Things I'm Working On

Environment: Dell PowerEdge server, Proxmox VE, pfSense, Ubuntu Server
Built a full virtualization lab from a retired office server. Configured network segmentation with pfSense, deployed Docker services via Portainer, and created a NAS with OpenMediaVault for centralized storage.

• Installed Proxmox VE via iDRAC remote ISO mount, configured ZFS RAID storage
• Deployed pfSense VM to segment lab traffic from home LAN with dedicated firewall rules
• Solved ISP router static route limitations with manual Windows routing
• Built Ubuntu Server VM running Docker + Portainer; migrated Uptime Kuma from Windows host
• Created Debian + OpenMediaVault NAS with SMB/NFS shares for ISOs, backups, and container data
• Result: Fully functional segregated home lab with firewall, container management, and private cloud storage

Environment: Home network, Windows host with Docker Desktop
Deployed Pi-hole in Docker as network-wide DNS filter. Overcame Docker NAT limitations and VPN interference to successfully block ads, trackers, and malicious domains.

• Deployed Pi-hole container, configured upstream DNS (Cloudflare), opened Windows firewall ports
• Added curated blocklists: StevenBlack, AdGuard, Phishing Army—~480k domains blocked
• Troubleshot VPN (Twingate) interference breaking upstream DNS queries
• Documented Docker NAT limitations preventing per-device policies and planned migration to dedicated hardware
• Result: Working network-wide ad/tracker blocking, clear documentation for Phase 2 improvements

Environment: MSP support across diverse client systems
Created single multi-boot USB with Ventoy holding Windows installers, Linux distros, and rescue tools. Drag-and-drop ISO management—no re-flashing required.

• Deployed Ventoy to USB, added Windows 10/11 ISOs, Kali Linux, rescue environments
• Used regularly for OS installs, system recovery, and live forensics across 40+ clients
• Result: One "Swiss Army knife" USB replacing stack of drives, massive time-saver in MSP work

Environment: Personal security lab
Converted a Chromebook into a dedicated Kali Linux security lab by replacing ChromeOS entirely. Configured firmware, optimized for Chromebook hardware, and built a curated offensive security toolkit.

• Unlocked firmware, flashed Kali to internal storage, verified hardware compatibility (Wi-Fi, trackpad, power)
• Customized terminal, keybindings, and workflow for portable security lab
• Maintains separation from daily-driver systems for focused security practice and offensive tooling

Environment: Home lab infrastructure
Designing a compact, low-power Raspberry Pi 5-based NAS and media server with 8TB+ NVMe storage. Planned to run SMB/NFS shares, media streaming (Plex/Jellyfin), and Dockerized homelab services.

• Planning NVMe HAT configuration, thermals, and case design for 24/7 operation
• Evaluating single-disk simplicity vs. redundancy/mirroring for data protection
• Foundation for self-hosted monitoring, security tools, and media library