Stijn T., Linux Networking, Routing, Wireless and Microservices Engineer
Summary
- Experienced software engineer with 20+ years in Linux-based systems and infrastructure automation;
- Skilled in developing networking tools and microservices in C, Go, Rust, and Python;
- Hands-on experience with embedded platforms such as OpenWrt and LEDE;
- Worked with distributed networking tools including vallumd for IPset distribution;
- Experienced in firewall setup, routing, and network performance tuning;
- Built CI/CD pipelines and automated deployments using Terraform, Ansible, GitLab, and Docker;
- Familiar with Kubernetes and infrastructure-as-code practices in hybrid environments;
- Used Bash and Python to automate system processes and infrastructure tasks;
- Worked on wireless and telecom-related projects, including Express Wi-Fi and Android-based OTA tools;
- Maintained and customized Linux distributions across ARM, MIPS, and x86 architectures for embedded and cloud systems.
Work Experience
IT Consultant, TrendMiner
Duration: May 2024 - February 2025
Summary: TrendMiner is an industrial analytics platform focused on process manufacturing. Worked on post-acquisition Microsoft 365 tenant migration to align infrastructure across merged entities.
Responsibilities:
- Coordinated Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migration project following acquisition.
Technologies: Microsoft 365.
Software Developer, Tovera
Duration: April 2023 - May 2024
Summary: Tovera is the company behind Willow, an open-source voice assistant platform for private, on-device interaction. Contributed to voice application server and AI routing infrastructure for inference backends.
Responsibilities:
- Developed Willow Voice Assistant and application server components;
- Built an application gateway to manage AI inference server routing.
Technologies: C, Python, Rust.
Wireless Software Engineer, Meta
Duration: June 2021 - March 2023
Summary: Meta is a global leader in technology and connectivity. Worked on Express Wi-Fi and Facebook Wi-Fi infrastructure within the OpenWiFi/OpenWrt ecosystem to improve wireless access in emerging markets.
Responsibilities:
- Implemented Express Wi-Fi and Facebook Wi-Fi support in OpenWrt/OpenWiFi;
- Reported and resolved bugs in OpenWiFi;
- Created eBPF tool for ECN-CE marking (L4S research);
- Made FQ CoDel parameters in mac80211 configurable;
- Developed an Android service for APK/OTA installation automation.
Technologies: C, eBPF, Android, OpenWrt, OpenWiFi, Linux kernel, Python, Rust, Hack.
DevOps Engineer, TrendMiner
Duration: November 2017 - June 2021
Summary: TrendMiner is a self-service analytics company for time-series data in process industries. Supported the DevOps team by building CI/CD, IaC, and HA network infrastructure.
Responsibilities:
- Maintained CI/CD pipelines;
- Migrated cloud infrastructure to Infrastructure as Code (IaC);
- Supported performance testing and development operations;
- Automated SAML (ADFS) test environment deployment with Ansible;
- Designed and implemented the HA office network.
Technologies: Bash, Go, Java, PowerShell, Python, Ansible, Terraform, Docker, Kubernetes, Prometheus, Grafana, Nomad, Vault, Consul, GitLab, BitBucket, Bamboo, Smashing, AD, ADFS, CentOS, Windows Server, Azure, AWS.
Freelance DevOps / Embedded Projects
Duration: September 2016 - November 2017
Summary: Delivered DevOps automation, embedded firmware development, and network optimization for open-source and small business clients. Focused on OpenWrt/LEDE and Gentoo-based infrastructure.
Responsibilities:
- Migrated wireless networks to LEDE;
- Audited Linux infrastructure;
- Prepared LEDE stable releases on ARM, MIPS, x86;
- Maintained and packaged open-source software (e.g., Domoticz, Kodi, strongSwan);
- Developed Vallumd for IPset distribution;
- Implemented Gentoo auto-deployment with Ansible & Packer.
Technologies: Linux (Gentoo, OpenWrt/LEDE), Ansible, Packer, Domoticz, Kodi, strongSwan, vallumd.
DevOps Engineer, WimiOnline
Duration: April 2016 - August 2016
Summary: WimiOnline is a digital agency focused on web platforms and hosting. Designed and delivered a production-ready CI/CD environment based on containers.
Responsibilities:
- Created CI/CD pipeline using containers and virtualization;
- Wrote documentation and handed it over to internal staff.
Technologies: Bash, Python, Ubuntu, Docker, Ansible, BitBucket, Git, HAProxy, Nagios, Nginx, MySQL.
Cloud DevOps Engineer, Skyscrapers
Duration: September 2015 - December 2015
Summary: Skyscrapers provides DevOps-as-a-Service for SaaS companies and startups. Built cloud infrastructure using Terraform and Puppet with performance-focused debugging.
Responsibilities:
- Automated cloud infrastructure with Terraform & Puppet;
- Tuned performance of OS and application stacks;
- Conducted in-depth debugging.
Technologies: Terraform, Puppet, Bash, Python, Ubuntu, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Icinga2, Docker.
Linux Engineer, Proximus
Duration: March 2015 - July 2015
Summary: Proximus is Belgium’s largest telecommunications company. Maintained Linux servers and automated deployments for enterprise clients in the datacenter.
