a comprehensive suite of services, underpinned by cutting-edge technologies, to deliver an unmatched hosting experience.At the core of our offerings was our commitment to security. We implemented stringent measures to ensure that our clients' data remained confidential and shielded from unauthorized access. By adopting a zero-trust approach, we built a hosting platform that instilled confidence in our clients, enabling them to focus on their core business objectives without compromising on privacy or data integrity.What set GreyPonyIT apart was our robust and scalable infrastructure, designed to accommodate the dynamic needs of businesses in the digital age. Our multisite hosting platform provided the flexibility and agility required to seamlessly handle increased traffic, surges in demand, and evolving business requirements. This ensured that our clients' websites and applications remained accessible, high-performing, and resilient, even during peak periods.In addition to our hosting prowess, GreyPonyIT offered a suite of services that further fortified our clients' digital presence. Whether it was secure PBX/VoIP services, or expert security auditing and network consulting, we were dedicated to equipping businesses with the tools and knowledge they needed to navigate the complex cybersecurity landscape.The year 2019 marked a significant milestone for GreyPonyIT when we were successfully acquired. This achievement not only validated our vision and exceptional service quality but also positioned us for even greater growth and innovation.As the founder of GreyPonyIT, I am immensely proud of the impact we made in the hosting industry. Show less

I have a proven track record of delivering exceptional results in optimizing infrastructure and driving cost savings. Through my strategic efforts, I successfully achieved annual cost savings of over $300K by consolidating four data centers into two. This consolidation was made possible by leveraging a powerful combination of Public/Private OpenStack Cloud, seamlessly integrated with the Horizon web interface. Running on top of the reliable Red Hat Linux and the cutting-edge Cisco UCS Blade… Show more I have a proven track record of delivering exceptional results in optimizing infrastructure and driving cost savings. Through my strategic efforts, I successfully achieved annual cost savings of over $300K by consolidating four data centers into two. This consolidation was made possible by leveraging a powerful combination of Public/Private OpenStack Cloud, seamlessly integrated with the Horizon web interface. Running on top of the reliable Red Hat Linux and the cutting-edge Cisco UCS Blade System, this comprehensive solution streamlined operations and reduced expenses significantly.To further enhance efficiency and scalability, I implemented a dynamic capacity management system. By integrating the capability to automatically spin up instances on a Public OpenStack based cloud, I ensured that our infrastructure could effortlessly adapt to fluctuating demands. Leveraging tools such as Satellite, Cobbler, and Puppet, I proactively preconfigured instances to rapidly add capacity to several high-traffic e-commerce websites. This strategic approach not only improved performance and user experience but also optimized resource utilization, resulting in cost-effective scalability.In addition to my expertise in cloud infrastructure, I played a pivotal role in optimizing server performance and bolstering network security. By offloading SSL and rewrite rules to a robust F5 cluster, I successfully improved the performance of critical servers, including Apache, Apache Tomcat, IBM Websphere, and Adobe Experience Manager. Furthermore, I implemented best-in-class solutions such as the Cisco Nexus platform and Vyatta vRouters to fortify network security and enhance overall performance. By implementing BGP enterprise-wide, I ensured improved network resiliency, enabling seamless connectivity and minimizing downtime.One of my key contributions was standardizing image delivery for both bare metal instances and cloud. Show less

Successfully spearheaded the first phase of the National Reconnaissance Office's (NRO) mission to virtualize data storage, revolutionizing their operations. Leveraging the power of Cisco UCS blades, we implemented a cutting-edge host server environment that incorporated VMWare ESXi, OpenStack with KVM and Xen hypervisors. This groundbreaking initiative not only dramatically reduced the data center footprint but also enabled us to provide Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) to several other… Show more Successfully spearheaded the first phase of the National Reconnaissance Office's (NRO) mission to virtualize data storage, revolutionizing their operations. Leveraging the power of Cisco UCS blades, we implemented a cutting-edge host server environment that incorporated VMWare ESXi, OpenStack with KVM and Xen hypervisors. This groundbreaking initiative not only dramatically reduced the data center footprint but also enabled us to provide Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) to several other government agencies.Engineered a highly efficient server configuration management system utilizing Red Hat Linux and FreeBSD, coupled with Chef and Puppet. This innovative solution streamlined server management processes and facilitated seamless code deployment and service delivery. Additionally, we developed a bare metal server spin-up environment and introduced push-button guest spin-ups, significantly enhancing the ease and speed of provisioning resources.Orchestrated the deployment and maintenance of a multitude of critical networking components, including Cisco and Juniper routers, Cisco ASAs, and F5 BigIP load balancers. These robust devices played a pivotal role in managing multiple Wide Area Networks, seamlessly connected to our virtualized environment. By ensuring the reliability and scalability of our network infrastructure, we provided a solid foundation for seamless data transmission and optimized user experiences.As a dedicated network professional, I successfully managed and implemented major upgrades to a global MPLS-based network, spanning multiple continents. Leveraging protocols such as BGP, IS-IS, and RSVP-TE, I oversaw traffic management and effectively optimized network performance. These enhancements significantly improved data transfer efficiency and ensured seamless connectivity for worldwide operations. Additionally, I collaborated closely with cross-functional teams to coordinate these complex upgrades and ensure minimal disruption. Show less

