Paul Brooks

Directed and implemented projects for servers, SANs, networking, and security enhancement.

Primary Technologies: VMware (vCenter, vSphere, and Horizon), Palo Alto, Cisco (UCS Chassis, Servers, Switches), Duo SSO & SAML 2.0, Nimble Storage, SonicWall Firewalls, Hyper-V, Veeam (B&R, Scale-Out Storage), Wasabi (S3 Storage), Datto, Windows Server

Notable Project:

• Performed installation and setup of Cisco UCS Blade Chassis with 6x Blades
• Configured all switch and Fabric Interconnect ports
• Installed of vSphere 7 across all hosts and configured all host networking
• Implemented iSCSI connectivity of hosts to 2x Nimble SANs. Performed additional integration improvements between Nimbles and vCenter, along with other Nimble best practices.
• Completed full VM Migration of over 100 virtual servers from existing hosts
• Implemented best-practice HA and DRS configuration, and built vCenter HA deployment.

Additional Projects:

Domain Migrations:

• Managed and implemented entire domain migration for a major customer with over 100 users, migrating all server data and all PC user profile data, with physical and virtual server replacements.
• Directed and performed migrations of over one hundred virtual servers to new domain. Complete with post-migration testing and remediation.

Systemic Enhancements:

• Performed server replacements, business software upgrades, and group policy improvements for over a dozen customers.
• Rebuilt company's alerting systems in ConnectWise Automate and Auvik. Adjusted thresholds and implemented workflow rules in ConnectWise Manage. These changes resulted in drastic reduction in alerts and a migration to ticket-based alerting from email-based alerting.

Firewall Deployments:

• Successfully deployed Palo Alto Firewalls with GlobalProtect, Decryption, Advanced Threat Protection, and Application control via associated firewall rules.
• Performed Palo Alto upgrade project, migrating existing configuration to higher capability unit

Security & Compliance:

• Implemented SSO via SAML 2.0 (with 2FA through Duo SSO) for all major applications at the company (DUO Central homepage). Became Duo and SAML subject matter expert.
• Performed HIPAA Audit for major medical imaging provider.
• Performed HIPAA Quarterly Reviews for another healthcare organization.

Significant Training:

• Certified as Palo Alto PSE
• Completed EDU-210 training for Palo Alto PCNSA
• Completed EDU-220 for Palo Alto Panorama product.

Implemented automation, handled Tier 3 escalations, tool management, backups, system improvements and recommendations, and projects for AllSafe customers.

Primary Technologies: VMware vCenter & vSphere, Cisco Switches, AWS, CheckPoint Firewalls, Sophos Firewalls, SonicWall Firewalls, Hyper-V, Veeam (B&R, Enterprise console, Availability Console), Wasabi (S3 Storage), Datto, Linux (RHEL/CentOS and Ubuntu), Office 365 / AzureAD, Microsoft Exchange, Windows Server, Duo

Primary Responsibilities:

Patching:

• Created patching schedules and remediated Windows Updates via Connectwise Automate was primarily hired to address patching deficiencies and improve reporting
• Developed insights into patching through custom MySQL reports and BrightGauge
• Automated installation and ticketing (on failure) for Windows Feature Updates through Connectwise Automate

Backups:

• Completed project to migrate from Cloudberry backups to Veeam Backup and Replication with offsite replication to Wasabi, including Linux guest-level backups
• Centralized backup monitoring, alerting, and ticketing through BackupRadar
• Implemented Veeam Enterprise Manager for managing multiple customer sites

Security:

• Established security standards and implemented ThirdWall rollout for reducing security vulnerabilities in Windows
• Deployed and organized security standards for local and domain passwords for company admin accounts

Notable Achievements:

• Assigned as Primary Engineer for company's largest customer.
• Investigated and addressed issues with WiFi, patching, backups, Cisco networking, client VPNs, IP phones, printing, and security cameras for a major customer.
• Attained expert-level knowledge of Veeam technologies for Windows, Linux, and hypervisor-based backups (both VMware and Hyper-V). Became expert in Veeam replication with Scale-out storage alongside Wasabi S3 storage and Wasabi "Ball" technology.

Implemented automation, performed datacenter management, tools management, and was an escalation resource for CIO Cloud and customer systems.

Primary Technologies: VMware vCenter & vSphere, Nutanix (AHV), Hyper-V & SCVMM with Failover Clustering, Nimble Storage, Rubrik, HPe BladeSystem, Palo Alto Firewalls, Citrix XenApp / Provisioning Services, Sophos Firewalls, StorageCraft, Veeam, Office 365 / AzureAD, Microsoft Exchange, Windows Server, BatchPatch, Linux (RHEL/CentOS and Ubuntu)

Primary Responsibilities:

• Created patching schedules and remediated Windows Updates and 3rd party patching via Connectwise Automate and BatchPatch
• Managed automation in a private cloud or customer premise environment using: PowerShell (VMware, Nutanix, Rubrik, Citrix), MySQL, Connectwise Automate, and BatchPatch
• Supported core systems running on VMware ESXi (6.5), Nutanix (AHV), and Hyper-V, responsible for platform migration process
• Managed backups and performed escalations for Rubrik and StorageCraft
• Utilized custom reporting via MySQL, finding new data insights
• Investigated challenging issues and researched ways to remediate via automation

Notable Achievements:

• Received certification with Nimble Storage (NTSP), Nutanix (NPP 5.0), and LabTech (LTCP) (aka, Connectwise Automate )
• Established patching schedules, approvals, and deployment process for a hospital system with over 5,000 machines via Altiris
• Designed and implemented patching for all client systems through Connectwise Automate
• Created automated deployment for software and core tools, reducing workload for support department