Cory Houser

Lead by demonstrating expertise and operational efficiency to combat cyber threats, while integrating network security and IT operations. Work to enhance threat detection using advanced AI and machine learning, streamline incident response through automation, document and standardize cybersecurity practices, and implement continuous monitoring and vulnerability management.

• Perform edge-level firewall/VPN migrations from DMZ-tiered, web-exposed termination points to new Palo Alto devices.
• Lead the team to ensure that operational processes and procedures are followed efficiently and effectively.
• Analyzing data from operations logs to identify trends or patterns that could impact performance outcomes.

Provide technical leadership through design reviews, guiding project teams by analyzing customer requirements, translating them into technical specifications, and defining project scope, monitoring progress against the project plan and budget, while facilitating communication among project team members and stakeholders.

• Discover, assess, and standardize customer security layer offerings of Cisco based solutions, developing product and project strategies for customer acceptance and implementation for Palo Alto product offerings.
• Designed and developed various project stress tests in areas engineered to gauge the accuracy of scope, timeline, and modification of the solution. .
• Lead efforts in troubleshooting complex technical issues encountered during the development process, escalated, and tracked accordingly (Palo Alto, Checkpoint).
• Identified potential risks or problems within projects and developed solutions accordingly.
• Managed product and project risks, scope changes and other non-standard events throughout product planning and development.
• Monitored milestones and deliverables to stay ahead of schedules and proactively spot potential roadblocks.
• Identified, addressed and either resolved or escalated project issues.
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Design, implement, and maintain local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs) across multiple locations. Provide technical support and guidance to users and network engineers, enhancing team knowledge and efficiency, while addressing emergent, complex technical issues.

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• Played a key role in coordinating and communicating the current project status to stakeholders and project sponsors.
• Perform discovery and continued wellness checks across platforms to ensure uptime and continuity.
• Determine the best practical path, given uptime requirements and responsibilities.
• Plan and implement network architecture (cloud and on-premises) and infrastructure design, as required by senior management and lifecycle management.
• Recommend and design the initial stages of a cloud environment deployed via AWS or Azure.
• Provide training for support services post-implementation.
• Implemented backup and disaster recovery plans for network infrastructure components.
• Created detailed documentation of the existing network architecture, processes, applications and services.
• Managed IP addressing and subnetting, ensuring efficient network operation and connectivity.
• Performed QA tests on newly installed hardware and software to provide components that interface correctly with each other and the network.
• Conducted risk assessments to identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY:

Provide Network Implementations services taking scope, designing, deploying, and maintaining robust network infrastructure while analyzing customer requirements for network infrastructure.

• Designed a new addressing schema for both public and private use (on-prem and cloud), allowing for DevOps to self-provision for automation routines and maintain a dedicated subnet for specific services (DNS, network layer devices, etc.).
• Maintain SME-level knowledge of each, as required for post-implementation management and support.
• Skilled in project management, network architecture, and troubleshooting complex network issues.
• Proficient in working with a variety of networking technologies and protocols.
• Developed and implemented engineering strategies to improve production efficiency.
• Determined design criteria or specifications.
• Generated engineering documentation and oversaw design projects.