About Austin Barnes and Cinderblock.tech

Welcome to Cinderblock.tech! My name is Austin Barnes, and this website is my personal side project where I share a variety of content. I’m a tech enthusiast with a passion for exploring different aspects of technology. In my professional life, I work as an Infrastructure Engineer at Battelle. Prior to that, I gained experience as a Linux Support for Pennsylvania College of Technology and as a Network Technician for Jersey Shore Area School District. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Network Administration and Engineering from Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Interests

In the realm of Information Technology, I have a wide range of interests and expertise:

IaaS with the Terraform platform: I enjoy working with Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) using the Terraform platform.
Networking: Networking is a particular area of interest for me, and I am well-versed in various aspects such as network automation, homelab networking, and cloud networking.
Cloud Technologies: I have hands-on experience with cloud platforms like AWS and Azure, and I enjoy exploring different cloud services and functionalities.
Homelab: I maintain a homelab powered by Proxmox and actively experiment with various technologies, including Kubernetes.
Web Development: I have experience building websites using platforms like Wordpress and Hugo.
Kubernetes: I am fascinated by Kubernetes and have worked with K3s and Rancher.

Outside of Tech

Beyond my tech interests, I enjoy engaging in various activities:

Drones & Photography: I have a passion for drones and enjoy capturing moments through photography.
Snowboarding: I love hitting the slopes and indulging in snowboarding whenever I get the chance.
Hiking: Exploring nature through hiking is one of my favorite ways to unwind.
Hunting/Fishing: I appreciate the outdoors and enjoy hunting and fishing as hobbies.

Education Background

My educational journey has equipped me with the necessary knowledge and skills:

Pennsylvania College of Technology
- Bachelor of Science - Network Administration and Engineering
- Associate of Applied Science - Network and User Support

Certifications

I have achieved the following certifications:

Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA Security+
Currently pursuing Terraform certification.

Professional Experience

Throughout my career, I have gained valuable experience in various roles:

Battelle
- Full-Time Contractor Infrastructure Engineer | January 2023 - Present
Pennsylvania College of Technology
- Full-Time Linux Support | September 2022 - January 2023
Jersey Shore Area School District
- Full-Time Network Technician | June 2022 - September 2022
- Part-Time Network Technician | June 2020 - May 2022
- Information Technology Intern | August 2018 - May 2020
Nuweld Inc
- Contract Technician | March 2020 - April 2020

Professional Projects

Over the course of my career, I have worked on various professional projects, including:

Imaging System using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit with Windows Deployment Services
- Automation of driver injection, software deployment, updates, and Windows environment setup
- Creation of custom-crafted .wim images
SSTP VPN Setup with Radius & Authentication
- Certification and user-based authentication using NPS (Network Policy Server)
Zabbix Network Monitoring Implementation
- Monitoring networking devices with SNMPv3
- Monitoring Windows and Linux servers with secure PSK authentication
- Configuring notification alerts
Camera Monitoring System
- Setting up and implementing Verkada Camera access
- Configuring network requirements
NPS Authentication with Networking Equipment
- User-based authentication on networking equipment based on role in Active Directory
Migration to Intune MDM system for Windows Devices
- Policy setup for staff and students
- Software deployment
And more…

Feel free to explore some of my projects on my Projects page and also on GitHub.

Thank you for visiting Cinderblook.com!