Designing, securing, and optimizing networks to keep data flowing seamlessly and efficiently.
Skills & Technologies
Networks
Cisco, Network Configuration, and Management Skills
-
Cisco Hardware & Operating Systems
-
Cisco IOS & IOS-XE:
- Configuring and managing Cisco routers and switches using the CLI.
- Upgrading firmware and managing IOS images.
- Implementing best practices for switch security and hardening.
-
Cisco Collector (Smart Net Total Care, CSPC):
- Deploying and configuring Cisco Collector for network device inventory and lifecycle management.
- Integrating Cisco Smart Licensing for compliance and support contract tracking.
-
Cisco IOS & IOS-XE:
-
Network Switching (Layer 2)
- Configuring VLANs and trunking using 802.1Q.
- Implementing Spanning Tree Protocol (STP, RSTP, MSTP) for loop prevention.
- Setting up port security, MAC filtering, and 802.1X authentication.
- Configuring EtherChannel and Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP, PAgP).
- Implementing Private VLANs and VLAN ACLs for enhanced security.
-
Network Routing (Layer 3)
- Configuring and troubleshooting static and dynamic routing protocols:
- OSPF (single and multi-area)
- EIGRP (including named mode)
- BGP (peering, route filtering, and policy-based routing)
- RIP (legacy environments)
- Implementing Inter-VLAN Routing using SVIs and Layer 3 switches.
- Configuring First Hop Redundancy Protocols (HSRP, VRRP, GLBP) for high availability.
- Implementing Route Redistribution and Summarization.
-
Advanced Network Features & Services
- Configuring and optimizing Quality of Service (QoS) for VoIP and high-priority traffic.
- Implementing ACLs for security and traffic filtering.
- Deploying Network Address Translation (NAT) and Port Address Translation (PAT).
- Setting up GRE and IPSec VPN tunnels between Cisco devices.
-
Network Security & Monitoring
- Implementing AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting) with TACACS+ and RADIUS.
- Configuring syslog and SNMP for network monitoring and alerting.
- Managing Cisco TrustSec for role-based access control.
- Conducting packet analysis using SPAN/RSPAN/ERSPAN for network diagnostics.
-
Network Redundancy & High Availability
- Deploying Multi-Chassis EtherChannel (MEC) for high availability.
- Configuring redundant uplinks with FlexLinks and STP optimizations.
- Implementing WAN redundancy using dual-homed BGP or HSRP/VRRP failover.
-
Troubleshooting & Performance Optimization
- Diagnosing network issues using show and debug commands.
- Performing route and packet tracing with traceroute, ping, and netflow.
- Optimizing spanning-tree topology for rapid convergence.
- Analyzing routing table inconsistencies and fixing asymmetric routing.
NPS
Network Policy Server
-
Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA)
- Configuring AAA policies to enforce network access control.
- Implementing centralized authentication and authorization for network devices.
- Managing AAA authentication logs for auditing and security compliance.
- Integrating AAA with Active Directory (AD) for user and group-based access policies.
-
Microsoft Network Policy Server (NPS)
- Installing and configuring NPS as a RADIUS server for authentication.
- Setting up NPS policies to control access for wired, wireless, and VPN clients.
- Integrating NPS with AD for user authentication and group-based access.
- Configuring NPS logging and event monitoring for troubleshooting and auditing.
-
802.1X Network Access Control
- Implementing 802.1X authentication for wired and wireless networks.
- Configuring RADIUS authentication for network switches, access points, and VPN concentrators.
- Deploying NPS as a RADIUS proxy to forward authentication requests.
- Integrating Network Access Protection (NAP) with 802.1X for health compliance policies.
- Managing Supplicant Configuration on client devices (Windows, macOS, and Linux).
-
RADIUS Authentication & Authorization
- Deploying RADIUS-based authentication for network infrastructure (switches, routers, firewalls).
- Configuring RADIUS clients and shared secrets for secure communication.
- Setting up RADIUS attributes and policies for role-based access control (RBAC).
- Implementing Certificate-Based Authentication (EAP-TLS, PEAP) for enhanced security.
-
Active Directory Integration
- Connecting NPS with Active Directory for user authentication and group policy enforcement.
- Implementing LDAP and Kerberos authentication for network devices.
