Infrastructure and systems
Servers, storage, virtualisation, operating systems, networks and the practical work required to keep them supportable.
Infrastructure and solutions engineer
I'm Nathan Oldfield.
I've spent close to 30 years working with infrastructure, systems, networks, backup and recovery. A lot of that work has involved finding the problem, working out what is practical, and leaving the environment in a better state than I found it.
I also use AI to speed up research, prototyping, testing and documentation. It can get through a lot of the work quickly, but I still decide what is suitable, check the work and take responsibility for the result.
01 / Selected work
Public project record
Selected work
These are projects I can discuss publicly. Each one explains the problem, the decisions involved, what AI or automation contributed, and what I checked before calling it done.
FileDropDeployed and in use
I needed a simple way to send files out or collect them without asking the other person to create an account. FileDrop uses Cloudflare Workers, R2, KV and Access to create short-lived transfer links, stream files and clean up expired transfers.
I set the requirements and security approach, directed the agent-assisted implementation, tested the result and approved it for use.
Read the FileDrop case study →Additional work
More case studies are being prepared from private project records. They will only be published once the technical details, outcome and sanitisation have been checked.
02 / Experience
Infrastructure, recovery and troubleshooting
Experience built around systems that have to work
My background covers infrastructure, servers, storage, Ethernet and Fibre Channel networking, backup, recovery, migrations, security and managed services. I have also spent a lot of time dealing with the less tidy parts of IT: intermittent faults, failed upgrades, ageing systems, unclear ownership and problems that cross vendor boundaries.
I enjoy working with clients to understand what they are trying to improve and turn that into something practical and supportable. I am also just as comfortable in a data centre sorting out servers, storage or cabling. The design and the hands-on work are connected.
Cloud infrastructure, CI/CD and formal software development are areas I am continuing to build. I do not present them as long-standing specialities.
Backup and recovery
Veeam, data protection, restore planning, tape, off-site copies and recovery work where the backup only matters if it can be used.
Client outcomes
Understanding what a client needs to improve, comparing practical options and reducing unnecessary cost, effort or risk.
Troubleshooting and hands-on delivery
Working from symptoms and incomplete information, testing changes and remaining comfortable with the equipment involved in the result.
03 / How I work
How I work
I normally start with the operational problem rather than the product someone wants to install. From there I work through the constraints, the failure cases and who will have to support it later.
The best design is usually the simplest one that meets the requirement and can still be recovered when something goes wrong.
Working principles
- Understand the problem before choosing the technology.
- Keep security, failure and recovery in the design from the start.
- Document enough that the next person is not starting again.
- Test the result rather than trusting that a successful command means the job is finished.
04 / How I use AI
How I use AI
AI is useful for research, comparing options, prototyping, generating configuration, writing tests and improving documentation. It is also very good at producing something that looks convincing while being wrong.
I use it as an accelerator. I still set the requirements, review the decisions, test the output and decide whether the result is suitable for production.
05 / Archive and notes
Written as the work happened
Technical notes
The older posts on this site cover Veeam, Microsoft 365, storage integration, tape and recovery work. They were written as I worked through real problems and have been retained with their original publication dates.
I still want the site to be useful to people trying to solve a real problem. Some notes will be relevant to smaller businesses that do not have an enterprise budget or much consulting time available. That does not make this a small-business services site. It is simply practical information that may save someone a bit of time.
Newer notes will also cover infrastructure projects, automation and what I learn while using AI in practical delivery.
Browse technical notes →Brisbane, Australia
Contact
I'm based in Brisbane. If you'd like to talk about infrastructure, recovery, practical use of AI or something I've written, email me at [email protected].
Email Nathan