Preet Bola

// about

I work in large, multi-location environments where reliability isn't optional. Deployments have to work. Outages have to end fast. Systems have to stay up.

My background spans endpoint management, AV infrastructure, network design, and scripting — with a focus on repeatable processes and solutions that hold up long-term. Outside work: dad, traveler, builder.

Infrastructure & Deployment

Large-scale imaging, software distribution, and lifecycle management across distributed environments.

AV Systems

Multi-display rooms, wireless casting, DSP audio, and the documentation that makes it repeatable.

Networking

VLANs, segmentation, switch config, ACL troubleshooting — and tracking down whatever's been broken for years.

Automation

PowerShell, Python, n8n — turning manual processes into things that just run.

// selected work

Built in the field.
Not in theory.

Real deployments. Real constraints. Real outcomes.

01 / 10

Multi-Branch AV Deployment

WolfVisionBiampExtron

Problem

24 sites. 24 different AV setups. Staff couldn't reliably present, and every location needed different support.

Solution

Standardized AV stack with wireless casting, managed display switching, and a quick-start guide for non-technical presenters.

Outcome

Setup time: 10+ min → under 2. AV support tickets dropped ~60%. Staff self-serve 95% of scenarios.

02 / 10

Office 2024 Mass Deployment

PowerShellDeep FreezeVolume License

Problem

100+ frozen endpoints across multiple sites needed Office 2016 → 2024. Manual upgrades weren't viable.

Solution

PowerShell script using PSCredential and New-PSDrive for remote auth, delivered via Deep Freeze Push and Launch workflow.

Outcome

100+ machines upgraded. Zero on-site visits. Full transcript log per endpoint.

03 / 10

Endpoint Standardization at Scale

SmartDeployPDQ DeployAction1

Problem

700+ endpoints. No consistent imaging. No centralized visibility. Software versions all over the place.

Solution

SmartDeploy for base images. PDQ for software distribution. Action1 for real-time visibility and remote remediation — no VPN required.

Outcome

Consistent state across 700+ machines. New deployments reduced to a repeatable, documented process.

04 / 10

Secure Remote Access — pfSense + OpenVPN

pfSenseOpenVPNNetworking

Problem

Staff needed secure remote access. Some sites had no VPN. Others had configs nobody had touched in years.

Solution

pfSense with certificate-based OpenVPN. User-specific access profiles scoped to only what each role needs. Full setup documented for repeatable deployment.

Outcome

Auditable remote access. No shared credentials. Staff connectivity issues during remote work → near zero.

05 / 10

FTP Restoration — 24 Audio Devices

NetworkingRuckus ICXAlcorn McBride

Problem

FTP access to audio devices silently broken across all 24 sites. No error on the surface. Staff lost the ability to update content remotely.

Solution

ACL rules applied in the wrong direction on Ruckus ICX switches. Corrected the direction across all affected switches. No hardware replacement needed.

Outcome

Full access restored across all 24 sites within hours of diagnosis. Root cause documented.

06 / 10

Self-Service Kiosk & RFID Infrastructure

RFIDSelf-CheckoutAMH

Problem

Kiosks and RFID automation fail at the intersection of hardware and software — visibly, in public, immediately.

Solution

Deployment and support processes for self-checkout kiosks, RFID workflows, and AMH systems. Internal runbooks for common failures. Hardware escalations minimized.

Outcome

Reduced MTTR on kiosk issues. First-line staff handle 80%+ of issues without escalation.

07 / 10

Cross-Platform Device Management

Jamf SchoolGoogle AdminWindows

Problem

Windows, Apple, and Chromebook fleets all in production simultaneously. Three platforms, three management paradigms, one team.

Solution

Jamf School for iPad/Apple devices. Google Admin Console for Chromebooks. Recovery procedures built for non-technical on-site staff.

Outcome

Multi-platform device management consolidated into manageable, documented workflows.

08 / 10

Automated Weather Pipeline → Power BI

PythonSQL ServerPower BI

Problem

Operational planning needed weather data correlated with site usage — updated automatically, not manually.

Solution

Python pipeline pulling Google Weather API → SQL Server. Task Scheduler automation. Power BI connected directly for live dashboards.

Outcome

Fully automated. Zero manual data collection. Dashboard updated and available daily.

09 / 10

TightVNC — Silent Credential Update at Scale

PowerShellDeep FreezeRegistry

Problem

TightVNC passwords needed updating across 100+ frozen endpoints. Standard param() approach broke under SYSTEM context via Deep Freeze.

Solution

Hardcoded PowerShell script using DES encryption to write registry values directly, bypassing the param() limitation. Deployed silently via console push.

Outcome

All endpoints updated in one cycle. No interactive sessions. No exceptions.

10 / 10

Personal Automation Stack

n8nDockerCaddyLinode

Problem

Wanted a personal automation platform — full control, custom domain, no SaaS lock-in.

Solution

n8n + Portainer + Caddy on a dedicated Linode VPS via Docker Compose. SSL via Caddy. Gmail AI triage as first workflow — every email classified and labeled automatically.

Outcome

Fully self-hosted at n8n.preet408.com. Email triage running 24/7 without intervention.

Systems that
actually work.

Infrastructure & Deployment

AV Systems

Networking

Automation

Not a lab.
Production at scale.

Public Endpoints

Staff Devices

Physical Sites

Maintenance Windows

Built in the field.
Not in theory.

What I actually use.

Deployment & Endpoint

Networking & Remote Access

Device Management

AV Systems

Scripting & Automation

Self-Service & RFID

Self-Hosting

Running live.

Let's solve
something real.

Systems thatactually work.

Infrastructure & Deployment

AV Systems

Networking

Automation

Not a lab.Production at scale.

Public Endpoints

Staff Devices

Physical Sites

Maintenance Windows

Built in the field.Not in theory.

What I actually use.

Deployment & Endpoint

Networking & Remote Access

Device Management

AV Systems

Scripting & Automation

Self-Service & RFID

Self-Hosting

Running live.

Let's solvesomething real.

Systems that
actually work.

Not a lab.
Production at scale.

Built in the field.
Not in theory.

Let's solve
something real.