Responsibilities:
- Automated system deployment with Ansible;
- Performed migrations and updates;
- Improved Ansible playbooks.
Technologies: CentOS, Ansible, Bash, Python, MySQL.
Senior System Engineer, Telenet
Duration: March 2013 - February 2015
Summary: Telenet is one of Belgium’s leading telecom and media companies. Focused on streaming infrastructure, automating deployments, and OS lifecycle management.
Responsibilities:
- Maintained in-house video streaming systems;
- Implemented full automation with Ansible.
Technologies: CentOS, Ansible, Bash, Python, MySQL.
Senior Operations Coordinator, Telenet
Duration: March 2011 - December 2012
Summary: Supported enterprise infrastructure and hosted middleware platforms. Managed monitoring, tuning, and CI/CD processes.
Responsibilities:
- Handled VMware, Linux, and Windows server environments;
- Deployed PHP/Java apps on Apache, Nginx, Tomcat, Varnish;
- Managed CI with Jenkins and monitoring via Nagios/Observium;
- Tuned MySQL and hosted environments;
- Used Puppet for configuration management.
Technologies: Puppet, Jenkins, Nagios, Observium, MySQL, Apache, Nginx, Tomcat.
System Engineer, Seco
Duration: April 2010 - March 2011
Summary: Seco is a technical inspection and engineering company. Consolidated legacy servers and improved monitoring using open-source tools.
Responsibilities:
- Supported Linux, UNIX, and Windows servers;
- Introduced Cacti/Nagios monitoring;
- Performed server consolidation (P2V);
- Standardized deployments with AutoYaST on SuSE.
Technologies: SLES, Nagios, Cacti, VMware, Bash.
Freelance ICT Consultant
Duration: June 2009 - July 2012
Summary: Delivered open-source consulting services to SMEs and individual clients and focused on virtualization, networking, and web hosting.
Responsibilities:
- Set up DNS, mail, and web hosting;
- Tuned MySQL performance;
- Designed and implemented network infrastructure;
- Built KVM-based virtualization with auto-deployment.
Technologies: Linux (CentOS), KVM, libvirt, Cobbler, MySQL.
Linux & Open Source Consultant, Kangaroot
Duration: October 2007 - March 2009
Summary: Kangaroot is a consultancy specializing in open-source infrastructure. Supported Linux systems for clients and delivered training.
Responsibilities:
- Supported customer Linux infrastructure;
- Upgraded network backbone (1Gbps → 10Gbps);
- Delivered training on Linux, MySQL, LAMP stack, and virtualization.
Technologies: SuSE, Xen, MySQL, Apache, LAMP stack, OpenVPN, Samba.
Linux & Open Source Consultant, X-Tend
Duration: February 2007 - October 2007
Summary: X-Tend was an IT consultancy firm offering open-source network solutions. Delivered secure VPN/firewall setup and Linux training.
Responsibilities:
- Designed HA firewall/VPN solution on RHEL;
- Provided first-line support;
- Taught “Mastering UNIX shell scripts.”
Technologies: RHEL, Bash, VPN, Apache, Nagios.
ICT Administrator, Planet Consultants
Duration: August 2004 - September 2006
Summary: Managed internal IT operations for a consulting firm, including servers and client workstations, and maintained a mixed Linux/macOS environment.
Responsibilities:
- Designed and implemented corporate network and VPN;
- Deployed mail and web servers;
- Maintained Linux and macOS systems.
Technologies: Linux, macOS, VPN, Apache, MySQL.
Helpdesk Operator, Global Care NV
Duration: December 2002 - May 2005
Summary: Provided first-line technical support to residential and business users of Telenet services. Resolved issues via phone, email, and digital channels.
Responsibilities:
- Supported Telenet customers with internet, email, and connectivity issues;
- Handled helpdesk requests and tracked resolutions.
Technologies: Windows, networking basics, ticketing tools.
