MATTHEW LAZEAR

I'm Matthew, an IT technician in the Seattle area.

I'm Matthew, an IT technician in the Seattle area.

I'm Matthew, an IT technician in the Seattle area.

I’m reorienting my career path from digital product design to IT, grounded in a proactive learning style, technical curiosity, and well-developed interpersonal and analytical strengths.

I’m reorienting my career path from digital product design to IT, grounded in a proactive learning style, technical curiosity, and well-developed interpersonal and analytical strengths.

I’m reorienting my career path from digital product design to IT, grounded in a proactive learning style, technical curiosity, and well-developed interpersonal and analytical strengths.

Certifications

Certifications

Certifications

CompTIA A+ (May 2024)

CompTIA Network+ (September 2024)

Homelab Projects

Homelab Projects

Homelab Projects

Aimed at advancing my general IT knowledge

Aimed at advancing my general IT knowledge

Dedicated Proxmox VM Server

Dedicated Proxmox VM Server

Built a virtualization and containerization platform (AMD Ryzen 5 7600, 64 GB RAM) for infrastructure lifecycle management, including OS/application patching, upgrade validation, and implementing comprehensive disaster recovery plans.

UniFi Network Configuration

UniFi Network Configuration

Engineered and deployed an SMB-class UniFi network infrastructure (Cloud Gateway, managed switches, and APs). This project focused on advanced configuration tasks including VLAN-based network segmentation, ACL implementation, QoS traffic prioritization, and network performance monitoring.

Engineered and deployed an SMB-class UniFi network infrastructure (Cloud Gateway, managed switches, and APs). This project focused on advanced configuration tasks including VLAN-based network segmentation, ACL implementation, QoS traffic prioritization, and network performance monitoring.

TrueNAS Scale

TrueNAS Scale

Designed and implemented a high-availability ZFS-based network attached storage (NAS) solution by deploying a virtualized TrueNAS SCALE instance, replacing legacy hardware. Key competencies include storage virtualization, data integrity management, and service provisioning.

Designed and implemented a high-availability ZFS-based network attached storage (NAS) solution by deploying a virtualized TrueNAS SCALE instance, replacing legacy hardware. Key competencies include storage virtualization, data integrity management, and service provisioning.

Redundant Pi-hole DNS sinkhole

Redundant Pi-hole DNS sinkhole

To enhance system resilience and consolidate resources, I migrated several network utility services from raspberry pi hardware to LXC containers within Proxmox. This included deploying and maintaining redundant (primary and secondary) network-wide DNS sinkhole instances to guarantee uninterrupted ad and malware blocking services.

To enhance system resilience and consolidate resources, I migrated several network utility services from raspberry pi hardware to LXC containers within Proxmox. This included deploying and maintaining redundant (primary and secondary) network-wide DNS sinkhole instances to guarantee uninterrupted ad and malware blocking services.

Arch Linux

Arch Linux

Transitioned daily driver to Arch Linux to achieve a better understanding of the Linux CLI and FOSS ecosystem (and to escape Windows on most of my machines). Gained significant experience in package management, system configuration, and advanced troubleshooting on a bleeding-edge distribution.

Transitioned daily driver to Arch Linux to achieve a better understanding of the Linux CLI and FOSS ecosystem (and to escape Windows on most of my machines). Gained significant experience in package management, system configuration, and advanced troubleshooting on a bleeding-edge distribution.

Virtualized Active Directory

Virtualized Active Directory

Hands-on experience deploying and managing Windows Server 2025 Active Directory for user provisioning, Group Policy enforcement, and domain services across current Windows client platforms, with an emphasis on Windows 11.

My current storage and backup setup is intentionally minimal to keep costs low, but this may change as new use cases arise. I’m using an older single-drive DS118 with cloud sync to Dropbox. Local backup to USB involves a 3x weekly incremental backup with mirroring.

