Resume
Matthew L. Davidson
Senior Linux Systems Administrator & Site Reliability Engineer
Professional Summary
Senior Infrastructure Engineer with 20+ years of experience designing, implementing, and maintaining enterprise Linux environments serving millions of users. Proven expertise in Site Reliability Engineering, email infrastructure, and automation development. Successfully evolved from hands-on system administration to SRE practices, with demonstrated ability to improve system reliability, reduce downtime, and implement scalable solutions.
Specialties: Large-scale email systems • Linux administration • Infrastructure automation • Performance optimization • Incident response • DevOps practices
Core Technical Skills
Operating Systems: Linux (RHEL, Debian, CentOS, Ubuntu), Unix (Solaris, OpenVMS)
Infrastructure: Docker, Kubernetes, OpenFaaS, VMware, KVM/QEMU
Automation & Config Mgmt: Ansible, Bash scripting, Python automation
Monitoring & Observability: Grafana, Kibana, Telegraf, custom dashboards
Web & Load Balancing: Apache, HAProxy, F5 load balancers
Email Infrastructure: Postfix, Dovecot Pro, Open-Xchange App Suite, DNS
Databases: MySQL (DBA), PostgreSQL, Oracle, Informix
CI/CD: GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins pipeline development
Cloud Technologies: Multi-cloud deployments, containerization
Professional Experience
Software Analyst / Site Reliability Engineer | Open-Xchange
August 2019 – Present
Lead technical specialist supporting enterprise email and collaboration platforms serving millions of users globally. Evolved role from traditional support to Site Reliability Engineering with focus on automation, monitoring, and infrastructure optimization.
Key Achievements:
- Reduced system downtime by 40% through proactive monitoring and automated incident response
- Automated report generation using Python, eliminating 15+ hours of manual work weekly
- Developed GitLab CI/CD pipelines for deployment automation, reducing deployment time by 60%
- Optimized email infrastructure serving thousands to millions of users with 99.9% uptime
- Created comprehensive monitoring dashboards providing real-time visibility into system health
Technical Focus:
- Full-stack email administration (DNS, Postfix, Dovecot Pro, App Suite)
- Linux system optimization across Debian and Red Hat environments
- Apache web server and HAProxy load balancer configuration
- MySQL database performance tuning and administration
- Advanced MTA troubleshooting and optimization
Technologies: Linux (Debian/RHEL), Apache, HAProxy, MySQL, Postfix, Dovecot Pro, Python, Bash, GitLab
Site Reliability Engineer | Dell SecureWorks
June 2015 – August 2019 (Promoted from Systems Adviser)
Promoted from System Adviser to SRE role supporting critical internal and client-facing applications. Pioneered company’s first SRE dashboard initiative, establishing monitoring standards adopted company-wide.
Key Achievements:
- Built first enterprise SRE dashboard using Grafana/Telegraf, improving system visibility by 300%
- Designed automated failover solution with F5 load balancer integration, achieving zero-downtime redirects
- Reduced customer portal downtime by 65% through proactive monitoring and automated responses
- Implemented change management processes using eGRC, improving deployment success rate
- Supported development teams with CI/CD pipeline improvements and automation
Technologies: Ansible, Jenkins, Python, Bash, Grafana, Kibana, F5 Load Balancers
Linux Systems Administrator | Tower Hill Insurance Group
February 2012 – June 2015
Managed enterprise Red Hat Linux infrastructure supporting critical insurance applications and databases.
Key Achievements:
- Deployed 50+ Red Hat Linux servers across physical and virtual environments
- Researched and implemented task automation tools (Azkaban, Chronos) improving efficiency
- Created innovative Linux live CD solution for secure Terminal Server access
- Developed comprehensive backup strategy ensuring 99.9% data recovery capability
Technologies: Red Hat Enterprise Linux, VMware, Git, Subversion, MySQL, Apache
Owner & Senior Consultant | MLD Services
September 2009 – February 2012
Founded and operated IT services company providing web hosting and enterprise consulting services to multiple clients.
Key Achievements:
- Built CentOS hosting platform serving client websites
- Automated backup and maintenance processes using Bash scripting
- Provided enterprise consulting including email services for customers
Linux Systems Administrator | TEKsystems (Lexmark)
June 2011 – February 2012 (Contract through MLD Services)
Managed cloud-based printing infrastructure serving enterprise customers in virtual environments.
Key Responsibilities:
- Deployed Red Hat Linux 5.x virtual machines with ActiveMQ, Apache, PostgreSQL
- Managed multi-cloud deployments with Cincinnati Bell and Verizon providers
- Multi-environment management: Development, QA, Production environments
Technologies: Red Hat Linux 5.x, ActiveMQ, Apache, PostgreSQL, Network File Systems
Contract Systems Administrator | IBM Data Center
January 2011 – June 2011 (Contract through MLD Services)
Provided enterprise Linux and Hardware support for IBM’s Fortune 500 customers.
Key Responsibilities:
- Enterprise infrastructure lifecycle: deployment, troubleshooting, hardware support
- Network administration and system automation
- Bash scripting for operational automation
Technologies: Linux and BASH
Systems Manager | US District Courts, Eastern District of Kentucky
June 2002 – September 2009
Managed critical infrastructure for federal court system across six courthouse locations, serving thousands of court personnel and public users.
Key Achievements:
- Developed public jury notification system using Fedora Linux and Plone CMS, improving citizen experience
- Implemented distributed file synchronization for traveling judges using Linux/Unison
- Redesigned court website (kyed.uscourts.gov) with cross-browser compatibility
- Managed multi-platform environment (Linux, Windows, Solaris) with 99.5% availability
- Automated Windows XP deployment across six courthouses using Sysprep imaging
Technologies: Red Hat Linux, Fedora, Solaris, Plone/Zope, Informix, VBScript automation
Level 3 Support Technician | Siemens Business Services (Toyota)
April 2000 – June 2002
Provided Level 1, 2, and 3 support for manufacturing facility’s critical assembly line systems and network infrastructure.
Key Achievements:
- Maintained 99.9% uptime for Assembly Control System (OpenVMS/Oracle)
- Managed enterprise network hardware (Cisco 6509, 3548, IBM 8260/8271)
- Administered Compaq/HP servers supporting Toyota’s proprietary manufacturing systems
- Developed troubleshooting procedures reducing average incident resolution time by 30%
Certifications & Education
Professional Certifications:
- Linux Professional Institute LPIC-1 (2014)
- SUSE Certified Linux Administrator (CLA) (2014)
- CompTIA A+ (1999)
- Microsoft Networking Essentials (2001)
Education:
- High School Diploma - Lexington Lafayette High School (1984)
Personal Technical Lab
Maintain comprehensive homelab environment for continuous learning and experimentation:
Current Technologies:
- Virtualization: KVM/QEMU hypervisor management
- Container Orchestration: Docker, Kubernetes
- Email Infrastructure: Complete Postfix/Dovecot/Open-Xchange stack
- Monitoring: Grafana dashboards and alerting
- Storage: Nextcloud self-hosted file storage
Professional Focus
🎯 Seeking: Senior Linux/DevOps/SRE roles in enterprise environments
🚀 Expertise: Large-scale infrastructure, email systems, automation, reliability engineering
📍 Open to: Remote opportunities or Cincinnati, Louisville, Lexington KY areas
Contact
Professional Network: LinkedIn
Email: matt@davidsons.net
Technical Blog: This Website
| *Last Updated: $(date ‘+%B %Y’) | References Available Upon Request* |