About Me

Professional IT Specialist

About Me

Professional Journey

With over 20 years of experience in IT, I’ve evolved from a certified .NET developer and web developer to a DevOps specialist, bridging traditional enterprise development with modern infrastructure practices. My career progression reflects the industry’s transformation toward cloud-native and infrastructure-as-code methodologies.

Current Role & Expertise

Today, I work in a large IT department focusing on DevOps operations and system administration. My daily responsibilities include:

DevOps & Configuration Management

  • Salt Stack implementation and maintenance for infrastructure automation
  • Rundeck orchestration for job scheduling and workflow management
  • Docker containerization and deployment strategies
  • Infrastructure monitoring with Grafana and Prometheus

Systems Operations

  • Repository management with Sonatype Nexus
  • Performance monitoring and alerting systems
  • Linux system administration and automation
  • Network and DNS configuration management

Development & Scripting

  • PowerShell automation for Windows environments
  • Python scripting for system integration and data processing
  • Bash scripting for Linux automation tasks
  • Legacy .NET application maintenance and modernization

Technical Foundation

My extensive background as a .NET certified developer and SQL Server BI Suite consultant provides a unique perspective in DevOps roles. This experience enables me to:

  • Understand application architecture and deployment requirements
  • Bridge communication between development and operations teams
  • Design monitoring solutions that align with business objectives
  • Implement security best practices across the development lifecycle

Personal Projects & Homelab

Beyond professional responsibilities, I maintain an extensive homelab environment featuring:

  • Proxmox Virtualization Cluster: Multiple VMs for testing and development
  • Self-Hosted Services: Including a PhotoPrism gallery accessible at photos.oidrissi.com
  • Monitoring Stack: Complete observability setup with custom dashboards
  • DNS Management: Advanced networking configuration and service discovery

Philosophy & Approach

I believe in the power of automation to solve complex problems while maintaining system reliability and security. My approach combines:

  • Pragmatic Solutions: Leveraging both traditional and modern tools based on requirements
  • Continuous Learning: Staying current with evolving DevOps practices and technologies
  • Documentation: Maintaining clear, actionable documentation for team knowledge sharing
  • Mentorship: Sharing knowledge gained from two decades in IT with colleagues

Skills & Technologies

DevOps Tools

  • Configuration Management: Salt Stack, Rundeck
  • Containerization: Docker, container orchestration
  • Virtualization: Proxmox, VM management
  • Monitoring: Grafana, Prometheus
  • Repository Management: Sonatype Nexus
  • Version Control: Git, CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code

Programming & Scripting

  • .NET Development: .NET Framework/Core, C#, ASP.NET
  • Database Technologies: SQL Server, T-SQL, SSIS, SSRS, SSAS
  • Scripting Languages: PowerShell, Python, Bash
  • Web Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript

System Administration

  • Operating Systems: Linux (CentOS, Ubuntu, Debian), Windows Server
  • Networking: DNS management, reverse proxies, network configuration
  • Infrastructure: Self-hosting, service deployment and management
  • Security: Best practices implementation across development lifecycle

Monitoring & Observability

  • Dashboard Creation: Custom monitoring dashboards
  • Alert Management: Alert configuration and escalation procedures
  • Performance Optimization: System tuning and optimization
  • Log Management: Log aggregation and analysis

Looking Forward

I’m passionate about the intersection of traditional enterprise IT and modern cloud-native practices. My goal is to continue leveraging my deep technical foundation while embracing emerging technologies that improve system reliability, security, and operational efficiency.

Whether working on infrastructure automation, application deployment, or system monitoring, I bring a comprehensive understanding of both the technical challenges and business requirements that drive successful IT operations.

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