About — Open Source Consultant, Alsace
"Admittedly, I cannot say whether it will improve by changing —
— Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–1799)
but this much I can say: it must change, if it is ever to turn out right."
Who I Am
I’m a Unix/Linux system engineer, DevOps/SysOps specialist, solution provider, and developer. I wrote my first programs in 1982 on a TI-59, then on a Sharp PC-1401, C16, and VC20. Training as a machinist and CNC programmer added control and automation engineering. I’ve been running professional IT infrastructure since the late 90s.
I live and work in Alsace. My experience comes from over three decades of project work — as an employee, as a CTO, and as a freelancer. Different industries, different requirements, but always the same standard: solutions that work and that the client understands.
With do IT smart. I help organizations transition to transparent, independent Open Source infrastructure — or to better understand and operate what they already have.
Why Open Source
I’ve seen both sides throughout my career: proprietary systems where every problem means waiting for the vendor — and Open Source systems where you read the source code, understand the problem, and fix it yourself.
For me, this isn’t an ideological choice but a pragmatic one: if you understand your infrastructure, you can repair it. If you don’t, you’re dependent.
Digital sovereignty isn’t a buzzword. It’s the ability to decide tomorrow how your own IT works — regardless of what any single provider decides.
What I Bring
- Deep Linux expertise: Debian GNU/Linux is my OS of choice — stable, transparent, long-lived. From kernel to package management.
- Infrastructure & Cloud: Docker, KVM, LXC, network design, firewall hardening. Own infrastructure instead of provider dependency.
- DevOps & Automation: GitLab CI/CD, Ansible, Prometheus. I automate what repeats and document what stays.
- Development: Go, Bash, Perl. CLI tools, APIs, backend services. Code that’s maintainable and that your team can take over.
- IoT & Hardware: ESP32, sensors, MQTT. Prototypes that work in the field — not just on the whiteboard.
- Windows migrations: I know Windows well enough to migrate away from it. Hybrid operations, Active Directory, coexistence — until the transition is complete.
How I Work
- Clear scope, measurable outcomes — no open-ended projects
- Documentation you can maintain — not the kind that disappears into a drawer
- Pragmatic approach: the simplest solution that works
- I work with your team, not around them
- Code and configuration belong to you — no vendor lock-in through me
Project Experience (Selection)
- Enterprise GitLab deployment, SVN migration, Go and Perl development — OTRS AG
- IoT platform modernization, microservices architecture — MB connect line GmbH
- AWS automation, Linux training — tecRacer GmbH & Co. KG
- Data aggregation platform, middleware engineering — logical line GmbH
- Firewall, VPN, and IDS/IPS development — LinuNet GmbH
- IT security, “Neue Börse” project — Deutsche Börse AG
- Server management, Y2K migration — Messe Frankfurt GmbH
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator / Solution Architect (2014)
Network
I’m a freelancer. When a project requires skills outside my core domain — such as Windows/Exchange migration or specialized security audits — I bring in the right people. I handle the Linux side, they handle theirs.
Personal
I believe in craft. In code that lasts. In systems you understand rather than just operate. In documentation that’s honest — even when the truth is uncomfortable.
I publish background analyses and risk assessments on digital independence at digital-independence.org.
If you’re looking for someone to deliver a presentation and then disappear, I’m the wrong person. If you’re looking for someone to roll up their sleeves and build with you — let’s talk.