Profile

A seasoned IT professional with over 30 years' hands–on experience in the field, progressing from helpdesk support to senior systems engineering roles. With 24 years dedicated to LSU in delivering cutting-edge solutions in a dynamic sector, I bring a deep understanding of network infrastructure, server architecture, and cloud technologies. My career, which began in the early days of computing (1982), has equipped me with a rich knowledge base, a passion for innovation, and an exceptional ability to troubleshoot complex system environments. Adept at designing scalable, high–availability solutions, streamlining operations, and driving efficiency, I am seeking the IT Manager of Operations role where my expertise in virtualization, automation, and security can contribute to building, maintaining, and securing robust IT infrastructures.

Experience

IT Manager - Operations

Louisiana State University

July 2000 — Present

Systems Engineering:
Responsible for developing, installing, maintaining, and upgrading server–class systems at the college level, especially using hypervised environments, specifically Omnissa (formerly VMware and Broadcom) and Proxmox. This includes recommendations to the Director of the Office of Engineering Technology Services (OETS) for purchasing purposes.

Omnissa Horizon Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and Applications Volumes (AppVols):
including development and implementation of the latest Windows OS level, ensuring the nVidia GRID M10 GPU's are at the latest driver level, and ensuring load balancing via High–Availability (HA) and Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) functions. Ensure the nVidia Distributed License Server (DLS) is kept current for Instant Clone Pool Virtual Machines' vGPU access. Currently working with both College–level and Chemical Engineering VDI's until the currently vacant Chemical Engineering Computer Manager is filled.

Disaster Recovery:
Responsible for maintaining Dell/EMC Avamar backups for all College–level systems, including test weekly restores and working with Dell to ensure the Avamar environment is at the latest version. Currently working with the Director of OETS to plan and implement an out–of–building disaster recovery procedure

Maintain Dell/Compellent Storage Arrays
Dell SC5020 & MD3000–series iSCSI connections via Dell PowerConnect S4048-ON switches. Ensure network storage – including user home drives and department share drives – are online

Licensing
Ensure license servers host appropriate licenses for various applications and hardware. Work with the different departments who bring their own licenses for implementation

Microsoft Active Directory
Including planning and implementing OU structures within the LSU Active Directory. Ensure proper GPO's are implemented as necessary

Service Requests
Assist faculty, staff, and students of the College of Engineering with various IT issues via the LSU Service Ticket System

Milestones & Plans

• An integral part of the team which brought the college-level server farm consisting of one server and one disk array in 2000 to the current server farm comprising over 45 servers and two disk arrays
• Physically migrated the entire college-level server farm to its former location after the Patrick F. Taylor Hall refit and addition — bring offline in a specific, planned order; disconnect from the power and network; excise from racks; migrate to new location; install in new racks; reconnect power and network; bring online in a specific, planned order, and test/verify — in just four hours.
• Currently planning the replacement of UPS modules in all used racks as the servers are upgraded/replaced.
• Currently planning for the removal of the Wrightline furniture currently holding the four KVM stations and the purchase of a portable KVM station

Network Engineer (NE)

Novartis

August 1997 — July 2000

Responsible for planning, purchasing, implementation, maintenance, upgrade of business network. Work with the NE for the product–production network to ensure near 100% uptime.

Responsible for planning, purchasing, implementation, maintenance, upgrade of PBX network and switch. Produce weekly logs of telephone usage for charge–back purposes. Continued CAD (Change, Add, Delete) process to ensure roster accuracy.

Assist Senior Systems Engineers in maintaining central server farm for both business and product production.

Lead upgrade of the entire business network from Type 1 Shielded Twisted–Pair (STP) to Gigabit network; including planning, guiding, and inspecting installation of new Ethernet cabling in every unit, excision of STP cabling, and installation of new two–node central network backbone… all in line with BICSI and EIA/TIA standards.

Telecommunications Specialist

Louisiana Workers Compensation Corporation

January 1996 — August 1997

PDX Administrator – Ensured the accuracy of the telephone system roster

Ensured network infrastructure stability, reliability, and security

Assisted Systems Administrators during system service weekends

Developed and implemented communications cabling system between the business network room and the business mainframe room.