Tom H.
Infrastructure Design and Implementation
Experience
Network Architect / System Engineer
Teleperformance
Technical focus: Fortinet rollout / site homogenization / cloud / ISP change
- Network analysis, design and optimization, change
- ISP changes
- Engaging service providers and decentralized IT support
- Setting up central management platform
- Optimizing routing to dynamic routing
- Optimizing and creating firewall rules
- AWS integration / design
- MS Azure integration / design
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, Palo Alto, WAN, SDN WAN, VPN, BGP, OSFP, FortiManager, Panorama, Meraki, Alcatel, AWS, MS Azure, Network Architecture
Network Engineer / Network Architect
Douglas IT
Technical focus: Fortinet rollout / site homogenization
- Initial survey
- Documentation
- Setting up central management platform
- SD-WAN connections
- Replacement of Bintec
- Commissioning, mostly in the evening / night / weekends
- Follow-up of the local network, Cisco Meraki switches and access points
- Data center move from Hagen to Düsseldorf
- Replacing Juniper DC solution with Cisco Nexus VPC
- Documentation of current and target data center
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, WAN, SD WAN, Bintec, VPN, BGP, OSFP, FortiManager, Cisco Meraki Switch and AP, VMWare, NX-OS, Netbox, Visio, FortiSwitch, FortiAP, Network Architecture, Juniper
Lead Network Architect
Francotyp Postalia
Technical focus: Fortinet rollout / site homogenization / DC hardware migration
- Technical purchasing advisory
- Network analysis, design and optimization, change
- Planning / documentation
- Engaging service providers and decentralized IT staff
- Setting up central management platform
- Optimizing routing to dynamic routing
- Darktrace analysis
- MS Azure integration / design
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, WAN, SDN WAN, VPN, BGP, OSFP, FortiManager, FortiSwitch, FortiAP, Juniper SRX, Darktrace, MS Azure, AWS, Network Architecture, HP Aruba
Network Architect, Network Engineer
Metabowerke GmbH
Technical focus: Fortinet rollout / site homogenization
- Staging
- Firewall migration (device + policy)
- Engaging service providers and decentralized IT staff
- Setting up central management platform
- SD-WAN connections
- Reverse engineering, hardening firewall rule set, setting security profiles
- Taking over into central management, hypercare phase, and if necessary adjustments
- AWS integration / design
- Troubleshooting
- Commissioning, also in evenings, weekends and public holidays (depending on customer request)
- Follow-up of the local network, mostly Cisco Systems and HP Aruba
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, WAN, SD WAN, VPN, BGP, OSFP, FortiManager, FortiSwitch, Checkpoint, Sonicwall, AWS, Cisco Switch, HP Aruba, Network Architecture
System Engineer
Infodas
Technical focus: LAN/WAN assessment and network/WAN redesign
- Network analysis, design and optimization
- Planning / documentation
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, Cisco, VMware, MS Azure, AWS, FortiSwitch, FortiAP, Network Architecture
Network Specialist
Signal Iduna
Technical focus: network separation / segmentation / zoning
- Network analysis, design and optimization
- Planning / documentation
- Creating firewall rules
- Engaging service providers
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, HP Aruba, Server, Network Architecture
Lead Engineer for SD-WAN rollout Germany
Telefonica Deutschland
Technical focus: SD-WAN
- Consulting customers
- Network analysis, design and optimization
- Planning / documentation
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, WAN, SDN WAN, VPN, BGP, OSFP, Cisco / HP Aruba / Netgear / TP-link switches, Network Architecture
Network / Firewall Specialist
Aunde
Project on behalf of CirC IT.
- Ticket handling, especially in the firewall area
- Troubleshooting
- Network analysis of the local network, mostly Fortinet
- Network analysis, design and optimization
- Planning / documentation
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, WAN, SDN WAN, VPN, Cisco Switching, FortiSwitch, FortiAP
Network Engineer
Würth Group
Project on behalf of Computacenter AG.
