About

I’m Brennan and I like FOSS.

In 2020 I moved to Chicago and got the idea to buy an old Dell server, build a data center in my closet, and learn networking. Through that experience I became obsessed with *nix operating systems and the FOSS community as a whole. A lot of my time now is spent as the SysAdmin for my family’s business, Polytech, while completing my Bachelors degree in Cybersecurity at WGU. I hope to take the experience I’ve gained on this journey and start working for a cloud-based security team in the Loop soon.

I live to travel and I am a transit nerd who prefers bikes to cars. I currently reverse commute from the city into the suburbs via the Metra - it makes me feel like a kid. For fun I’m always looking for a new video game or book recommendation. I played in many bands during my 20s so I try to stay plugged-in to the scene by showing up to support my favorite artists often.

Skills

  • Ansible
  • AWS/Azure
  • Backup & Recovery Planning
  • Bash/Powershell
  • Customer-Facing Soft Skills
  • Docker
  • Documentation
  • Help Desk Administration
  • Incident Response
  • Linux
  • Network Design & Architecture
  • Network & Web App Penetration
  • Office 365 Administration
  • Physical Security Controls
  • Proxmox Enterprise
  • Python/Java
  • Windows Server

Work Experience

  • Polytech Industries System Administrator 2021-Current
  • Micro Center System Sales 2018-2020
  • Guitar Center Sr. Sales Consultant 2015-2018
  • AT&T Sales Consultant 2012-2015
  • Menards Sales Lead 2010-2012

Certifications

  • Cloud Practitioner AWS May 2024
  • A+ CompTIA June 2024
  • Network+ CompTIA November 2024
  • Security+ CompTIA expected

Education

  • Network Security Administration A.A.S. Oakton College 2022
  • Cybersecurity B.S. Western Governors University expected