I spearheaded the design, management, and hands-on assistance for the upgrade of USS Juneau's entire information system architecture. This comprehensive project involved upgrading more than 20 Windows 2003/2008 Servers, 4 Red Hat Linux servers, 2 HP UX servers, and 2 Compaq UNIX servers. In addition, I implemented robust security measures at the perimeter by hardening security on 6 Cisco routers, Cisco PIX, and Cisco Switches. This strategic initiative ensured a modernized and secure… Show more I spearheaded the design, management, and hands-on assistance for the upgrade of USS Juneau's entire information system architecture. This comprehensive project involved upgrading more than 20 Windows 2003/2008 Servers, 4 Red Hat Linux servers, 2 HP UX servers, and 2 Compaq UNIX servers. In addition, I implemented robust security measures at the perimeter by hardening security on 6 Cisco routers, Cisco PIX, and Cisco Switches. This strategic initiative ensured a modernized and secure information system infrastructure for USS Juneau.Furthermore, my innovative approach resulted in significant cost savings for the USS Denver. By developing an expansion to the LAN infrastructure, I increased onboard access to data and productivity by an impressive 45%. This achievement translated into substantial savings of over $850K in materials and labor costs. The optimized LAN infrastructure not only enhanced operational efficiency but also provided a solid foundation for seamless data transmission and collaboration aboard the USS Denver.Additionally, I played a key role in the development and deployment of the Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) server virtualization efforts within the Pacific Theatre of operations. By consolidating 50 servers into 10 VMWare host servers, I streamlined operations, reduced hardware requirements, and improved resource utilization. This initiative not only delivered cost savings but also enhanced scalability, simplified management, and increased overall efficiency within DISA's server infrastructure.Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated my ability to drive transformative initiatives, optimize infrastructure, and deliver tangible results. My expertise in system architecture, security implementation, and virtualization technologies has enabled me to make significant contributions in complex and demanding environments. Show less

Successfully tackled extensive network latency challenges in the European/Central area of operation by meticulously addressing a multitude of routing metric issues within Cisco and Juniper backbone routers. This proactive approach resulted in a significant improvement in network performance and a notable reduction in latency concerns.Demonstrated exceptional technical proficiency by flawlessly installing and configuring over 300 bare metal servers, including Red Hat, FreeBSD, and Compaq… Show more Successfully tackled extensive network latency challenges in the European/Central area of operation by meticulously addressing a multitude of routing metric issues within Cisco and Juniper backbone routers. This proactive approach resulted in a significant improvement in network performance and a notable reduction in latency concerns.Demonstrated exceptional technical proficiency by flawlessly installing and configuring over 300 bare metal servers, including Red Hat, FreeBSD, and Compaq UNIX systems. This meticulous deployment process ensured optimal system performance and reliability, contributing to streamlined operations and enhanced productivity.Served as a dedicated custodian of DWDM leased lines and ATM technologies, effectively managing their seamless functioning through the utilization of IDNX (Defense Red Switch Network). This involved the meticulous monitoring and troubleshooting of networks.Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams, including network engineers and system administrators, to identify and address network issues promptly. Leveraging strong communication and problem-solving skills, I effectively coordinated efforts to diagnose and resolve complex network challenges, fostering a robust and scalable network infrastructure.Contributed to the development and implementation of proactive network maintenance strategies, optimizing network performance and ensuring a secure and reliable environment. This involved conducting regular audits, analyzing performance metrics, and recommending improvements to enhance network efficiency and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.Demonstrated a keen eye for detail and adherence to industry best practices, ensuring compliance with strict security protocols and regulatory requirements. Maintained up-to-date knowledge of the latest trends and advancements in network technologies, proactively implementing innovative solutions to drive continuous improvement and stay ahead of evolving industry Show less