It Support Specialist

Colin Patrick Kness

Senior IT Support Engineer

******@******.*** • 410-***-****

• Lutherville, MD, 21093

Versatile and accomplished professional with substantial experience in directing technology initiatives, optimizing complex network infrastructures, and driving organizational transformation.

Experienced Infrastructure and Security Operations Engineer with extensive expertise in managing network, security, and IT infrastructure environments. Proven ability to implement, configure, and maintain all infrastructure components including routers, switches, firewalls, and cloud services. Skilled in delivering end-to-end network operations, providing managed network services, and executing comprehensive security operations. Adept at ensuring seamless IT operations, developing SOPs, and following change management protocols

Areas of Proficiency

IT Planning & Execution

Network Infrastructure Management

PowerShell Azure Management

ITIL Best Practices & Compliance

Imaging and deployment Intune, autopilot, WDS, USTM, Zero Touch Installation

Business Continuity Planning

Cloud Computing Adoption Azure 365 / AWS

Incident Alerting and Response

SMTP Mail MTA vendors

Vendor & Contract Negotiation

Real-Time Asset Monitoring

Team Building & Mentoring

Project Management

Data Analytics & Business Intelligence

Campus Wifi

Campus Wide Security Cameras

Zero Trust Security

Career Experience

The Associated Jewish Charities, Baltimore, MD 2006 – 2024

Senior Security / Infrastructure Engineer

As a seasoned Senior IT Support Specialist, I have developed and implemented Zero Trust architectures using a range of Microsoft technologies. My professional experience includes integrating Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Threat Intelligence, and External Attack Surface Management to safeguard against advanced threats. I effectively manage security and compliance with Microsoft 365 Defender, Intune, Azure Blueprints, and Policies. My use of Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Sentinel has significantly improved threat detection and system resilience across various operational environments. I deliver strategic and scalable security solutions that align with organizational goals.

Key Achievements:

Configured, monitored, and managed FortiGate firewalls and integrated IDS/IPS to bolster security and operational efficiency.

Undertook regular maintenance and updates of the security systems, including firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, and secure VPN communications. Windows Servers, VMware & Hypervisor.

Conducted analysis of network traffic and monitored security logs to proactively address and mitigate potential security incidents.

Facilitated secure migrations and integrations, transitioning 1750 devices to Microsoft Teams and implementing Azure AD, through PowerShell Automated the provisioning and management of Azure resources

Designed and implemented secure network architectures, ensuring adherence to best practices and industry standards.

Monitored network traffic and analyzed security logs to proactively respond to potential security incidents in cloud and on prem servers.

Saved $80K annually and improved communication efficiency and Office 365 license usage by engineering migration of 1750 devices to Microsoft Teams from Cisco Call Manager.

Negotiated technology contracts for 22 non-profits to reduce costs and streamline expenses under Associated.

Maintained Cisco network infrastructure with Comcast ENS Private circuits and Internet VPN connectivity 22 facilities.

Planned, installed, configured and optimized hardware, software, and procedures for information technology systems and architectural activities, including hardware and software for multiple Data Center facilities.

Integrated ITIL practices using Solar Winds for streamlined issue resolution.

Led cloud migration initiatives, including transitioning 1700 devices to cloud-based Office 365 using Azure AD.

Enhanced security against unauthorized access by deploying organization-wide two-factor authentication via Duo Security and Microsoft Azure MFA., Fido-140.

Enabled operational agility during Covid-19 pandemic for remote work and video conferencing via Zoom and Teams.

Streamlined IT services for 22 nonprofits under The Associated and bolstered resilience during Economic Downturn.

Scripted Office 365 mail filtering and mailbox maintenance using PowerShell,

Multiple Campus WIFI refresh with Meraki, Aruba, Cisco equipment.

Multiple Campus Video Surveillance, Exacq Vision (Johnson Controls), Meraki, Axis, Active Shooter, hybrid recording, cloud recording.

Campus / Network segmentation vlaning – in Wide area network with ENS back bone.

Emergency alert system implemented Campus wide.

Successfully consolidated multiple legacy servers into a streamlined virtualized environment, reducing hardware costs

Acted as the primary point of contact for critical IT infrastructure projects, demonstrating comprehensive knowledge and leadership.

Facilitated regular communication with stakeholders to ensure alignment on project goals and deliverables

Managed desktop images/deployment and refresh with Intune autopilot.

Social Security Administration / contract. 2005 -2006

Network Engineer - Active directory infrastructure Team

I was on the active directory infrastructure Team responsible the AD managed of SSA ROCKS/ Data centers, and the automated conversion of Windows servers to new OS and schema. Monitored / maintain the health and consistency of the AD environment FSMO / schema

Education

Bachelor of Science in Business, Towson University, Towson, MD

Technical Proficiencies

Infrastructure & Network Management: Routers, Switches (Cisco Catalyst/Nexus) Fortinet, Meraki Firewalls (FortiGate, Palo Alto), SD-WAN, VLAN segmentation, Load Balancers, DNS/DHCP services

Security Operations Tools: Microsoft Defender Suite, Microsoft Sentinel, CrowdStrike, IDS/IPS, VPN, Zero Trust Security, Graph, Meraki

Automation & Configuration: PowerShell, Azure Intune,

Compliance & Monitoring: ITIL, Environmental Monitoring, Change Management, Network Performance Monitoring (SolarWinds)

Cloud Technologies: Azure, Office 365, AWS

Protocols & Networking Standards: OSPF, BGP, IPv4/IPv6, SMTP

Operating Systems: proficiency in Windows Server 2019, Win 10/11, Linux. VMware, Hypervisor, SharePoint, SQL

Cloud Technologies: Azure AD, Office 365, Azure Security and Compliance, AWS, Wasabi, Intune autopilot

Security Tools: Comprehensive knowledge of FortiGate Firewalls, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Sentinel One, Avanan Mail Filter, Zero Trust security – MS Defender, MS Sentinel, MS Entra, MS Intune, MS Purview, Meraki, Cisco, Wireshark, Power BI, Graph, Crowd strike, Intune, MS PowerShell.

Networking: SDWAN architecture - FortiGate, Cisco Catalyst/Nexus switches, Aruba, Meraki, Extreme Networks, Aerohive, ENS, OSPF, EGRIP, BGP, ip4, ip6, SMTP. Experienced in configuring and optimizing LAN/WAN networks, including VLAN segmentation and VPN setup

Server Management: Proficient in the maintenance and configuration of Windows Server 2019, VMware Hypervisor, Active Directory on prem and in cloud.

Professional Development

Continuously updated technical skills through participation in industry conferences like MS Ignite and RSA Conference

Pursued specialized courses in cloud security, network architecture, and advanced threat protection to stay ahead of emerging cybersecurity trends

Contact this candidate