Network and Systems Administrator
Dahlonega, GA 30533 | Tel: 678-919-9969 | [email protected]
To: Hiring Manager,
I bring extensive experience in IT Consulting, Network, and Systems Administration, with expertise across technologies including Cisco, Windows, Red Hat, Debian, and Ubuntu Linux. My background includes successfully implementing solutions on-primes Data Center or a leading cloud platforms such as AWS and Azure Cloud.
My skills encompass designing, configuring, and managing diverse IT infrastructures, including physical servers, network devices, storage arrays (NAS/SAN), and virtualization platforms like VMware, Hyper-V, and ProxMox. I excel in delivering efficient, tailored IT solutions that meet both organizational and client needs.
I am immediately available for on-site/hybrid opportunities within 60 Miles of Dahlonega, GA 30533 area or remote roles across the United States. Furthermore, I am flexible and open to full-time, project-based contracts, or 1099 engagements.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing how my expertise can contribute to your team’s success. Please let me know a convenient time to connect.
Thank you,
Imad Daou
SUMMARY
— Proactive IT Hybrid Specialist with over 10 years of experience specializing in Cloud / Data Centers, encompassing routers, switches, servers, firewalls, and virtualization technologies.
— Proven expertise in designing, configuring, managing, securing, and troubleshooting diverse systems within highly available and secure cloud environments using AWS or Azure.
— Extensive technical proficiency with Windows (10/11, Server 2022), Linux distributions (Ubuntu/Debian, Red Hat, SUSE), and virtualization platforms like ESXi, Hyper-V, Proxmox.
— Strong cybersecurity expertise, adept at deploying UTM and NGFW solutions to fortify systems against threats; implementing backup and recovery strategies to mitigate data loss.
— Adept at working under pressure, independently or as part of cross-functional teams, with oral and written communication skills to ensure top-tier IT support and customer service.
OBJECTIVES
I’m eager to contribute to a dynamic environment where I can leverage my IT experience. My goal is to drive innovation while optimizing organizational performance through efficient solutions.
I am actively pursuing advanced certifications, including Cisco CCNA, NetApp and EMC Storage, VMWare, Red Hat, Windows, and Azure / AWS Cloud Professional to deepen my knowledge.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
OS: Win10/11, Win2022 Servers, Cisco IOS XE/XR, Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, Suse, and MAC.
Web: Web Servers using Apache / Nginx, MySQL, PostGres, MariaDB, PHP and Python Flask.
Mail: MS Exchange/Office365, Dovecot, Postfix, Mail proxies, Mail filtering; Email Encryption.
Cloud: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, and OVH Servers and Clouds.
RBAC: Managing devices and users access via LDAP/AD Resources and Role security groups.
Panels: cPanel, WHMCS, ISPConfig, and CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.
Backup: Acronis, Veritas, BackupAssist, Macrium, Veeam, Clonezilla, and ProxMox Backups.
Security: PKI, IPTables/IPSET, OPNSense/pfSense, Email/Data Encryption, and TOTP / MFA.
Storage: iSCSI SAN, LVM Volumes, LUNs Targets; NAS NFS, SMB, CIFS, FTP, and GlusterFS.
Network: Cisco Routers, LAN and SAN Switches, and Knowledge of Fiber / Ethernet Cabling.
Virtualization: Hypervisors using Red Hat KVM, MS Hyper-V, VMware ESXi or ProxMox IaaS.
Shell Scripting: Bash and PowerShell – Putting more time to learn Bash/PS/Python scripting.
Configuration Tools: Ansible, PSSH, and PDSH – Learning more about Ansible & Terraform.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Network and Systems Administrator – Telrite Holdings AT&T Partner – Marietta, GA
08/2020 – 08/2024 – I had to move to Dearborn, MI for family reasons; I have relocated back to GA
Responsibilities:
Virtualization:
— Managed and Maintained ProxMox, VMware ESXi, and MS Hyper-V Virtualization platforms.
— Designed and implemented Hyper-Converged Infrastructure using ProxMox and Ceph storage.
— Deployed thousands of Virtual Machines on VMWare/ProxMox using Bash Scripting and Ansible
— Managed and maintained the old ProxMox cluster based on ZFS replication among the hosts.
— Setup and managed Hyper-V core hosts to replace VMware hosts meant for MSSQL Databases.
Network and Security:
— Managed and maintained OPNSense / IPTables Firewalls for External, DMZ and LAN networks.
— Implemented OpenVPN Solution using OPNSense/MFA using Active Directory Authentication.
— Configured Cisco Routers and Switches; IPSec Tunnels; and VLANs using Cisco IOS XE/XR.
— Configured systems like VMware, ProxMox, and OPNSense to use RBAC via Active Directory.
— Maintained DMZ, LAN, and SAN Cisco Nexus switches with its Extenders of 10G/40Gb speed.
— Managed Bind9 nameservers & Cloudflare for Public side; Windows DNS for internal requests.
Storage Arrays:
— Expertise across TrueNAS, FreeNAS, and Synology Storage appliances using HW or VM base.
— Provisioned and managed DataStores for VMWare and ProxMox using iSCSI and NFS Volumes.
— Created and managed Virtual Disks, LVM, and LUNs across Windows and Linux/UNIX Servers.
— Monitored Storage / Hypervisors Performance / Capacity to Ensure Optimal System Operation.
— Configured NAS nodes for SMB, NFS, CIFS, and FTP shares using Virtual Disks over iSCSI SAN.
