Alan Baker

Led Linux systems engineering for proprietary, regulated lottery systems supporting large-scale domestic and international product deployments across distributed, compliance-sensitive environments. Managed RHEL platform engineering, OS hardening, deployment automation, production troubleshooting, backup/restore operations, and system imaging, while also supporting corporate IT infrastructure, including network device administration, Samba services, Windows Server, Active Directory, security monitoring, PKI/TLS workflows, and cross-platform integration.

• Drove RHEL 9 standardization and hardening across globally deployed lottery systems and corporate environments, improving consistency, security posture, and deployment repeatability.
• Automated lottery system deployments using standardized base images, PXE/Kickstart provisioning, post-install scripts, tar-based backup and restore workflows, boot customization, and disk imaging procedures.
• Built and maintained KVM/libvirt and Podman environments supporting Linux and Windows workloads for rapid provisioning, testing, and production validation.
• Supported proprietary lottery platforms built on Apache/PHP, PostgreSQL, and Java, resolving complex production issues across OS, application, database, hardware, and network layers.
• Designed, installed, and configured a multi-server Windows Server and Active Directory environment, including domain controllers, DNS, Group Policy, file services, Samba integration, and user migration.
• Engineered custom SELinux policy modules and file-context rules using AVC analysis to maintain enforcing mode for production applications.
• Implemented PKI/TLS workflows, including internal certificate authority support, certificate lifecycle management, trust chain deployment, and secure service integration.
• Deployed and troubleshot centralized security monitoring using Wazuh, Suricata, Filebeat, and OpenSearch across Linux, Windows, and network devices.
• Supported high-availability services using HAProxy and Keepalived, ensuring backend availability and failover continuity.
• Administered and automated Bacula backup infrastructure with PostgreSQL catalog and LTO tape storage, including job scheduling, retention policies, and recovery validation.
• Diagnosed Java and device-integration issues involving sockets, dependencies, logging, serial communication, and PostgreSQL-backed workflows.
• Configured and validated PostgreSQL-backed services, including schema deployment, XML/application updates, ODBC connectivity, and linked-server troubleshooting.
• Resolved complex boot and imaging issues involving Secure Boot/SBAT, GRUB2, BLS, EFI, initramfs rebuilds, filesystem repair, and SELinux relabeling.
• Developed internal web UI and system-control components using PHP, JavaScript, and CSS for system management and automation.
• Created MOPs, deployment documentation, validation procedures, rollback plans, and rollout guides for infrastructure and production changes.
• Managed internal platforms and deployment workflows for Nextcloud, Mantis, osTicket, MediaWiki, and Snipe-IT, including SSL renewals, QC procedures, and operational support.

• Provided technical systems support, POS infrastructure support, workstation troubleshooting, inventory-system assistance, and operational continuity across retail environments.
• Resolved end-user, peripheral, networking, and application issues while supporting daily business operations and minimizing downtime.

• Supported high-volume automated pharmacy systems from startup through shutdown, maintaining workflow across robotics, conveyors, scanners, sorters, compressors, vial cappers, and labeling systems.
• Performed hardware, software, network, PLC, pneumatic, and user-interface troubleshooting with root-cause analysis to reduce recurring failures and production interruption.
• Collaborated with staff and vendors during critical production incidents while helping maintain daily throughput exceeding 40,000 prescriptions.

• Led design verification, staging, assembly, configuration, factory testing, and QA for integrated technology systems, including structured cabling, cable lacing, hardware validation, and documentation.
• Executed end-to-end system integration deployments covering inventory, procurement coordination, equipment installation, DC power distribution, OS image customization, and acceptance testing.
• Supported compliance with Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, ISO, and TL9000 requirements while contributing to operations supporting approximately $44M in annual revenue.

• Administered and maintained Linux/UNIX application infrastructure, middleware, messaging, web, database, directory, monitoring, and VoIP services with emphasis on reliability, backup, and performance tuning.
• Deployed and supported MySQL, Sendmail, Sun Java Messaging Server, Zimbra, Apache, Tomcat, Bind DNS, LDAP, RADIUS, SSL certificates, SIP, RTP/RTCP, STUN, Bugzilla, CVS, and Subversion.
• Administered DAS, NAS, and SAN environments using NFS, Fibre Channel, FCoE, and iSCSI; automated backup processes and preventative maintenance workflows.
• Integrated OpenSER/SIP Express Router with LDAP authentication using RADIUS.
• Generated network/service reporting through MRTG, RRDTool, and Zabbix.
• Served as technical lead on major product and service initiatives, including Clique video phone platform implementation and production support.