Jan-96 Jul-97: Netservice ISP
I worked for netservice as system administrator. This was my very first experience sysadmin experience, after my 1 year experience on my linux box. Netservice was loosely managed remotely from their service provider. When they switched their main connection to the net, I was in charge of the transition. At first glance their server needed heavy maintenance, so i dumped data and reconfigured the network from scratch. Network topology was kinda simple: a C class network subnetted into a two 32host subnets. On the first subnet we had our default gateway, a linux 1.2.13 in charge of doing all the duties (dns server, web server, ftp server, mail server, dial-up router), then we had a Cisco 2501, used to "jump" to the second subnet (over a 19,200bps syncronous link). The second network nearly duplicated the first one (cache only dns, mirrored web server, internal ftp server, mail relay, dial-up router).
Jan-97 Apr-98: Systema BIC Basilicata
I was in charge of designing the core network and services, allowing workers to share documents within workgroups, using internal messaging, connecting every worker to the World Wide Web. The company wanted a Microsoft solution. The network was based on a couple of PPro servers running Microsoft Windows NT Server (PDC and BDC), fast ethernet adapters on the servers and 10Mbps ethernet links for client machines. Internal messaging was based on a MS PostOffice, document were shared on the main servers who had 3tapes set backup procedure. Every client reached the internet with a SOCKS proxy/firewall placed on a third server who dialed the local ISP with an analog connection when needed.
Dec-96 Nov-97: ViPa Soluzioni Informatiche s.a.s.
I worked as a consultant for this company when they needed to setup a UNIX server who had to guarantee basic SQL service, DNS service and e-mail service. Keeping in mind my Linux experience and after nearly 4 months training on my home box I decided to switch to FreeBSD for it's better stability, performance, manageability and system facilities. I installed FreeBSD-2.1.6_RELEASE, setup some domains and related websites with apache webserver, configured sendmail fort virtual domain hosting and modified pop3d to bind to different interfaces and providing "true" virtual pop3d hosting (e.g. same userids on the same machine). I also installed mSQL database engine and modified apache auth module to use w3-auth as THE security manager for the websites hosted. Machine reached 6 months uptime and died when my friend Francesco wanted to "try" the UPS unplugging it from the wall.
I was also in charge of configuring their leased lines. I experimented an uncommon (but very quick) syncronous link over analog line (2x28.800 USRCouriers). Couriers were directly connected to the routers WAN ports working as syncronous modems. They operated without a glitch, latency was at most 130ms!! and they used transfer up to 4Kbytes/sec point-to-point. In June we started to provide ISDN service for dial-up users, using external terminal adapters connected to the router with asyncronous ports running at 230,000bps. I modified Cisco TACACS+ server to comply with different type of contracts, such as daily time quota, yearly time quota, time interval during day, type of ISDN service (single channel, MCPPP, w/ Stac compression).
Dec-98 ...: Utopia Networking
With the experience gathered in past mission, I builded up Utopia Networking structure in a few weeks. I choosed a tested and stable mixed OS environment: UNIX and NT. Microsoft Windows NT was used mainly for its integration with Windows95 clients, and for the availability of FrontPage Extension that some of our clients use to manage their websites. Because of the low system usage NT was also used as a dial-up router for ISDN users, we had 8 inbound B channels (64000bps each). FreeBSD on the other side had the greater responsibility in the network because of the duties it was in charge of. Elisa acted as DNS server, mail server, web server support, SQL server and small application server.
Mar-98 Apr-00: N.Ex.T. Communications
N.Ex.T. had a loosely configurated and managed WindowsNT Server housed in a local ISP. When they decided to be directely connected to the net, I was called to rearrange their structure. I decided to switch from WindowsNT to FreeBSD because of my experience on that system, but mainly because of its proven stability and manageability from remote site. Their server works as a multidomain mail server, multidomain web server, SQL server and FTP Server.
Jul 98 ...: Sintesi.net
Sintesi.NET is an Internet
Service Provider located in Battipaglia (SA) - Italy. It works in conjuction
with Utopia Networking to offer basic and extended internet connectivity to
end users and companies. I'm senior system administrator for Sintesi. I
administer their UNIX servers who run e-mail services, virtual web-hosting,
custom web applications and last but not least the RADIUS server. The latter is used to control a
Network Access Server conected to a PRI line. The NAS provides both
analog V.90/K56flex
and ISDN connectivity. Plus, I installed other routers to manage links
over leased lines. Static and dynamic routing has been deployed.
The network runs over OSPF. I modified the RADIUS daemon to integrate it with a SQL engine and wrote from the ground up the foXISP software
to manage the users and the resellers from the ground up. foXISP has a web
interface and is an easy to use solution for managing medium sized ISPs
(<10000 users). Of course the operating system of choice is FreeBSD.
Breaking news: 2Mbps HDSL link is here! Hard working for ipfw, dummynet
and natd :) Why dummynet? Have a look on Telecom Italia website to get
pricing policy
for such link.
Aug-98 ...: GemicaNET
Gemicanet is a new Internet Service Provider located in Montoro Inferiore (AV) - Italy. They provide basic connectivity (33.6kbps Dial-up connections) as well as web authoring and hosting. I installed a server with FreeBSD. WEB, e-mail, ftp, sql and PPP dial-up access are the services that Desiree provides. I also wrote a simple visual shell to allow the sales department to create, change or delete dial-up accounts, mailboxes, and aliases, as well as checking logfiles for history and monitoring purposes.
Jul-99 Sep-99: C.D. Informatica
C.D. Informatica is a Web Hosting and Publishing company located in Chieti. They offer all-in-one web solutions to small and medium size companies. Their Gaia server, is based on FreeBSD and provides web, mail, ftp and SQL services, acting as a firewall as well.
Dec-99 Aug-00: Jumpy
Jumpy is the main product of Europortal S.p.A (Milan, Italy). This portal has lots of services and servers :-) ... to administer and take care of. I'm in charge of administering production and development servers. I'm actually working on Solaris as main operating system and iPlanet server software. FreeBSD has been adopted to make "light" tasks such as firewalling, routing and support.
Sep-00: Grande Fratello
I worked as consultant for troubleshooting and service recovery for Grande Fratello (the Italian Big Brother) web site. This webfarm (web and video streaming) had millions of hits during the first launch days and it needed at first to be reengineered and then to be fine tuned. It was exciting seeing the farm filling up it's 155Mbps link to the MIX (Milan Internet eXchange) after the job was done :-) Keywords: Solaris, Microsoft WindowsMedia Services, Apache, SunScreen, Cisco PIX Firewall, Load Balancing, IP Multicast.
Oct-00 Jan-01: e.Biscom
Keywords: sysadmin, Solaris, FreeBSD, CheckPoint FW-1, Level 4/7 switching, video streaming, NIS+, Jakarta Tomcat. Products: http://www.ilnuovo.it http://www.gameon.it http://www.techtrends.it
Aug-01 -: Internaviga
Working for Internaviga I wrote a search/directory engine based on IRC chat contents (channels, topics, etc) for Excite Italia. Keywords: IRC, perl, PHP, sql.
Nov-01 - Oct-03: Virgilio/TIN
Keywords: sysadmin, security, directory services, web development
Dec-03 -: Telecom Italia
Keywords: security