Building from the help desk up — one cloud security lab at a time.
I'm a Help Desk Analyst resolving 40+ incidents per day using ServiceNow, Active Directory, and remote troubleshooting tools — consistently meeting SLA targets and keeping end users up and running. I hold the CompTIA Security+ certification and am actively building cloud and security skills through structured, hands-on labs in AWS and Azure. This repository documents that lab work: real environments, real configurations, and real concepts I'm applying as I grow beyond the service desk. My goal is to move into a cloud security or cybersecurity role, and I'm currently open to remote Help Desk, IT Support Engineer, and Service Desk opportunities in Florida as I make that transition.
| Category | Tools & Technologies |
|---|---|
| Support & Ticketing | ServiceNow, Remote Desktop (RDP), Remote Troubleshooting |
| Identity & Access | Active Directory, Azure AD / Entra ID, AWS IAM, Group Policy |
| Productivity & Endpoints | Office 365, Windows 10/11, Windows Server 2022, Ubuntu/Linux |
| Cloud Platforms | Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS |
| Scripting & Automation | PowerShell, Terraform (HCL), Bash |
| Security Tools | Azure Key Vault, NSGs, Security Groups, IAM Policies |
| Monitoring & SIEM | Azure Monitor, CloudWatch (foundational) |
11 weeks of hands-on cloud and security labs — building from foundational cloud concepts up through governance, security hardening, and infrastructure-as-code on Azure.
| # | Lab | Platform | Key Topics | Walkthrough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Cloud Basics & Shared Responsibility | AWS | Cloud fundamentals, Shared Responsibility Model | — |
| Week 2 | IAM & Identity Security | AWS | IAM users/roles, least privilege, STS, policy debugging | — |
| Week 3 | VPC Networking | AWS | VPC, subnets, route tables, internet gateway, security groups |  |
| Week 4 | Wireshark & Network Traffic Analysis | Wireshark | TCP three-way handshake, display filters, packet inspection, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS | — |
| Week 5 | Active Directory Lab | AWS + Windows Server | AD DS, OUs, RBAC groups, ADUC, helpdesk tasks | — |
| Week 6 | Azure Static Website | Azure | Blob Storage, static site hosting, public endpoints | — |
| Week 7 | Azure 2-Tier Infrastructure | Azure | VNet, NSGs, public/private subnets, Apache, Ubuntu | — |
| Week 8 | Azure Key Vault + Managed Identity | Azure | Key Vault, Managed Identity, Entra ID, RBAC, zero-trust | — |
| Week 9 | Terraform Azure Stack | Azure + Terraform | IaC, Terraform lifecycle, Azure provider, state management | — |
| Week 10 | Azure AD Domain Controller (Terraform) | Azure + Terraform | AD DS automation, Custom Script Extension, DNS, IaC + identity | |
| Week 11 | Azure Governance & Security Hardening | Azure | RBAC, Azure Policy, Cost Management, Entra ID, governance controls | — |
- Preparing for the ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA) exam
- Expanding Azure labs into security-focused topics: Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Sentinel (SIEM), and Azure Policy
- Building foundational knowledge in SOC operations and detection engineering concepts
| linkedin.com/in/dlaws2030 | |
| devinlaws50@gmail.com |
This repository is a living portfolio. Labs are added weekly as I build toward a cloud security career.