Resume

Daniel Messana

Network & Security Architect | Infrastructure Security Lead | Threat Visibility | Honeynet Research

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Professional Summary

Network and security architect with extensive experience designing, managing, and securing campus-scale infrastructure in a private multi-campus university environment. Leads security-focused network work involving segmentation, firewalls, VPN, wireless security, IDS/IPS, NAC, SIEM evaluation, monitoring, threat visibility, disaster recovery, carrier coordination, vendor strategy, and infrastructure modernization.

Core Competencies

Network & Security Architecture: multi-site network design, routing, switching, wireless, VPN, firewalls, segmentation, IDS/IPS, NAC, web filtering, disaster recovery.
Threat Visibility & Security Engineering: honeypot concepts, honeynet design principles, telemetry collection, attacker behavior analysis, threat intelligence correlation, detection engineering.
Security-Focused Leadership: team leadership, risk reduction, attack-surface reduction, change review, mentoring, standards, documentation.
Vendor & Lifecycle Strategy: vendor negotiation, carrier coordination, infrastructure lifecycle planning, equipment refreshes, circuit upgrades, budget-conscious technical planning.

Professional Experience

Employer identity is intentionally generalized for privacy and operational security. The roles below reflect career progression within one private multi-campus university environment.

Private Multi-Campus University

Progressive network and security infrastructure roles | September 2008 - Present

Long-term role progression from Network Administrator to Network Manager, Network Team Lead, and senior network/security architecture work across the same protected campus-scale environment.

Senior Network Architect / Team Lead

April 2019 - Present

Lead a security-focused network architecture team responsible for designing, modernizing, and securing multi-site infrastructure.
Drive security-first network design through segmentation, firewall modernization, VPN architecture, wireless security, monitoring, and threat visibility.
Review architecture decisions through a security, resiliency, supportability, and lifecycle lens.

Network Manager / Team Lead

June 2018 - April 2019

Managed network operations while leading technical staff responsible for support, implementation, and escalation work.
Coordinated network projects across existing and new locations.

Network Manager

November 2015 - June 2018

Managed network infrastructure operations across multiple locations, including routing, switching, wireless, firewall, VPN, and voice systems.
Evaluated security technologies including IDS/IPS, NAC, SIEM, and firewall platforms.

Network Administrator II

October 2012 - November 2015

Served as a senior network administrator supporting routers, switches, firewalls, VPN, wireless, voice, and network security systems.

Network Administrator

September 2008 - October 2012

Provided end-user and infrastructure support for network-related issues across campus environments.

Earlier Experience

Network administration, systems engineering, workstation support, server support, backups, upgrades, documentation, and small-business network support across earlier roles.

Tekmyster Industries, LLC

Founder / Independent Security & Infrastructure Researcher | 2014 - Present

Operate an independent technology company supporting infrastructure research, network and security testing, lab development, and technical consulting.
Build and maintain lab environments used to evaluate network architecture, security tooling, telemetry, automation, and infrastructure designs.

Education & Professional Training

Private University System - Coursework toward Bachelor's Degree in Information Systems: Data Communications.
Sourcefire Security Education Program - Sourcefire 3D System 4.9.
ACE Computer Training - CCNA and CCNP training.
Cisco Certified Network Associate, CCNA 640-802 - June 2008.