Benjamin Peterson

• Responsible for working with account managers and customers to collect requirements for enterprise network, datacenter network, cloud network, SASE and network security solutions.
• Takes ownership of network solution designs working closely with developers, engineers, account managers, and project managers to realize technological solutions.
• Contributes heavily to product development lifecycle of both back-end and customer-facing solutions. Assists customers in building long term technical plans to meet strategic business drivers.
• Breaks down technical ideas and issues into non-technical terms for business executives.
• Maintains current and in-depth understanding of business processes, needs and objectives.
• Mentors peers, sharing skills and expertise and encouraged each member to bring forward ideas and suggestions for improvement.
• Works closely with key OEM partners to create / validate technical solutions, provide critical feedback, and communicate the interests of our clients.

• Ensured software and hardware projects are planned, designed and implemented in accordance with information technology strategies, standards and architecture principles
• Work included facilitation of design sessions and appropriate governance processes, and ensuring projects follow governance direction and architecture documentation standards

Primary Accountabilities

• Performed in a technical leadership and oversight role for information technology projects
• Ensured solutions align with technology strategies and the information technology architecture roadmap
• Collaborated with upper management to drive strategy and implement new processes.
• Communicated and explained business requirements to team members to understand and implement functional demands.
• Worked with technical coordinators, infrastructure personnel, vendors, and project teams in designing, developing, and deploying architecture‐centric software solutions
• Responsible for documenting and communicating the architectural design of software and hardware solutions
• Participated in the analysis and design phases of projects; participated in other development lifecycle steps (i.e., development, testing, code reviews, documentation, etc.) as needed
• Collaborated with appropriate Subject Matter Experts (e.g Security, Server Infrastructure, Data Networks) to review design deliverables when risk or complexity warrants
• Responsible for engaging Enterprise Architects when technical requirements affect architectural strategy or do not align with architecture principles
• Leveraged reusable technology in solution design, and ensures the development team properly integrates and deploys them as part of the solution.

• Lead Network engineer responsible for engineering design, daily operations and maintenance of a large public utility enterprise network consisting of 5000+ employees, 400+ remote sites, and, 2000+ nodes of network infrastructure
• Responsible for the development of all aspects network design standards including enterprise networking, carrier networking, manufacturing (IoT) networking, and voice/video networking systems
• Uses leadership role to develop team standards and provide mentorship and technical expertise for team members and coworkers
• Looks for cross-team collaboration opportunities to build supportable business solutions for customers
• Works closely with other infrastructure teams to ensure network technologies align to the needs of IT and overall business drivers and strategies at Alliant Energy
• Continually analyzes options utilizing both on-premises and cloud based infrastructure and operation support solutions to increase network support efficiency
• Recommended network security standards and upgrades to management.
• Troubleshot complex multi-vendor network service provider issues.
• Designed and implemented cloud networking strategy securely extending the corporate enterprise network to both AWS and Azure cloud platforms
• Redesigned corporate WAN to allow for secure network segmentation and virtualization between datacenters and remote sites using MPLS L3VPN overlay and IPSEC encryption technologies
• Modernized Datacenters with a redesigned network core using Cisco Nexus Switch Technology that focused on a converged infrastructure using a 40 Gigabit backbone fabric to provide multi-service data, real-time voice/video, and storage services across the network
• Lead network designer for Unified Communication Contact Center Project team
• Helped determine technical requirements for solution and designed network architecture to support a converted contact center that integrated with the corporate Voice over IP phone system.

• Responsible for pre-sales consultation, solution design and post-sales solution implementation and deployment
• Helped build a network competency that started with less than 1 million in sales to over 12 million in sales per year and saw consistent year over year growth in excess of 800%
• Built core network practice by developing network solutions and standards that focused on Unified Communications, Customer Contact Centers, Converged networking
• Designed innovative deployment options for IP Phone systems by developing Rack-and-Roll system for phones which was able to increase phone deployment for customers from 5000 phones over 3 years to 7000 phones per year
• Designed and deployed Unified communication systems for both the SMB market and multi-site enterprise environments in excess of 5000+ phones.
• Assisted with implementation and support of network monitoring tools.

• As both a Pre-Sales Engineer and Implementation Engineer capacity
• Responsible for solution design, planning, implementation and support phases of projects
• Designed and wrote network security solution for MBT that was the model for all network security implementations (including Firewall, VPN, and IDS deployments) for MBT and business partners
• Contracted to help design and deploy updated public network for TDS Telecom Internet ISP service. Migrated TDS ISP servers from v.34 to v.92 digital modem solution.
• Designed and deployed Cisco IP Telephony systems for both small business and Enterprise customers
• Integrated data, voice and video networks for use in multi-site installations.
• Designed and deployed Enterprise networks focusing on the healthcare and manufacturing industries.
• Provided network support services for devices such as hubs, bridges, routers, and other hardware.
• Assisted with implementation and support of network monitoring tools.

• Provided technical support to customers, troubleshooting technical issues and providing solutions.
• Worked at American Family Insurance as a Tier 2 helpdesk specialist. Was responsible for escalated helpdesk calls from Tier 1 support.
• Worked for Modern Business Technology (MBT) as a Field Engineer as part of a team to deploy new OS on over 500 workstations for TDS Telecom
• Hired permanently by Modern Business Technology in 1998 due to excellent job performance.

• Worked as a Tier 2 Helpdesk Support for Windows 95 Team focusing on windows networking support and troubleshooting
• Was assistant Team Lead and Tier 2 helpdesk support for AT&T Worldnet Team
• Was Team Lead for AT&T Frame-Relay project management services
• Learned valuable troubleshooting skills that helped form the foundation of my technical expertise.