💡 Overview
This page highlights a selection of customer projects I have worked on throughout my career as a Network and Network Automation Engineer. The focus is on real-world projects where I contributed to design, implementation, automation, and operational improvement of network infrastructures across enterprise, government, and service provider environments.
Given the number of customers, assignments, and parallel projects over the years, not all work is represented here. Instead, the projects below were chosen to illustrate the breadth of experience and the types of challenges I have tackled, with an emphasis on automation initiatives that delivered tangible benefits in efficiency, scalability, and reliability.
The projects below emphasize hands-on delivery, collaboration with stakeholders, and measurable improvements in efficiency, scalability, and reliability.
✨ Projects
🛠️ Current & Recent Projects 🛠️
For confidentiality reasons, customer names cannot be disclosed. The projects below reflect recent and ongoing work across enterprise and data center environments.
Customer A
Project: Custom Platform for Datacenter Resource Optimization
Role: Senior Network Automation Consultant
Details:
- Contributed to the design and development of a custom platform focused on datacenter resource optimization
- Demonstrated and positioned Nautobot as a source of truth and automation platform
- Assisted in modeling and implementing custom Nautobot data models aligned with business and technical requirements
- Introduced Design Builder for rack-based solutions and kickstarted its adoption using custom Design Builder jobs
- Developed initial Design Builder workflows to model racks, devices, and placement logic
- Defined and documented coding guardrails to support development teams, covering structure, quality, and maintainability standards
Outcome:
Enabled a scalable automation foundation, standardized rack design workflows, and improved consistency across development efforts while accelerating platform adoption.
Customer B
Project: Disaster Recovery Automation for Load Balancers
Role: Senior Network Automation Consultant
Details:
- Designed and developed a lightweight custom automation module to support disaster recovery scenarios
- Built tooling to recover and reinitialize load balancer platforms as part of an audit-driven DR requirement
- Implemented automated upgrade workflows for F5 TMOS and F5 R-Series load balancers
- Focused on minimal dependencies and fast execution to ensure reliability in high-pressure recovery situations
- Aligned the solution with audit, compliance, and operational recovery requirements
Outcome:
Provided a reliable and auditable recovery mechanism for critical load balancing infrastructure, significantly reducing recovery time and manual intervention during disaster recovery events.
🏛️ Customer: Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA)
Project: Network Automation for Rapid Site Deployment
Role: Automation Network Engineer
COA continuously opens new reception locations, requiring fast and repeatable network deployments. Manual configuration was time-consuming and error-prone.
Details:
- Designed and implemented network automation to support rapid rollout of new locations
- Built Nautobot as a source of truth for network data
- Built custom Nautobot jobs for configuration generation and deployment
- Implemented Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) for Cisco IOS-XE devices
- Integrated Cisco DNA Center for provisioning
- Managed firmware lifecycle and automation environment upgrades
Outcome:
Significantly reduced deployment time per location and improved consistency and reliability across sites.
🏛️ Customer: SSC-ICT (Shared Service Center for Dutch Ministries)
Project: Network & Security Automation Initiatives
Role: Automation Network Engineer
SSC-ICT supports multiple Dutch ministries and required automation to reduce operational load and improve consistency.
Details:
- Developed Python scripts for API-based automation
- Researched and implemented F5 AS3 automation
- Implemented PAM documentation portal
- Contributed to CMDB automation using TOPdesk
- Designed internal change portals and Jira workflows
Outcome:
Reduced manual effort for network and security changes and improved auditability across teams.
📡 Customer: Tele2 Netherlands
Project: Core Network Operations & Infrastructure Modernization
Role: Network Engineer / Security Engineer
Tele2 operated a large-scale service provider network supporting enterprise and consumer services. The environment combined day-to-day operations with continuous improvement and modernization projects.
Details:
- Managed core and backbone IP/VPN infrastructure
- Maintained and optimized firewall and load balancer platforms
- Performed IPsec VPN migrations and platform upgrades
- Upgraded F5 load balancers and migrated monitoring platforms
- Consolidated and restructured switching environments across multiple sites
- Migrated data center equipment and modernized media farm environments
- Optimized DDoS mitigation parameters on core routers
- Introduced Python scripting to automate search, reporting, and configuration tasks
Outcome:
Improved stability, scalability, and operational efficiency within a high-availability telecom environment while reducing manual operational effort.
🏢 Customer: LeasePlan Digital BV
Project: Network Intelligence & Compliance Automation (NIP)
Role: Automation Network Engineer
LeasePlan required accurate and auditable network compliance reporting for regulatory purposes, including European Central Bank requirements.
Details:
- Participated in the Network Intelligence Program (NIP) as automation specialist
- Built and tested automation workflows using Intential
- Automated onboarding of Cisco Nexus, Cisco ASA, Palo Alto firewalls, and Panorama
- Collected and reported network-wide device data
- Implemented automated workflows for Aruba CX firmware upgrades
- Supported Scrum teams with automation and reporting
Outcome:
Delivered reliable compliance reporting and improved visibility into the global network landscape.
📦 Customer: PostNL
Project: Data Center Migration & Network Modernization
Role: Network Engineer
PostNL migrated data centers while maintaining availability for logistics and retail systems.
Details:
- Managed Cisco switching and routing infrastructure
- Performed DNS migrations to cloud providers and Akamai Anti-DDoS
- Migrated IPsec tunnels and firewall policies
- Implemented Meraki switching and Cisco ISE/ACS
- Unbundled legacy networks and redesigned traffic flows
- Supported large-scale migrations across multiple locations
Outcome:
Successful data center transition with minimal service disruption and improved resilience.
🏦 Customer: Rabobank
Project: Firewall Policy Implementation
Role: Network Security Specialist
Rabobank required strict firewall governance within a highly regulated banking environment.
Details:
- Implemented firewall policies in the Rabobank NOC environment
- Worked within strict change and approval processes
- Ensured compliance with internal security standards
Outcome:
Reliable and compliant firewall policy execution within a critical financial infrastructure.
🏬 Customer: Action (Retail)
Project: Network Transition & Cloud Proxy Rollout
Role: Network Engineer
Action migrated from local to centralized network management across hundreds of stores.
Details:
- Supported migration to centralized network management
- Implemented Symantec cloud proxy for ~900 stores
- Deployed and managed Cisco switching and wireless infrastructure
- Improved monitoring using PRTG and Cacti
- Designed redundancy at network and server levels
Outcome:
Improved manageability, security, and resilience across international retail locations.
📌 Closing Note
These projects represent a cross-section of my experience in network engineering and automation, ranging from traditional infrastructure projects to modern, API-driven automation initiatives. The common theme is pragmatic automation: solving real operational problems while keeping systems reliable, auditable, and maintainable.
