Curtis R. Wilson Jr.

• Network Design and Architecture – Design, implement, and maintain complex network solutions, focusing on Cisco technologies.
• Cisco Device Management – Configure, manage, and troubleshoot Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, and other devices.
• Network Security – Implement and maintain security measures (firewalls, VPNs, intrusion detection) to protect data and assets.
• Network Monitoring and Optimization – Monitor performance, identify issues, and implement solutions to improve efficiency and minimize downtime.
• Network Troubleshooting – Diagnose and resolve network-related issues in coordination with support teams and vendors.
• Documentation – Maintain detailed network diagrams, configurations, and procedures.
• Project Management – Lead or support network-related projects, ensuring timely and budget-compliant completion.
• Vendor Management – Oversee relationships with network hardware and service providers for optimal service and cost efficiency.
• Capacity Planning – Assess current network capacity, forecast future needs, and recommend scaling and upgrades.

Led the Infrastructure and Operations Engineering team at the IGT Technology Operations Department, overseeing the Wide Area Progressive (WAP) systems and Tech Ops Stratus Shared Services (S3) environments across five data centers. Ensuring uninterrupted operations in a 24/7/365 environment, maintaining a remarkable system availability rate of 99.99% in FY2020 and FY2021.

Duties include:

• Managed, prioritized, and delegated projects to the engineering team, ensuring efficient execution and timely delivery.
• Strategically planned datacenter equipment refresh rotations in collaboration with third-party vendors, ensuring all data centers were consistently maintained within an active life/support cycle.
• Provided comprehensive management and support for critical systems including Cisco Hyperflex, VMware 6.7, Windows Server 2016/2019 OS, and other hardware, including IGT proprietary technologies.
• Served as the escalation point for the L1 helpdesk during the 1:3 on-call rotation as well as provided support and guidance to L2 Support Engineers during their on-call shifts.

Assumed the role as Engineering Team Lead beginning March 2020, Senior networking resource before that, overseeing IGT's WAP infrastructure encompassing 750+ remote sites (casinos) and 5 data centers across the United States and Canada.

• Managed and administered a diverse range of network components including workstations, servers, routers, switches, and firewalls from vendors such as HPE, Brocade, Cisco, VMware, and Forcepoint.
• Conducted comprehensive network administration training for IGT WAP Engineering and Support Center employees, focusing on network security, troubleshooting techniques, and efficient deployment of new sites.
• Acted as the primary point of contact for third-party vendors, responsible for ordering services, equipment, and training required for the department.
• Ensured accurate documentation of network and system changes, providing level 1 support and on-call engineers with reliable information. Developed easily understandable procedures for business continuity and recovery, aiding network technicians during recovery events.
• Successfully completed significant projects, including the implementation of Cisco Hyperflex cluster environments in five data centers, utilizing ESXi 6.5/6.7 and administrating them through vCenter Server 6.5/6.7 for Server 2016/2019.
• Led the design and testing of a WAP network for Canada, overseeing primary and backup data centers located in Canada while remotely managing operations from Reno, NV.
• Tasked with optimizing network costs, resulting in substantial department savings of $1.2M in FY2019 by implementing network changes and replacing high-cost WAN circuits with cost-effective cellular solutions.
• Spearheaded the re-engineering of a regulatory-required manual fail-over process for the WAP network, significantly reducing the network fail-over time from one hour to under five minutes after reconfiguring over 750 remote nodes.

Engineering Associate at IGT - Wide Area Progressive Systems and Network. Provided support as a junior engineering resource for IGT's wide area progressive systems and network, focusing on ensuring smooth operations and optimal performance.

• Managed and maintained IGT's AT&T MPLS network, ensuring reliable connectivity and efficient data transmission.
• Configured and deployed game servers and networking equipment for new casino customers, guaranteeing seamless integration and exceptional gaming experiences.
• Installed and upgraded IGT proprietary software, ensuring the latest versions were implemented to enhance system functionality and security.
• Successfully participated in the VMWare Migration project as a valuable team member, contributing to the smooth migration of 13 WAP Jurisdictions encompassing 117 servers to a virtual VMWare 6.5 environment.