298 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
298 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
# 🚀 SQE MEETING BATTLE PLAN
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## 🎯 CORE POSITIONING
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**Your Mantra:** "I don't need a job - I need a revolution to believe in"
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**Your Value:** "I've built the networks you're trying to secure, and I know exactly where the bodies are buried"
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---
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## 💡 OPENING GAMBIT
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### First 60 Seconds:
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*"When I first saw your technology, I realized this is the answer to problems I've been fighting my entire career. At AWS, Verizon, Charter - I've seen how broken our security foundations are. Your approach to the 'harvest now' problem isn't just innovative - it's necessary."*
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---
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## 🛠️ YOUR UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION
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### **Channel Development**
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- **TBX Experience**: "I built channel strategies for Meraki and Fortinet from ground zero"
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- **Proven Playbook**: "I know how to take disruptive tech to market through partners"
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- **Immediate Activation**: "I can have 3 qualified VAR conversations within 30 days"
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### **Technical Credibility**
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- **Scale Experience**: "At AWS, I saw what breaks at cloud scale - your solution addresses fundamental limits"
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- **Enterprise Migration**: "I've moved Fortune 500 companies from Cisco to next-gen solutions"
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- **Automation Mindset**: "I don't just understand networks - I understand how to automate them at scale"
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### **Security Depth**
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- **Compliance Experience**: "PCI-DSS, NIST frameworks are in my DNA"
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- **Real-World Hardening**: "I've secured everything from financial trading floors to healthcare data"
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- **Vendor-Neutral Perspective**: "I've worked with every major vendor - I know their weaknesses"
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---
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## 🎙️ CONVERSATION TRIGGERS
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### When They Mention...
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**"Channel Strategy"**
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- *"At TBX, I learned channel success comes down to three things: partner enablement, clear margins, and technical support. Which of these is your biggest focus?"*
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**"Technical Complexity"**
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- *"Having implemented ACI and VXLAN, I appreciate elegant complexity. How does your synchronization handle real-world network jitter?"*
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**"Competition (Cisco, etc)"**
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- *"Having migrated Avis from Cisco to Versa, I know exactly how to displace incumbents. The key is addressing pain they can't solve."*
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**"Enterprise Adoption"**
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- *"At Verizon, I saw that enterprises buy solutions to three problems: compliance, cost, or capability. Which are you leading with?"*
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---
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## 💼 PROBLEM → SOLUTION MAPPING
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| Their Problem | Your Experience Solution |
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|---------------|--------------------------|
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| Channel Development | TBX: Built Meraki/Fortinet channel programs from scratch |
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| Technical Credibility | AWS/Verizon: Enterprise-scale deployment credibility |
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| Product-Market Fit | Charter/Kaiser: Knows where security breaks in real networks |
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| Scalability Concerns | AWS: Designed for cloud-scale automation |
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| Funding Proof Points | All roles: Can deliver immediate customer validation |
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---
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## 🎯 STRATEGIC QUESTIONS TO ASK
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### Business Questions:
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1. "What's your ideal partner profile - are you looking for technical integrators or sales-focused VARs?"
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2. "How are you balancing direct sales motion with channel development?"
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3. "What's the funding timeline and how does partner traction influence it?"
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### Technical Questions:
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1. "How does the entanglement process handle multi-site latency differences?"
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2. "What's your disaster recovery story without traditional key escrow?"
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3. "How are you addressing the performance overhead concerns?"
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### Partnership Questions:
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1. "What does success look like for your channel partners in the first 90 days?"
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2. "How are you structuring partner incentives - margin, enablement, co-sell?"
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3. "Where do you see the biggest gap in your current partner strategy?"