- Rollout and implementation of about 200 Fortinet firewalls (models F601E/FG-101F) in over 80 country subsidiaries worldwide
- Initial capture of IT infrastructure, coordination with local IT, alignment with central IT
- Aligning customer requirements, reviewing existing documentation
- Preparing the local network, mostly Cisco Systems
- Taking over the existing rule set using FortiConverters
- Adjusting system, interface and VPN settings/rules according to central IT specifications
- Commissioning, also in evenings, weekends and public holidays (depending on customer request)
- Segmentation into VLANs and subinterfaces, separation of services
- Optimizing firewall rule set, adjustments in consultation with global and local IT
- Reverse engineering, hardening firewall rule set, applying security profiles
- Taking over into central management, hypercare phase, and if necessary adjustments
- Troubleshooting
- Follow-up of the local network, mostly Cisco Systems
- Integration into PRTG, centralized global monitoring
- Documentation
- Handover to central IT, normal operation
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, FortiManager, FortiConverter, FortiAnalyzer, WAN, SDN WAN, VPN, Cisco Routing / Switching, Dell Server, HP Server & HP Switches, VMware, MS Windows Server, Linux Server
Network Architect / Consultant
NTT DATA Business Solutions
- Concept creation, WAN design, vendor and product selection
- Design and implementation of central firewall management, FortiManager
- Design and implementation of central firewall management, FortiAnalyzer
- Design and classification of a global IPv4 concept, level A – enterprise level
- Design header policy
- Rollout and implementation of about 80 Fortinet firewalls (models 60/100/200/600) in over 50 countries worldwide
- Expansion / redesign of LAN standards (including replacement), Cisco switch models 9500/3650/Nexus
- Coordination with site managers, usually IT staff
- Implementation of centralized DHCP services, certificate services, 802.1X
- Introduction of two-factor FortiToken, FortiAuthenticator
- Expansion of remote dial-in globally
- Global monitoring with Cisco Prime and distributed PRTG systems
- 2nd level global support, vendor escalation
- Redesign of WAN connections with own firewall systems, VPN, BGP, OSPF
- Redesign data center, three-firewall concept (two vendors), logical separation data center/office
- Replacing leased MPLS, migrating to VPN, SD-WAN
- Optimizing firewall rule set
- Supporting UHD with tickets
- Training new employees and apprentices
- Remote and on-site deployment worldwide
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, FortiManager, FortiConverter, FortiAnalyzer, WAN, SDN WAN, VPN, Cisco Routing / Switching, Dell Server, HP Server & HP Switches, VMware, MS Windows Server, PRTG, ServiceNow, Network Architecture
Datacenter Migration Consultant
Telefónica / O2
Project on behalf of Cancom GmbH.
- Data center move from Munich to Frankfurt
- Creating proposals
- Dividing the devices to be replaced into installation and staging blocks
- Identifying affected switches and importing new switches into Command
- Design review of the environment, new conception
- Steering, planning and documentation of changes in ARS
- Assessing risk and complexity
- Updating network documentation (network diagrams, etc.)
- Coordination with responsible organizational units / external service providers
- Creating migration/move script and directing the teams
- Site inspection
Technologies / Tools: Cisco Routing / Switching, Checkpoint Firewalls
Freelancer
Baumann TGA
- Planning and implementing new Munich office (cabling, servers, clients)
- Antivirus concept with Worry Free Business
- Expansion and reconnection of storage
- WLAN with UniFi
- Commissioning, support and operation, training and handover
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, Switching, HP Server, VMware, MS Windows Server, VEEAM, Trendmicro AV
Freelancer
Spelsberg
Combined projects for the year 2017.
Project Spelsberg II**
Expansion of data center (DC III) in two locations
Expansion and configuration of LAN in two locations
In-house redesign (switches and cabling)
Heatmap creation (coverage) – capturing and optimizing WLAN (manufacturers UniFi / Ubiquiti, Cisco Systems)
Commissioning, support and operation, training and handover
Project Spelsberg I**
New build of data center and infrastructure in Schalksmühle and Butttstätt
Design and setup of firewall cluster for redundant VPN connections between Spielberg and Schalksmühle locations
In-house redesign (switches and cabling)
Heatmap creation (coverage) – capturing and optimizing WLAN (manufacturers UniFi / Ubiquiti)
Commissioning, support and operation, training and handover
Technologies / Tools: Cisco Routing / Switching, Network Architecture, UniFi
Freelancer
Project JONA (dental practice with 14,000 patients and day clinic).