- Enforcing conditional access policies based on AD groups and security roles.
- Managing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) integration with NPS and RADIUS.
-
Secure Network Access Control
- Implementing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with NPS policies.
- Configuring Guest VLANs and dynamic VLAN assignment using 802.1X.
- Enforcing device compliance checks before granting network access.
-
Troubleshooting and Performance Monitoring
- Using NPS logs and Event Viewer to troubleshoot authentication failures.
- Analyzing RADIUS logs and packet captures for debugging.
- Monitoring AAA and RADIUS request latency for performance optimization.
- Implementing load balancing and redundancy for high-availability authentication services.
Wi-Fi
Extreme Networks and Wi-Fi Configuration & Management
-
Extreme Networks Wireless Solutions
- Deploying and managing ExtremeWireless Access Points (APs).
- Configuring Wi-Fi SSIDs, VLAN assignments, and security policies.
- Implementing WPA2-Enterprise and 802.1X authentication with RADIUS.
- Optimizing Wi-Fi coverage, roaming, and load balancing.
- Using ExtremeCloud IQ for cloud-based WLAN management.
-
Network Security & Access Control
- Configuring AAA with RADIUS and TACACS+ for network access security.
- Enforcing 802.1X authentication and guest access policies.
- Deploying Extreme Policy (ACLs, QoS, and firewall rules) for traffic control.
-
Extreme Networks Monitoring & Troubleshooting
- Using Extreme Management Center (XMC) and ExtremeCloud IQ for network visibility.
- Configuring syslog, SNMP, and NetFlow for network performance monitoring.
- Troubleshooting network connectivity, VLAN issues, and wireless interference.
- Conducting Wi-Fi spectrum analysis and RF troubleshooting.
-
Wi-Fi Design & Optimization
- Conducting site surveys and heatmaps for optimal access point placement.
- Implementing band steering and load balancing for improved performance.
- Managing Channel Widths, DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection), and TX Power Levels.
- Deploying Mesh Wi-Fi solutions for extended coverage.
Firewalls
Firewall Configuration & Security Management
-
Firewall Administration & Deployment
- Configuring and managing Fortinet FortiGate firewalls for network security.
- Implementing stateful packet inspection (SPI) and deep packet inspection (DPI) for traffic filtering.
- Setting up and optimizing firewall rules, policies, and NAT configurations.
- Deploying next-generation firewall (NGFW) features, including IPS, application control, and content filtering.
- Managing high-availability (HA) configurations for redundancy and failover.
-
VPN Configuration & Secure Remote Access
- Setting up Site-to-Site VPNs for secure branch office connectivity.
- Configuring SSL VPN and IPsec VPN for remote user access.
- Implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for secure VPN access.
- Optimizing VPN performance and security settings to prevent vulnerabilities.
- Monitoring and troubleshooting VPN tunnels, authentication issues, and encryption settings.
-
Security Policies & Threat Management
- Implementing intrusion prevention systems (IPS) and intrusion detection systems (IDS).
- Configuring web filtering, DNS filtering, and application control for security enforcement.
- Enforcing zero-trust security policies with user-based and role-based access controls (RBAC).
- Managing SSL/TLS decryption and deep packet inspection for encrypted traffic analysis.
- Creating and enforcing geofencing, IP reputation-based blocking, and blacklists/whitelists.
-
Network Access Control & Authentication
- Integrating firewalls with RADIUS, TACACS+, and Active Directory (AD) for authentication.
- Setting up identity-based firewall policies to enforce per-user and per-group access.
- Implementing 802.1X authentication for network access control (NAC).
- Configuring certificate-based authentication and endpoint security policies.
-
Monitoring, Logging & Incident Response
- Using FortiAnalyzer and syslog for log analysis and security event monitoring.
- Implementing automated alerts and security event correlation for threat detection.
- Conducting regular firewall audits and compliance checks to meet security standards.
- Performing packet capture and forensic analysis for troubleshooting and threat investigations.
-
Cloud & Hybrid Security Integration
- Deploying Fortinet firewall solutions in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Configuring hybrid cloud security policies for secure traffic between on-premises and cloud networks.
- Implementing virtual firewalls (FortiGate VM) for cloud workloads.
- Managing Secure SD-WAN configurations for branch connectivity and cloud access optimization.