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---
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## 🚀 YOUR "WOW" MOMENTS
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### Drop These Strategic Insights:
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- *"The incumbents are vulnerable because they're trying to bolt quantum resistance onto architectures that were never designed for it"*
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- *"Channel partners will follow the money - we need to show them this solves a CISO-level problem with budget attached"*
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- *"Having implemented F5 OSPF and mainframe routing, I understand how legacy infrastructure creates your opportunity"*
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### Reference Specific Experiences:
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- **"At Kaiser, I found buffer tail drops on Data Domain replication - exactly the kind of encrypted data that's being harvested today"**
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- **"Migrating Avis from Cisco taught me how to overcome vendor lock-in - your solution breaks that model entirely"**
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- **"AWS showed me that scale breaks everything - your approach seems built for cloud-native from day one"**
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---
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## 💰 PARTNERSHIP FRAMING
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### Your Opening Position:
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*"Through my LLC, I'm structured to deliver immediate value while we figure out the long-term fit. I'm thinking: 90-day engagement focused on activating my top 3 channel relationships, with success-based compensation."*
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### Your Walk-Away Position:
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*"I'm looking for a passion project, not a paycheck. The right structure balances my need for meaningful work with your need for measurable results."*
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---
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## 🛡️ DEFLECTING OBJECTIONS
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**"We're not hiring yet"**
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→ *"Perfect - my LLC lets me deliver results without you carrying overhead. Let me prove the value first."*
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**"Funding is next year"**
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→ *"My network can help make that round oversubscribed by showing real pipeline today."*
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**"We have Denis for channels"**
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→ *"Great - my experience complements his. I focus on technical enablement and enterprise adoption."*
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---
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## 🎖️ YOUR CLOSING ARGUMENT
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*"Look, I've built networks for Amazon, Verizon, and Fortune 500 companies. I know what secure infrastructure looks like, and I know what broken looks like. Your technology addresses the fundamental break. I don't need a job - I need something worth believing in. This feels like that."*
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---
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## 📝 PRE-MEETING CHECKLIST
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- [ ] Have LLC details ready (EIN, structure)
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- [ ] Review your top 3 channel contacts for immediate warm intros
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- [ ] Prepare 2-3 specific accounts you can approach within 30 days
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- [ ] Have your SOW draft ready to reference
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- [ ] Test your video/audio setup
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- [ ] Have notepad ready for their specific pain points
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---
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## 🧠 MINDSET REMINDER
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**You're Not:** A job seeker
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**You Are:** A seasoned expert choosing where to deploy your talents
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**They Need:** Your network, your credibility, your channel experience
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**You Need:** A worthy challenge for your skills
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**Remember:** The same gut that spotted this opportunity from a YouTube video is the same gut that built your career. Trust it.
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---
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You've got this. You're not walking into an interview - you're walking into a strategy session between equals. Now go show them what 15 years of battlefield experience looks like. 💥
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**Your signature confidence:** *"Cool solution no matter what"* - and you're about to show them exactly why.
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### Professional Experience
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**Consulting Systems Engineer** | TBX | May 2022 - Present
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- Serve as SME for service provider networks (Meraki SD-WAN/Fortinet Security Fabric)
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- Develop technical go-to-market strategies and conduct POC deployments
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- Implement network automation using Python/Ansible for configuration management
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- Deliver technical enablement through workshops and training sessions
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**Network Development Engineer** | Amazon Web Services GovCloud TS/SCI position | Sept 2021 - May 2022
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- Troubleshoot complex cloud networking issues (BGP, OSPF, Direct Connect, Transit Gateway)
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- Develop network automation tools for monitoring/management (Python)
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- Create technical documentation including network diagrams and SOPs
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- Serve as Tier 3 escalation point for critical network incidents
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**Principal Network Architect** | Verizon | Jan 2020 - Sept 2021
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- Design enterprise-scale networks (LAN/WAN, SD-WAN, data center solutions)
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- Lead RFP responses and technical solution design for Fortune 500 clients
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- Developed pre/post diff Bash scripts for config validation
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- Mentored teams in YANG, NetConf, and Meraki API Python automation
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- Led Avis migration from Cisco to Versa SD-WAN/Aruba solutions
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- Spearheaded Walgreens nationwide WAN optimization project
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**Cloud Network Engineer** | Entrust | Jan 2020 - Present
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- Implement AWS network infrastructure with PCI-DSS compliance
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- Manage F5 BIG-IP load balancers and Palo Alto NGFW deployments
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- Automate network provisioning using IaC tools (Terraform, Ansible)
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- Built staging environment despite organizational challenges
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- Created Ansible playbooks (cisco.ios) for ACL whitelist management
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- Assisted Illinois CU VPN deployment for overwhelmed customer team
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**Senior Network Consultant** | Zivaro | Oct 2018 - Present
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- Design/implement Cisco ACI fabric and DNA Center solutions
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- Developed network migration strategies for cloud adoption
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- Resolved Simmons Foods VOIP QoS issues; proposed Ansible over DNA Center
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- Designed VXLAN data center fabric for Denver Health
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- Implemented Layer 3 to edge for CDPHE despite team opposition