Backup and Recovery:
— Managed dedicated Veeam and ProxMox backup servers for VMs on VMware/ProxMox hosts.
— Managed LTO7 / 8 Tapes using BackupAssist; Implemented Off-site backups using zfs Replica.
— Configured Windows Backups on dedicated SAN LUNs using Volume Shadow Services (VSS).
— Monitored backups in Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Quarterly based on company’s backup Policy.
— Performed and tested Backup and Recovery strategies for data integrity and service availability.
— Managed Disaster and Recovery using Veritas NetBackup / BackupAssist using LTO 7/8 Tapes.
Key Achievements:
Designed, Engineered, and Deployed Enterprise / Open-Source solutions using HP, Dell, and Commodity Hardware, maintaining company’s IT requirement below budget; furthermore, providing the security and the Quality-of-Service required by most industry standards such as PCI and HIPAA Standards.
— Setup, configured, and managed a NAS FileServer for Windows/Linux Environment using RBAC.
— Managed ProxMox Infrastructure using ZFS local base and Hyper-Converged Storage solutions.
— Designed and implemented iX Systems/TrueNAS Centralized Storage Systems using FCoE SAN.
— Migrated Windows and Linux Virtual Machines from Legacy VMware ESXi to PVE and Hyper-V.
— Designed an alternative solution to Azure AD via OpenVPN hence providing users with AD Auth.
— Implemented Role Based Access Control (RBAC) across Windows / Linux Stations and Servers.
— Built a solid experience around AD, Realm, and sssd for UNIXand Linux base using RBAC Policy.
— Installed and implemented Fiber-Channel backbone using Nexus 9300 for LAN/ SAN Switches.
— Designed and engineered a Cloud Drive replacing Dropbox/OneDrive via TrueNAS & Nextcloud.
— Planned and designed a Highly available Email Cluster Solution using ISPConfig Open-Source.
— Setup and managed a collaboration platform using Mattermost as drop replacement to Slack.
— Implemented Next Generation Firewall and Unified Threat Management via OPNSense platform.
— Designed and implemented a Robust VPN solution + MFA for Remote users using OPNSense.
— Designed and deployed Nextcloud for WebMail, Calendars, Contacts, OnlyOffice, and T-Drive.
— Deployed MSP tools to enhance IT Management like Netbox, Open-Audit, Zabbix, Passbolt, etc.
— Installed Apache Superset BI as drop replacement of Sisense BI saving the company $$$$.
Sr. IT Support Engineer – Qualcomm – Chip and CPU Design – San Diego, CA
01/2018 – 05/2020 – End of contract – Relocated to Marietta, GA
Responsibilities:
— Supported Distributed High-Performance Compute (HPC) in a Secure and Highly Available Env.
— Maintained Cisco Network devices across multiple Data centers including HP and Dell Servers.
— Performed Hardware monitor and maintenance check for IBM Load Sharing Facility (LSF) farm.
— Provided Tier 2/3 support of mix systems Windows, Debian, RHEL, Suse, and Ubuntu Servers.
— Maintained thousands of Win10, Ubuntu, and Suse-Leap Linux Stations used by Chip Engineers.
— Managed thousands of users Virtual Machines using ProxMox 5/6 and VMware vCenter ESXi6/7.
— Provided support for thousands of Developers and Chip Engineers across USA, Europe, & Asia.
— Daily and weekly tracking / logging of tasks, communications, with follow- up using Jira tickets.
— Maintained internal Tier 2/3 Confluence Wiki pages and SharePoint Engineering documentation.
Key Achievements:
Proposed a Paper For Qualcomm management based on HCIaaS design based on open-source solutions like ProxMox/Ceph Storage using affordable commodity HW. The project was tested and approved for production phase allowed the company to save Millions of Dollars on Expensive Hardware and Licensing, removing the Fabric SAN Switches and Centralized Storage overhead from the picture.
IT Field Engineer – NSC Global – A global IT service provider – Brooklyn, NY
06/2014 – 12/2017 – End of contract – Relocated to San Diego, CA
Responsibilities:
— Designed and implemented Network devices using Cisco routers and switches for multiple sites.
— Installed and configured virtualization platforms ProxMox, Hyper-V, ESXi for various customers.
— Configured and managed iSCSI SAN LUNs/Volumes including NAS: NFS, CIFS, and SMB Shares.
— Implemented and maintained Disaster and Recovery procedures using Veritas / BackupAssist.
— Supported various type of operating systems such as Linux Red Hat, Debian, and Win2012R2.
— Managed Active Directory users for multiple customers including Shares, VPN, Email Accounts.
— Maintained Customer’s information of Network Designs, IT Documentation, and Backup Tapes.
— Configured and managed Windows Firewalls and IPTables for Red Hat and Debian base Servers.
— Supported hundreds of customers across New York including NY City and State Gov. Agencies.
Key Achievements:
Saved small and medium businesses thousands of dollars on licensing fee by recommending open-source solutions like Debian/Ubuntu systems; i.e a virtualization suite like ProxMox is a drop replacement for VMware; i,e FreeNAS Storage can be alternative in some cases to expensive storage Arrays.
EDUCATION / CERTIFICATES
High school: General Educational Development (GED) in Brooklyn, New York – 2002 – 2004
Bachelor’s Degree: Warren National University 2006 – 2009 in Computer Information Systems
Certificates: A+, Network+, Server+, Storage+, Security+, and Linux+; HP, Dell, and IBM Certs.
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