Education
Royal Athenaeum Louvain
IT Management - 6h math (2003 - 2005)
Certification
- Certified MySQL 5.0 DBA
- Novell Certified Linux Professional
Technical Environments - Used Applications, Tools & Languages
Tovera
Languages: C, Python, Rust
Meta
Environment:
- Cloud: Amazon
- Lud: Amazon
- Server: Amazon Linux, CentOS Stream
- Workstation: Fedora, macOS
Applications & Tools: Ansible, Confluence, Docker, Git, Jira, Kubernetes, VS Code, Wireshark
Languages: C, eBPF, Hack, Rust, ucode
Trendminer
Environment:
- Cloud: Amazon, Azure
- Server: CentOS 6/7/B, Windows Server 2012/2016
- Workstation: Gentoo
Applications & Tools: AD, ADFS, Ansible, Bamboo, BitBucket, Confluence, Consul, Docker, Grafana, Git, Gitlab, Jira, K3S, Kubernetes, LibVirt, Nomad, Prometheus, Qemu, Smashing, Terraform, Vault
Languages: Bash, Go, Java, PowerShell, Python
WimiOnline
Environment: Ubuntu 14.04/16.04
Applications & Tools: Apache, Ansible, BitBucket, Confluence, Docker, Foreman, Git, HAProxy, Jira, MySQL, Nagios, Nginx, PHP-FPM, Postfix, PowerDNS, Vmware
Languages: Bash, Python
Skyscrapers
Environment
- Cloud: Amazon, Digital Ocean, Linode
- Server: Ubuntu 10.04/12.04/14.04
- Workstation: Gentoo, Ubuntu
Applications & Tools: Apache, Bacula, Docker, Duplicity, Git, Hiera, Icinga2, MongoDB, MySQL, Nagios, Nginx, OpenDKIM, PHP-FPM, PostgreSQL, Puppet, PuppetDB, Terraform, Vagrant, Varnish
Languages: Bash, Python, SQL
Proximus
Environment:
- Server: CentOS 5/6/7
- Workstation: Gentoo
Applications & Tools: Ansible, Apache, Cobbler, Elasticsearch, Git, Kibana, Logstash, Mock, MySQL/MariaDB/Percona, Nagios, PHP-FPM, Pulp, Red Hat Satellite, Rsyslog
Languages: Perl, Python
Telenet
Environment:
- Server: CentOS 4/5/6/7, Vmware ESX(i), Windows Server 2003 & 2008
- Workstation: Fedora, Gentoo, Mac OSX
Applications & Tools: Ansible, Apache, Cobbler, Confluence, Crowd, CVS, Docker, Drupal, Elasticsearch, FishEye, Git, HAProxy, Jenkins, Jira, Kibana, Logstash, Memcached, Mock, MySQL, Nagios, Nginx, Observium, PHP-FPM, Postfix, PowerDNS, Puppet, Rsyslog, Samba, Subversion, Tomcat, Varnish, WordPress
Languages: Bash, PHP, Perl, Python, SQL
Seco
Environment:
- Server: Debian, Novell OES2, RHEL 5, SLES 10 & 11, Ubuntu, Vmware ESX(i), Windows Server 2003 & 2008
- Workstation: SLED 11, Windows XP, Windows 7
Applications & Tools: Apache, BIND, Cacti, Courier IMAP, DHCPD3, eDirectory, Exim, GNU Radius, GroupWise, KVM, MySQL, Nagios, Netfilter, NFS, Novell iFolder, Novell iPrint, OpenLDAP, OpenSSH, OpenVPN, Postfix, PowerDNS, Samba, Sendmail, Subversion, Xen
Languages: Bash, Perl, PHP, Python, SQL
Kangaroot
Environment:
- Server: CentOS, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, RedHat, SLES
- Workstation: Fedora, Gentoo, Windows XP
Applications & Tools: Amavis, Apache, Asterisk, AtMail, BIND, Cacti, ClamAV, Cobbler, CUPS, Cyrus IMAP + SASL, DHCPD3, Endian Firewall, Exim, KVM, MailScanner, MySQL, Nagios, Netfilter, NET SNMP, Open-E, OpenLDAP, OpenNMS, OpenSSH, OpenVPN, Postfix, PureFTPD, Qemu, Samba, Sendmail, Squid, Subversion, SugarCRM, Tinyproxy, Tomcat, VRRPD, Xen, Zenoss, Zimbra
Languages: Bash, PHP, Perl, SQL
X-tend
Environment:
- Server: CentOS, Debian, RedHat, SuSE
- Workstation: Fedora, Gentoo
Applications & Tools: Alfresco, Amavis, Apache, Asterisk, BIND, ClamAV, DHCPD3, MailScanner, MySQL, Nagios, Netfilter, OpenLDAP, OpenSSH, OpenVPN, OpenXchange, Postfix, Postgres, Samba, Sendmail, Subversion, Xen
Languages: Bash, PHP, Perl, SQL
Planet Consultants
Environment:
- Server: Debian, Windows XP/embedded
- Workstation: Gentoo, Mac OS9/OSX
Applications & Tools: Amavis, Apache2, BIND, ClamAV, DHCPD3, Dovecot, Eclipse, Fetchmail, Horde2 + IMP3, MRTG, Munin, MySQL, Netfilter, NET SNMP, OpenSSH, OpenVPN, Postfix, ProFTPd, Putty, Quagga, Samba, Snort, SpamAssassin, Subversion
Languages: Bash, CSS, PHP, Perl, SQL, XHTML
Own infrastructure, various projects
Environment:
- Server: CentOS, Debian, Gentoo, LEDE/OpenWrt, Ubuntu
- Workstation: Gentoo, Mac OSX
Applications & Tools: Ansible, BIRD, Cobbler, Conntrackd, Docker, Domoticz, Drupal, ElasticSearch, FreeSWITCH, Gitlab (+CI), Graylog, Keepalived, MailCleaner, MongoDB, Net-SNMP, Netfilter, Nginx, Odoo, OpenVPN, PHP-FPM, Postfix, PostgreSQL, PowerDNS, Puppet, Quagga, Redis, Salt, SpamAssassin, Subversion, Unbound, Varnish, WordPress, Zabbix
Languages: Bash, PHP, Python, SQL