Homelab Projects

Aimed at advancing my general IT knowledge

Dedicated Proxmox VM Server

Built a virtualization and containerization platform (AMD Ryzen 5 7600, 64 GB RAM) for infrastructure lifecycle management, including OS/application patching, upgrade validation, and implementing comprehensive disaster recovery plans.

UniFi Network Configuration

Engineered and deployed an SMB-class UniFi network infrastructure (Cloud Gateway, managed switches, and APs). This project focused on advanced configuration tasks including VLAN-based network segmentation, ACL implementation, QoS traffic prioritization, and network performance monitoring.

TrueNAS Scale

Designed and implemented a high-availability ZFS-based network attached storage (NAS) solution by deploying a virtualized TrueNAS SCALE instance, replacing legacy hardware. Key competencies include storage virtualization, data integrity management, and service provisioning.

Redundant Pi-hole DNS sinkhole

To enhance system resilience and consolidate resources, I migrated several network utility services from raspberry pi hardware to LXC containers within Proxmox. This included deploying and maintaining redundant (primary and secondary) network-wide DNS sinkhole instances to guarantee uninterrupted ad and malware blocking services.

Arch Linux

Transitioned daily driver to Arch Linux to achieve a better understanding of the Linux CLI and FOSS ecosystem (and to escape Windows on most of my machines). Gained significant experience in package management, system configuration, and advanced troubleshooting on a bleeding-edge distribution.

Virtualized Active Directory

Hands-on experience deploying and managing Windows Server 2025 Active Directory for user provisioning, Group Policy enforcement, and domain services across current Windows client platforms, with an emphasis on Windows 11.

Currently Reading

Currently Reading

Currently Reading

There's always at least two or three loaded up on my Kindle

There's always at least two or three loaded up on my Kindle

Arch Linux Handbook
Miller Y. Baker

Arch Linux Handbook
Miller Y. Baker

Mastering Active Directory
Dishan Francis

Mastering Active Directory
Dishan Francis

Children of Memory
Adrian Tchaikovsky

Children of Memory
Adrian Tchaikovsky

Skill Loadout

Skill Loadout

Skill Loadout

Proficient
L1 Support
PC Build & Support
Mobile Device Support
Windows / MacOS / Linux OS Support

Proficient
L1 Support
PC Build & Support
Mobile Device Support
Windows / MacOS / Linux OS Support

Basic
Networking
Cloud Technologies
Systems Administration
Virtualization
Backup & Recovery
Cybersecurity

Basic
Networking
Systems Administration
Virtualization
Backup & Recovery
Cloud Computing
Cybersecurity

Currently Learning
Advanced Linux CLI
Active Directory

Currently Learning
Advanced Linux CLI
Active Directory

Transferrable Skills
Agile Environments
User Experience
Web Development
Team Leadership
Stakeholder Management

Transferrable Skills
Agile Environments
User Experience
Web Development
Team Leadership
Stakeholder Management

About Me

About Me

About Me

Originally from Ohio, my career journey has taken me from Indiana to Virginia, Sweden, and finally to the Pacific Northwest, where I've established permanent roots. Although I'm currently transitioning careers, my passion for computers began in my youth and shaped my early professional experiences in IT. I completed an internship with a local government IT department and subsequently spent three and a half years providing help desk support for a small ISP/MSP before eventually moving into digital product design. I'm excited to start a new career in a field that has captivated me since the first time I set eyes on a computer.

Originally from Ohio, my career journey has taken me from Indiana to Virginia, Sweden, and finally to the Pacific Northwest, where I've established permanent roots. Although I'm currently transitioning careers, my passion for computers began in my youth and shaped my early professional experiences in IT. I completed an internship with a local government IT department and subsequently spent three and a half years providing help desk support for a small ISP/MSP before eventually moving into digital product design. I'm excited to start a new career in a field that has captivated me since the first time I set eyes on a computer.

Send me an email and make my day! Or ruin it. Your call.

Send me an email and make my day! Or ruin it. Your call.

lazear@gmail.com

lazear@gmail.com

© 2025, Matthew Lazear. All rights reserved.