Get To Know Me
I spend my days tinkering on anything and everything. I enjoy fixing things that are broken, and breaking things that are fixed. I thrive on turning my thoughts and ideas into reality. I escape reality with good stories and entertainment. I endulge occasionally with a good cigar and a glass of Islay. I seek new knowledge and skills, and gladly pass them onto others.
This website is meant to be an extension of all of this - my thoughts, ideas, creative works, and sharing knowledge with others.
I am John Bradley, and you can get in touch with me via email.
The Work I Do
Technology in education has become a passion of mine for years now. I believe education is key for a better Mississippi, and society as a whole, and technology is one of the few avenues that can advance it. Starting in K-12, working with my father, who’s been in the field for over 2 decades, I’ve moved up to higher-education and have explored what has interested me. Now, I’m a systems programmer at Mississippi State University, developing tools for my own convenience and the convenience of my co-workers, to help with the task of sustained network up-time, keeping everybody’s data safe, and providing a better experience for students and faculty.
Technologies
- The Bro Network Security Monitor
- UNIX/Linux system development
- Cisco networking gear and firewalls
- F5 Networks application delivery
- Shibboleth SSO
- VMWare ESXi
- ELK Stack
- Graylog2
- Perl
- Python
- PHP
- C/C++
Work Experience
Systems Programmer
Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, September 2013 – Today
Responsible for the management of university network services and equipment. Identified and corrected network and system issues. Worked to mitigate security threats against the university. Ensured that university systems were up-to-date with latest software. Was instrumental in the installation, maintenance, and usage of the university’s Bro network security monitor. Implemented and optimized the use of a modified ELK stack, using Graylog2 instead of Kibana, for log analysis and alerting. Currently in the process of bringing the university’s email into DMARC compliance.
Computer Electronics Technician
Responsible for the purchase, installation, maintenance, and support of computer hardware and software for users and departmental computer labs through testing, troubleshooting, and ultimately formulating and recommending solutions. Occasionally assisted in the installation of computer network systems.
Student Worker
Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, January 2010 – May 2011
Pick up and drop off equipment, perform assigned tasks related to the support of computer hardware, and retrieve and destroy hard drives marked for disposal.
Media Specialist
Pascagoula School District, Pascagoula, MS, May 2009 – August 2009
Provided video production and graphic design services for the school district, working directly with the district superintendent on special projects. Assisted in the presentation of the district’s new “Technoplex” to benefactors, and creating promotional materials for the new complex.
Information Technology Consultant
Annunciation Catholic School, Columbus, MS, January 2009 – May 2009
Provided general IT support for the school. Created an asset tracking system for the school. Solved a severe virus issue the school was suffering. Improved the performance of the school’s aging computer lab, including installation of Ethernet drops to offload bandwidth from the school’s overloaded wireless network. Set up Active Directory for the school so that teachers would have a central storage repository.
Summer Help
Pascagoula School District, Pascagoula, MS, May – June, 2006, 2007, and 2008
Performed various tasks as needed over the summer to prepare the district for the transition to a new school year. Each year presented the introduction of a new district-wide project that significantly enhanced the educational environment. Projects included post-Katrina clean-up, installation of new computer labs, and refreshing workstations.