- New network and firewall build
- SSL VPN for telework
- Virtualization of server infrastructure
- Site-to-site VPN
- Integration of backup solution with VEEAM
- Support and operation, training and handover
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, Switching, HP Server, VMware, MS Windows Server, VEEAM, Trendmicro AV, Network Architecture
Freelancer
- New network and firewall rule set build
- Virtualization of server infrastructure
- Site-to-site VPN
- Integration of backup solution with VEEAM
- Support and operation, training and handover
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, Cisco Switching, HP Server, VMware, MS Windows Server, VEEAM, Trendmicro AV, Network Architecture
Freelancer
Weka Media
- Rebuilding Weka Media WAN, site-to-site VPN, hub and spoke
- Main responsibility for Weka Media WAN
- Management of 8 firewall clusters
- Data center redesign Kissing
- Support and operation of data center Kissing
- Redesign, planning and setup of 8 branches/subsidiaries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, Cisco Routing / Switching, PRTG, Network Architecture
Overall responsibility for the Hoffmann WAN
Hoffman GmbH München
- Management of 35 firewall clusters
- Support and operation of data centers in Munich and Nuremberg
- Building central data center as a mirrored data center
- Planning and setup of 3 branches/subsidiaries: India, Russia, North America
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, FortiManager, FortiConverter, FortiAnalyzer, WAN, VPN, Cisco Routing / Switching, Network Architecture
Overall responsibility for the Synlab network
Synlab Services GmbH
- Among others, main responsibility for the Synlab network (data center, branches at home and abroad (EMEA), MPLS and internet)
- Main responsibility for (re-)certification ISO 9001 / 27001 each by Q4 since 2010
- Project consulting / planning / execution
- Resource planning for projects
- Planning and expansion of the Synlab network (international)
- 3rd level support (partly coordinating staff and providing on-site support at branches in emergencies)
Technologies / Tools: Fortigate, FortiManager, FortiConverter, FortiAnalyzer, WAN, VPN, Cisco Routing / Switching, Network Architecture
Planning the replacement of the existing FDDI backbone
Staatliche Lotterieverwaltung München
- Project consulting / planning / execution
- 3rd level support
- Communication interface with external companies
- T-Systems, SGI, Deutscher Lotto Block, external planning offices
- Communication interface with specialist departments
Technologies / Tools: Cisco Routing / Switching
Summary
For the past 20 years, I have been involved in infrastructure design and implementation of firewall systems and switching/router infrastructures to a standard. Site networking (WAN/SD-WAN/BGP/OSPF/VPN) is part of my responsibilities. The manufacturers used here are Fortinet, Cisco Systems, VMware, Microsoft, and Linux systems. The Fortigates are usually managed via a central management system (FortiManager). The individual sites are connected via SD-WAN and VPN aggregates (BGP). My strengths lie in the data center area. This includes segmentation and implementation of security policies, as well as hybrid clouds with MS Azure/AWS. My perspective on system availability requires my willingness and understanding to work on weekends and evenings. The design and conception of the infrastructure, from initial review to the IPv4 concept, LAN/WAN design, documentation, and handover to the customer, is my area of responsibility.
Languages
Certifications & licenses
CCDA Cisco Certified Design Associate
Cisco
CCDP Cisco Certified Network Design Professional
Cisco
CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate V2010
Cisco
CCNA Security Cisco Certified Security Associate
Cisco
CCNA Voice Cisco Certified Network Associate Voice
Cisco
CCNP R/S Cisco Certified Network Professional
Cisco
CSSP Certified System Security Professional
FCSNA Fortinet Firewall Administrator
Fortinet
FCSNP Fortinet Firewall Professional
Fortinet
JNCIA-FFW Juniper Networks Internet Associate
Juniper Networks
MCTIP Windows Server Administrator
Microsoft
MCTS Windows 2008 AD
Microsoft
MCTS Windows 2008 NI
Microsoft
MCTS Windows 2008 SBS
Microsoft
VMWARE VCA VMware Certified Associate – Data Center Virtualization
VMware
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