Resume & Competencies
Professional Summary
- 7+ years of dedicated IT experience with solid progression.
- 5+ years specializing in Cloud Platforms, predominantly Microsoft Azure.
- Expert-level proficiency in Microsoft Azure design patterns, aligning with CAF and WAF.
- Proven track record as a Team Lead, mentoring engineers and establishing DevOps/IaC standards.
- Deep expertise in microservices architectures, AKS, and enterprise secure networking.
- Proficient in Open Source SQL database systems and CMS solutions (WordPress, Drupal).
Technical Skill Matrix
Cloud Architecture & Governance
- • Azure Well-Architected Framework (WAF)
- • Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF)
- • Enterprise-Scale Landing Zones
- • FinOps & Cost Optimization Management
Cloud & Network Security
- • Azure Firewall & Web Application Firewall (WAF)
- • Network Security Groups (NSGs)
- • Sophos XG Firewalls & Secure Gateways
- • Microsoft Defender for Cloud & Sentinel
- • Azure Key Vault, Private Link, & Endpoints
Infrastructure Management
- • IaaS, PaaS, SaaS Architectures
- • VPN / Tunnel Connectivity (IPSec, OpenVPN, Fortinet, Cisco)
- • Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) & Container Apps
- • Docker Containerization & ACR Registry
- • Hybrid & On-premises Network Upgrades
Automation & Scripting
- • Terraform (Modular Design & State Management)
- • ARM & Bicep IaC Templates
- • GitHub Actions & Azure DevOps (CI/CD Pipelines)
- • PowerShell & Bash Automation Scripting
Identity Access Management
- • Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD)
- • Managed Identities & Azure RBAC
- • 3rd Party Integration & SSO
Software & Services
- • Nginx & Apache2 Web Servers
- • PHP-FPM & Redis Caching
- • Open Source SQL (MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL)
- • CMS Solutions (WordPress, Drupal)
- • Fail2Ban Security Hardening
- • Prometheus & Grafana Observability
Legacy Modernization
- • Virtualization Upgrades (Hyper-V, Proxmox)
- • On-premises to Cloud Migrations
- • Monolithic to Microservices Transitioning
- • Strangler Fig Migration & Replatforming
Leadership & Design Soft Skills
Professional Credentials
Azure Solutions Architect Expert
Azure Network Engineer Associate
Azure Administrator Associate
Professional Experience
Senior Azure Cloud Solutions Architect & Azure Team Lead
Crimson Line - Solving IT
Cloud Service Provider (https://www.crimsonline.co.za)
Key Responsibilities:
- Project Scoping & Architectural Design Engage with incoming enterprise leads, gather business objectives, and architect secure, high-availability Azure environments aligned with CAF and WAF frameworks, presenting budget forecasts directly to technical stakeholders and CFOs.
- Squad Leadership & Mentorship Lead and mentor engineering squads, define engineering quality bars (Trunk-Based Development), run standups using Azure Boards, and manage resource allocations across concurrent deployments.
- Enterprise Networking & Security Design and implement secure network architectures featuring Hub-and-Spoke peer networking, ExpressRoute connectivity, and forced tunneling via Azure Firewall and Web Application Firewalls (WAF).
- Infrastructure as Code & CI/CD Define and standardize reusable, modular Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates in Terraform, integrating automated static security scanning (Checkov, tfsec) into GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps pipelines.
- Modernization & Microservices Architect migration blueprints using the Strangler Fig pattern to transition legacy monolithic environments into containerized microservices hosted on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) or Azure Container Apps.
- Robust Platform Security Enforce cloud security baselines to align with CIS Benchmarks, ISO 27001, and SOC 2, managing Azure Key Vault secret isolation and configuring continuous compliance assessments via Defender for Cloud.
- Automation & Operations Develop robust automation scripts in PowerShell and Bash and design complex Power Automate workflows to streamline admin tasks and enhance operational efficiency.
Key Accomplishments:
Proactive Service & SLA Monitoring Application
Architected and led the deployment of a real-time service and infrastructure health-monitoring solution, integrating Azure Monitor, Prometheus, and Grafana. The tool supports personalized stakeholder dashboards, webhook alerts directly routed to Slack/Teams APIs, and API-based scheduled maintenance windows, reducing incident response times.
Secure Azure Administration API & Bot
Designed a secure administrative API integrated with a ChatOps bot, allowing authorized engineers to execute Azure CLI commands and receive feedback securely from chat interfaces, enhancing squad operational agility.
FinOps & Azure Cost Analytics Tool
Developed a custom cost reconnaissance analytics tool that enables stakeholders to trace resource consumption. Implemented resource tagging policies and Cost Management alerts, auditing daily resource usage metrics to achieve $1,000/month in immediate savings for a key client.
Standardized Enterprise IaC Blueprint
Authored and maintained a standardized Infrastructure as Code library in Terraform, incorporating Checkov linting checks to accelerate environment provisioning times from days to minutes while ensuring consistent deployment across customer workloads.
Systems Administrator
RAMM Technologies
Asset Tracking Solutions (https://www.ramm.co.za)
Key Responsibilities:
- Virtualization & Hypervisor Administration Configure and manage Hyper-V and Proxmox virtualization clusters, optimizing hardware resource allocation, backup scheduling, and disaster recovery processes.
- Server & Infrastructure Diagnostics Administer Windows Server and Linux environments, patching systems, executing server hardware diagnostics/repairs, and managing Zabbix monitoring nodes.
- Linux Services & Open Source SQL Maintain high-availability Linux services (Nginx, Samba, SSH) and configure open-source database engines (MySQL, PostgreSQL) supporting company assets.
- Cloud Integration Exposure Manage base cloud connectivity tasks inside Microsoft Azure, including virtual network creation, resource groups, and VPN tunnel troubleshooting.
- End-User Device Engineering Manage software deployments, patch management, system imaging, and device lifecycles to ensure high productivity for corporate staff.
- Documentation & Standards Author and review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for server builds, network modifications, and onboarding checklists.
Key Accomplishments:
Asset Management System Rollout
Spearheaded the rollout of a web-based asset management solution to trace company hardware, repairs, and software licenses, simplifying quarterly financial audits.
Open Source NextCloud Adoption
Supported the deployment of an on-premises NextCloud data suite, providing a secure, compliant, and cost-effective collaboration alternative to Microsoft 365.
Zabbix Infrastructure Monitoring
Configured and mapped Zabbix monitoring nodes to visualize network topologies, alerting engineers proactively to prevent outages.
Proxmox Clustering & Redundancy
Contributed to the deployment of Proxmox VE hypervisor clusters, cutting virtualization licensing fees and establishing high storage redundancy within the environment.