Andrew Leppala

IS/IT Support Technician II

I’m a computer-focused and knowledge-hungry person eager to find new software and workflows to improve the day of everyone. I spend my time experimenting with operating systems and programming languages, 3D printing new ideas, and exploring the outdoors. My favorite hobby is learning new technologies and implementing them into my life, such as my upgraded home network and server infrastructure.

My knowledge in Information Technology is largely self-taught and workplace training, and I’ve grown to love learning skills that I can use every day. I find there’s little better feeling than resolving a plaguing issue for good.

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Professional Skills

  • Communication
  • Cooperation
  • Project Management
  • Issue Resolution

Industry Skills

  • Desktop Hardware Support
  • Operating System Support (Windows 7/8/10, Ubuntu Linux, MacOS)
  • Mobile Systems Support (iOS, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS)
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft Office 2007/2010/2013/O365
  • Networking and Switching, PoE
  • Windows Server

Personal Skills

  • 3D Printing
  • Freshwater Fishing
  • Target Shooting
  • Outdoor Camping
  • Boating

Work Experience

Engineering Assistant

Pearce Services, LLC – Plymouth, MN
May 2017 – September 2018

I worked closely with CenturyLink Engineers during the 2017 MN Vectoring Project and scoped Fiber To The Node (FTTN) upgrade requirements and existing routes using AutoCAD and internal design software for CenturyLink.

• Tracked deployment of project components and discussed, overcame and issued fixes during interruptions using AutoCAD, NDS, Excel and Access.
• Aided CenturyLink Engineers to scope infrastructure upgrade paths and viability.
• Learned, assisted and performed field visits to OSP infrastructure utilizing Google Earth Pro, AutoCAD and internal intranet applications.
• Utilized internal tracking tools, Microsoft Sharepoint, and Skype for Business to communicate with engineers on project status and billing.

IS Support Tech I/II

HOM Furniture – Coon Rapids, MN
October 2018 – Ongoing

Desktop support and first line of contact for IT issues internal employees may have. Received phone calls, emails, and ticket submissions to organize, track, and allocate work to resolve current issues. Communicated, investigated and resolved Windows CE/7/10, Printer, Android, iOS, Networking, L2TP VPN, OpenVPN, Password, Google, Microsoft Office, Point of Sale and iSeries/AS400 issues employees may face.

• Receives incoming communications from employees having troubles and investigated and resolved issues faced.
• Manage and reset passwords for Google, VOIP, Active Directory and IBM iSeries for employees, contractors and auditors.
• Remote access to investigate Windows desktop problems using VNC and Splashtop.
• Basic Group Policy management.
• Worked with WPKG and LANSweeper to remotely issue software, track inventory, and record issues with company assets.
• Diagnose and repair/replace hardware issues on workstations, printers, smartphones and scan guns.
• Carried out New Hire, Termination and Employee Transfers in Active Directory, IBM iSeries, Google, Mitel VOIP and IBM Domino.
• Set up and deploy Windows workstations, printers, scan guns and smartphones, utilizing tracking and MobiControl MDM software to manage and track company assets.
• Worked with our development team to diagnose and patch software bugs in intranet tools used by employees.
• Escalated issues if necessary to iSeries support, Development Team, Web Team or employee management.
• Contact and arrange support from third parties if necessary.
• Diagnose and resolve issues with managed and unmanaged network switches.

Projects

Leppa.la

Personal Website
2017 – Ongoing
My personal website, where you’re at right now! This site is hosted on a server I rent in the cloud, which has taught and continues to educate me on best practices involving hosting, server security, SEO, and so many small details that make up a functioning and secure server and how a website or service can service a visitor. This experience has directly impacted my other projects and experiences for the better. This site has been migrated to WordPress for easier dynamic content, MariaDB administration experience and more.

Homelab

2016 – Ongoing
My homelab arguably started when I first installed VirtualBox on my gaming computer to start tinkering with Linux and secondary computers. The idea of servers just being a high-horsepower normal computer had just begun to encroach my mind and the ability to spin up a new virtual one for experiments was just grazing the cusp of my understanding. An entire new world of industry had sprung up around me, despite being in my presence my entire life.


My current homelab consists of two Proxmox servers, one for efficiency and one for horsepower, and a FreeNAS box for data storage. Routing these together is a MikroTik CSS326 and a dual-nic small PC running pfSense as my router and firewall. I’m just beginning to dip my toes into VLAN management and data handling, a necessity as my wife has a remotely managed work computer in the home office. Her workstation and our unmanaged IoT devices are segregated into a guest VLAN with no access to our internal network.

References

"Andrew is efficient and if he doesn't know how to fix something, he will figure it out."
Samantha Wood
IS Lead, HOM Furniture
"Andrew is a pleasure to work with, and will be a great asset to any IT department. His troubleshooting skills are exceptional."
Matthew Edwards
Desktop Engineer II, ADX Labs

Education

Forest Lake High School

2015

General Education Diploma from Forest Lake ISD 831

FIRST Robotics Team Extracurricular – Award for Unique Design

Contact Details

Linkedin Envelope Globe