Hire the Best System Administrators
in South Africa

My skills and interests are within Linux System Administration, MySQL, PHP Web Programming, JavaScript and BASH scripting. My oDesk test results were as follows: - Redhat Linux 9.0 Admin (Above Average) - U.S. English Basic Skills (Top 10%) - Ecommerce (Above Average) - LAMP (Above Average) - PHP (Above Average) - MySQL 5.0 - JavaScript - HTML 5

With over 25 years of experience in IT management and systems engineering, I specialize in designing, implementing, and optimizing IT infrastructures that are secure, scalable, and aligned with business goals. I bring a strategic mindset and hands-on expertise across a wide range of technologies. Whether you need to modernize your infrastructure, secure your systems, or lead a complex IT project from planning to execution, I offer a proven track record of delivering results on time and within budget. I’ve led cross-functional teams, managed global deployments, and supported mission-critical environments across various industries. Let’s connect if you're looking for a seasoned IT professional!

I’m Judy — the creative heart behind BrandNest Studio. I’ve always believed content should do more than just fill a feed: it should tell a story, inspire, and move people to action. While I might not hold an official certificate as a social media manager, I bring something just as powerful: years of hands-on experience managing and growing the online presence of our choir, building reels and videos, designing document templates, and crafting engaging posts that speak to real people. What began as volunteer work quickly grew into a passion project that taught me the art of strategy, storytelling, and design — and showed me how joyful it feels to see creative ideas come to life, even if it means losing track of time (and, occasionally, bedtime conversations with my endlessly supportive husband!). I blend this creativity with audience insight and purposeful strategy to help your brand’s content truly take flight. If you’re looking for someone who sees beyond likes and follows — someone who creates with heart, vision, and care — you’re in the right place.

As a highly driven and accomplished System Administrator, I bring forth extensive experience spanning over 10 years in effectively managing the intricate technical and functional operation and maintenance of diverse systems. With a strong passion for my work, I have consistently demonstrated exceptional proficiency in supporting and troubleshooting advanced technical issues encompassing computer hardware, network infrastructure, operating systems, and software installations. Skills include: Cloud and Hybrid Environments: Extensive experience with Azure and Microsoft 365 solutions. Proficient in managing and maintaining Hyper-V, ESXi, and server infrastructures to ensure optimal performance and reliability. Proficient in Active Directory management, including user account management, group policies, and directory services maintenance. Skilled in managing file sharing, printer configurations, and storage solutions. Network Administration: Skilled in configuring VLANs, managing WatchGuard firewalls, and administering Cisco, HP, and UniFi switches. VoIP Systems: Configuration and troubleshooting of 3CX systems and bandwidth optimization for VoIP services. Endpoint Protection: Implementation and management of SentinelOne for EDR. Remote Monitoring and Management: Proficient in platforms such as ConnectWise, Kaseya, N-able, Staff Training and Development: Skilled in training new staff members, providing mentorship, and fostering technical growth within the team. Customer Service: Exceptional customer service skills with a focus on delivering positive user experiences and resolving technical issues efficiently. Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management: Consistently met or exceeded SLA response times and resolution targets.

AWS environments designed, deployed, and sustained. Microsoft Intune programmes built. Microsoft 365 tenants migrated. Long-term Senior Cloud Engineer engagements or finite implementation projects — I run both. 8 years on Upwork: 100% Job Success, Top Rated Plus, 11,233 hours, $400K+ earned across 35 contracts. I work with MSPs, MSSPs, and tech-mature SMBs in two patterns. Pattern one: embedded long-term Senior Cloud Engineer — I become a stable hand on your environment, the way I spent 8 years on a 168-server hybrid AWS estate. Pattern two: finite implementation projects — scope, design, deploy, validate, hand over. Both work without ramp-up. Both work without supervision. Recent reference points: - 8 years as Senior Cloud Engineer on a 168-server hybrid AWS estate (Linux + Windows) for an ASX-listed catering enterprise — CrowdStrike deployment, Oracle E-Business DR build, documented India offshore transition. December 2017 through January 2025, unbroken. - Microsoft Intune + Apple Business Manager rollouts at NWCR (Chicago MSP) — conditional access framework, Autopilot, mixed Apple/Windows fleet. - Amazon WorkSpaces and AppStream 2.0 builds at Syncronet (Houston) — application catalogues, directory integration. - Before Upwork: founded and ran my own MSP (ITRS), scaled to R5m revenue, Microsoft Silver Infrastructure Partner. Before that, Regional IT Manager at Discovery Holdings — 99.8% uptime across regulated financial services. What I deliver: - AWS cloud migrations, implementations, and ongoing operations — EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, WorkSpaces, AppStream. Well-architected design, lift-and-shift, hybrid estates. AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate (verified by Upwork). - Microsoft Intune endpoint rollouts and lifecycle management — Autopilot, conditional access, configuration profiles, Apple Business Manager, BYOD/COPE programmes. - Microsoft 365, Azure, Entra ID migrations and tenant work — tenant moves, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, Purview, security baselines. - MSP toolchain implementation and ongoing optimisation — Kaseya, N-Central, ConnectWise PSA + Automate, NinjaOne, IT Glue. I built my own MSP from zero, so I can architect or operate yours the same way. How engagements run: for finite projects, scope to design to deploy to validate to hand over. For long-term retainer or embedded work, weekly reporting cadence, monthly DR and security review, documented incident history. Either way, every change documented — I built the runbooks that let an India offshore team take over the AWS estate after 8 years, and I work the same way for new clients. SAST timezone (UTC+2) overlaps EU business hours, US mornings, and AU afternoons. What I don't do: application development, ML model training, or Kubernetes-first DevOps. My lane is cloud infrastructure, endpoint management, and migrations — operations and stability, not greenfield app dev. Credentials: AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate · Top Rated Plus · 100% Job Success Score · 11,233 platform hours · 35 completed Upwork contracts · 8 years on Upwork · ITIL Foundation · 30+ years in IT. If you have an AWS migration in scope, a stalled Intune rollout, a tenant move that needs to ship — or a senior cloud engineer slot you need filled long-term — send me the brief. I'll come back within 24 hours with whether I'm a fit and what the first 30 days would look like. Hire a resource with the following proven values; • Excellent Service • Integrity • Value • Trustworthy • Detailed • Passionate • Ethical Jaco Louw Cape Town South Africa

Cybersecurity-focused Tier 2 Technical Support Engineer with hands-on experience in cloud environments, specializing in threat detection, incident response, and system hardening across Windows-based infrastructures. I handle advanced troubleshooting involving malware remediation, email security, access control, and network vulnerabilities, ensuring secure and stable client environments. I’m experienced in analyzing alerts, investigating suspicious activity, and implementing corrective actions while maintaining detailed documentation and communication with stakeholders. I regularly work with industry-standard tools and platforms including N-central, SentinelOne, ConnectWise, IT Glue, Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange, Citrix/VDI, VPNs, and enterprise firewall solutions such as Cisco, WatchGuard, SonicWall, Fortinet, and Palo Alto. I bring a proactive, security-first mindset to every project, focusing on minimizing risk, improving system resilience, and delivering fast, reliable technical support in high-demand environments.