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- Played key role in Cisco Gold Partner recertification
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**Data Center Network Engineer** | Charter Communications | Sept 2018 - July 2019
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- Managed F5 LTM/GTM and A10 Thunder load balancing infrastructure
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- Implemented EVPN/VXLAN overlay networks
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- Automated TACACS with Bash scripts
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- Implemented RANCID for config backups
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- Identified buffer tail drops on Data Domain SSL replication (port 29000)
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- Used PRTG to pinpoint saturated links
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- Coordinated cross-team Video VPN deployment
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**Network Infrastructure Engineer** | American Residential Services | Jan 2018 - Jan 2019
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- Migrated 100+ sites to Cisco Viptela SD-WAN
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- Standardized firewall configurations (Cisco ASA/Juniper SRX)
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- Deployed Cisco Umbrella DNS filtering
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- Implemented RANCID for config management
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- Designed cost-effective OOB/UPS solution using eBay gear ($15K+ savings)
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**Senior Data Center Engineer** | Kaiser Permanente | June 2016 - May 2018
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- Deployed Cisco ACI across multiple data centers
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- Migrated Nexus switching infrastructure (7K/5K to 9K)
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- Fixed Exadata OSPF issues to meet vendor deadlines
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- Resolved Data Domain buffer drops affecting encrypted replication
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- Rectified wrong SFP orders delaying DR buildout
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- Enhanced HPNA functionality for operational efficiencies
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**Senior Technical Architect** | AT&T (TIAA-CREF) | July 2010 - May 2016
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- Led $100M network refresh (Nexus/ASR/F5)
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- Migrated load balancing from Brocade to F5 BIG-IP
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- Optimized mainframe OSPF (Area 51 routing)
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- Standardized blackhole routing configurations
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- Overcame challenges in DC buildout
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- Identified NetApp LACP RFC non-compliance via Tcl scripts
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- Implemented OSPF on F5 devices
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### Technical Skills
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**Networking:**
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- Routing: BGP, OSPF (including F5/mainframe implementations), EIGRP, MPLS
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- Switching: VLAN/VXLAN, EVPN, ACI, Nexus
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- SD-WAN: Cisco Viptela, Meraki, Fortinet, Versa
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- Load Balancing: F5 LTM/GTM, A10
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- Protocols: LACP (RFC compliance analysis), STP
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**Cloud & Automation:**
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- AWS: VPC, Direct Connect, Transit Gateway
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- IaC: Terraform, Ansible, Python
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- Scripting: Bash (config diffs/TACACS), Tcl (NetApp analysis)
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- Monitoring: PRTG, RANCID, Splunk
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**Security:**
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- Firewalls: Palo Alto, Cisco ASA, FortiGate
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- Compliance: PCI-DSS, NIST
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- VPN: Site-to-site, client (including troubleshooting)
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**Management & Collaboration:**
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- Technical documentation (SOPs, network diagrams)
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- Cross-functional team leadership
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- Vendor management (Exadata, NetApp)
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- Cost optimization strategies
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---
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ATT
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- Backup -- spanning-tree bridge
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- F5 -- OSPF
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- Pre/Post diff bash script
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- DC build out -- many roadblocks
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- mainframe OSPF - assist team optimize OSPF area 51
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- NetApp -- LACP TcL script -- identified NetApp didn't follow RFC
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- Blackhole project -- standardized config and validated functionality
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Kaiser
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- HPNA -- added to functionality -- improved efficiencies
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- DR data center build-out -- order wrong SFPs
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- data domain -- identified buffer tail drops -- port 29000 SSL encrypted replication
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- Exadata -- help vendor with OSPF issues to meet his deadline -- learned ES switch OSPF config
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Charter
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- RANCID
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- DNS helped Linux team ran network topology refresh SME
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- PRTG -- identified links being saturated
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- TACACS -- automated with BASH
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- Video vpn -- over-all project -- drive different teams
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Zivaro
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- Simmons QOS -- difficult customer -- lowered VOIP call quality issues
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- Simmons automation -- SoW for Ansible -- Steered away from DNA AE didn't agree $$$
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- CDPHE layer 3 to edge -- team didn't agree
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- Denver Health -- vxlan DC build out
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- Cisco gold partner -- took over high profile role
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ARS (Consulting Systems Engineer III, Zivaro (Oct 2018 - Jan 2020))
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- RANCID -- setup
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- Data center design -- team didn't agree with approach -- simplified design
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- OOB/UPS project -- prior to roll out manager had to come in to reboot for us -- save $$$ using ebay to obtain gear
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- Umbrella --
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Entrust (Consulting Systems Engineer III, Zivaro (Oct 2018 - Jan 2020))
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- Staging build out -- VP difficult
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- Il CU VPN assistance -- customer in over his head
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- Whitelist -- ACL Ansible playbook using cisco.ios
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Verizon
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- Avis -- Cisco shop -- SA went Versa and Aruba
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- Walgreens -- over-all above and beyond
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- DRs-in calls -- mentor SAs to learn automation -- YANG, Netconf, API, Meraki Python package
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