Michael F. Ashworth

Network Architect | Virtual & Cloud Networking | Datacenter Infrastructure

Las Vegas, NV [email protected] 702.743.9347

Professional Summary

Senior Network Architect with 18+ years of enterprise IT experience specializing in virtual/cloud networking, datacenter infrastructure, and hybrid connectivity. Leads design and delivery of scalable network architectures for global venue, hospitality, and acquisition-driven environments, including multi-region Azure SD-WAN, NSX microsegmentation, VXLAN leaf/spine migrations, and FlexVPN WAN modernization. Proven in translating business, application, acquisition, and property requirements into zero-trust standards across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid platforms. Bilingual English/Spanish.

Professional Experience

Global Experience Specialists, LLC (Viad Corp, Pursuit Collection)

Network ArchitectJune 2021 - Present Lead Infrastructure EngineerJune 2019 - June 2021 Infrastructure Network EngineerOctober 2016 - June 2019 NOC Network EngineerJuly 2013 - October 2016

Technical architect and senior network engineering contributor for global enterprise, datacenter, cloud, WAN, wireless, and network security infrastructure across corporate, venue, hospitality, and acquisition-driven environments.

  • Provide technical direction and design ownership for scalable network infrastructure, translating application, property, acquisition, and business requirements into deployable standards and architectures.
  • Designed and delivered greenfield datacenter builds and in-place site rebuilds, covering rack layout, structured cabling, network hardware configuration, out-of-band management, thermal considerations, and lifecycle refreshes.
  • Deployed Meraki SD-WAN virtual infrastructure in Azure using multi-region hub-and-spoke architecture with BGP peering to Azure Route Server.
  • Rebuilt private WAN architecture from legacy DMVPN to FlexVPN with cloud-hosted hubs peered to Azure Route Server for consistent hybrid routing.
  • Partnered with automation architecture to design and configure network integrations across multiple Azure Landing Zone patterns, aligning routing behavior across cloud and enterprise domains.
  • Own NSX microsegmentation architecture and implementation; contribute to CSW segmentation design to align policy, routing, and zero-trust controls across platforms.
  • Designed and deployed VXLAN leaf/spine architecture for datacenter migration; built and supported virtual network platforms and overlays including Cisco CSR1000v, virtual WLC, F5 BIG-IP VE, DMVPN, and cloud NFV.
  • Earlier progression through NOC, engineering, and lead roles included M&A network integrations, new property build-outs, MPLS/Internet circuits, QoS design, firewall/wireless/router upgrades, SOX/PCI firewall review, and site turn-ups/shutdowns.

CompuCom Systems, Inc.

Network AssociateFebruary 2011 - February 2013 Tier II Service Desk AnalystApril 2010 - January 2011 Tier I Service Desk AnalystNovember 2008 - March 2010
  • Provided WAN outage response and troubleshooting for remote clients worldwide, including Cisco/Telco CPE troubleshooting, carrier escalation, diverse access technologies, and device monitoring for Fortune 500 retail and financial clients.
  • Supported service desk transition and operations across Windows/Office, POS, Active Directory, Novell eDirectory, onboarding/offboarding, documentation, QA, and global go-live support.

iSESGO

Desktop / Network Field TechnicianNovember 2007 - July 2008
  • Provided on-site desktop and network support, PC build/maintenance, and full site build-outs including routers, switches, servers, computers, and power backup systems.

Qualifications & Technical Expertise

Architecture Focus: Enterprise LAN/WAN, datacenter networking, virtual/cloud networking, hybrid connectivity, routing architecture, site standards, M&A integration, and scalable infrastructure design patterns.

Cloud & Virtual Networking: Azure networking, Azure Route Server, Azure Landing Zone network integration, Meraki SD-WAN/vMX, FlexVPN, DMVPN, BGP, NFV, hub-and-spoke routing, and virtual overlays.

Datacenter & Infrastructure: Greenfield rack builds, rack/cabling cleanup, out-of-band management, thermal considerations, VXLAN leaf/spine, Cisco DCNM, VMware, Hyper-V, Dell VxRail, and storage networks.

Security & Segmentation: NSX microsegmentation, CSW segmentation design, zero-trust network architecture, Cisco ASA/Firepower/FTD, Palo Alto, firewall reviews, and SOX/PCI remediation.

Routing & Platforms: Cisco IOS, IOS-XE, NX-OS; Juniper JUNOS and ScreenOS; iBGP/eBGP, OSPF, EIGRP, route redistribution, asymmetric routing, Cisco/Meraki, HP, Brocade, Dell, Avaya, and Ubiquiti.

Wireless & Tooling: Ekahau site surveys, wireless controllers, point-to-point wireless backhaul, SolarWinds, Nagios, ServiceNow, Visio documentation, PowerShell, and Bash.

Certifications & Education

Cisco CCNA (2017, expired); Juniper JNCIA-Junos (2013, expired); Licenciatura en Ingenieria en Computacion, Universidad Americana de Acapulco (2011); bilingual English/Spanish.