Hamilton, Ontario ·

Matthew Francis

Started in telecom, moved into networking, now working in systems administration. Outside of work I run a homelab where I replicate real infrastructure problems and break things on purpose to understand why they work.

5+ Years in field
3 Roles in IT
Things broken
& fixed
↓ scroll to explore
01 — About

How I got here.

I found my footing doing field work — cable tech, then fiber optics, then network infrastructure at a steel mill in Hamilton. Hands-on work clicked for me in a way that nothing else had.

That foundation led me into systems administration. Now I'm at an MSP managing client environments across Windows, Linux, Azure AD, Proxmox, and WireGuard VPN daily. Every client is different, every problem requires actually understanding the system.

Outside of work I run a homelab where I replicate real infrastructure problems and break things on purpose. That's just how I learn best.

What I'm looking for: A role where I can grow into infrastructure engineering, cloud, or security — somewhere that values people who think in systems and actually want to understand what's happening under the hood.

2025 — Present
IT Technician
Weidmark Integrated Technologies · Guelph, ON
2023 — 2025
Network Technician
Max Aicher North America · Hamilton, ON
2020 — 2023
Fiber Optic Splicer
Connectall Communications · Beamsville, ON
2013 — 2016
Network Engineering & System Analysis
Mohawk College
02 — Skills
[ SYS ]

Systems

Windows Server Windows 10/11 Linux / Ubuntu Active Directory Group Policy
[ NET ]

Networking

TCP/IP DNS / DHCP VLANs WireGuard VPN LAN / WAN Fiber Optic Switching
[ VRT ]

Virtualization

Proxmox VE Virtual Machines LXC Containers Docker Snapshots
[ CLD ]

Cloud & Identity

Microsoft 365 Entra ID / Azure AD Azure Fundamentals Secure Score MFA / Policies
[ OPS ]

Tools & Operations

HaloPSA RMM Platforms 3CX VoIP Bitwarden Remote Support
[ AI ]

Emerging / Homelab

Ollama Open WebUI MCP Protocol Tailscale Bookstack Self-hosted AI
03 — Projects
// 001

Proxmox Virtualization Homelab

Full virtualization environment simulating enterprise infrastructure. Windows Server domain controller, Linux VMs, segmented VLANs, VPN connectivity, and intentional break/fix scenarios to sharpen troubleshooting skills.

Proxmox VE Windows Server Active Directory WireGuard VLANs
// 002

Active Directory Lab

Domain environment for testing authentication, group policy, user management, and enterprise identity workflows. Built to simulate real MSP client scenarios.

Active Directory DNS Group Policy Windows Server
// 003

M365 Security Hardening

Reviewing and improving Secure Score across managed tenants. MFA, Conditional Access, identity protection policies.

Microsoft 365 Entra ID Secure Score
// 004

LAN/WAN Infrastructure

Structured cabling, Aruba switching migration, IP surveillance, copper and fiber deployments at an industrial scale.

LAN/WAN Aruba Fiber Pelco
// 005

Fiber Optic Infrastructure

Three years of hands-on fiber — fusion splicing, termination, FTTH quality assurance, and field diagnostics. The foundation that made everything else click.

FTTH Fusion Splicing OTDR Telecom
04 — Contact

I bring a hands-on background, a homelab that never stops growing, and a genuine need to understand how things work. If that sounds useful to you, reach out.

Open to work

Available for new opportunities

Based in Hamilton, Ontario. Open to remote, hybrid, or onsite roles in the GTA/Hamilton area.

Sysadmin IT Technician Infrastructure Network Admin Cloud Support Jr. Security