Senior IT consultant · Team Lead · Montréal + remote

Architecture. Cybersecurity.
Hybrid infrastructure.

I help organizations modernize, secure and operate their Microsoft, Cisco, VMware and Azure environments.

14+years of experience
600virtual machines in a single environment
Healthcare · Finance
Managed services
industry experience
FR / ENbilingual delivery
Available for new engagements

Security assessments

Identify risks. Prioritize action.

Two complementary scopes, practical findings and a roadmap aligned with your operations.

Microsoft 365Azure / Entra IDCisco / MerakiFTD / FMC / ISEWatchGuard / FortinetVMware vSphereMDE / MDIPowerShell / PDQVeeamNetApp / Dell EMCGrafana / WazuhHome Assistant

01 — Expertise

Hands-on expertise,
not just theory.

Recommendations grounded in operational reality and designed to remain maintainable by your team.

01↗

Cybersecurity

Active Directory assessments and hardening, identity protection, Microsoft Defender, segmentation and practical remediation plans.

Guides for this serviceTLS certificates: detect expiry before an outage →Microsoft Purview DLP: start with useful policies without blocking work →Microsoft Defender: investigate an alert without unnecessary device isolation →Microsoft Entra Token Protection: reduce stolen token replay →Microsoft 365: detect and remove suspicious email forwarding →Microsoft Defender: manage antivirus exclusions without weakening security →Slow file server: diagnose SMB, DNS, antivirus, and storage →Secure vendor remote access with MFA, Conditional Access, and Cisco →Employee offboarding: secure Microsoft 365 without losing data →Microsoft 365 email going to junk: how to find the cause →Compromised Microsoft 365 account: a first-response guide →Slow SQL Server: diagnose blocking, waits and expensive queries →Microsoft Secure Score: which recommendations should you fix first? →Microsoft 365 OAuth apps: audit consent and Microsoft Graph permissions →Before Copilot: audit SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive permissions →LDAP signing and channel binding: secure Active Directory without outages →SQL Server health assessment: T-SQL queries and PowerShell scripts →Azure Update Manager and the future of WSUS: transition with Azure Arc →Secure Active Directory service accounts: gMSA, SPNs and delegation →Conditional Access: move from report-only to enforced without locking out users →Restore Active Directory after a cyberattack: build a forest recovery plan →Protect Veeam from ransomware: hardened Linux repository and immutable backups →Azure Virtual Desktop vs Citrix: architecture, performance and costs →Secure Microsoft 365 admin workstations with Conditional Access and PIM →Microsoft Intune: replace Group Policy through a controlled migration →Secure a UniFi small-business network: VLANs, firewall, guests and IoT →Azure Arc for on-premises servers: inventory, patching and governance without migration →Configure DMARC with SPF and DKIM in Microsoft 365 without blocking legitimate mail →Replace AzureAD and MSOnline with Microsoft Graph PowerShell without breaking scripts →Microsoft Entra emergency access accounts: create, protect and monitor break-glass access →Deploy Windows LAPS in a hybrid Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID environment →Microsoft 365 token theft: why MFA is not enough against AiTM attacks →Secure Active Directory Certificate Services: detect ESC1, ESC4, ESC6 and ESC8 →SMTP AUTH Basic retirement in Microsoft 365: migrate printers, apps and alerts to OAuth →Cloudflare Tunnel with Docker on Unraid: publish services without opening ports →Stale MDE devices: cleanup with PowerShell and the API →Migrate Microsoft Defender for Identity to v3.x sensors: a practical guide →Microsoft Defender Advanced Hunting: 10 useful KQL queries for IT administrators →Microsoft Defender ASR rules: moving from Audit to Block without disrupting production →
MDE / MDIAD / Entra IDLAPS / LDAPSPingCastle / Purple KnightWazuh
02↗

Infrastructure

Architecture, modernization and advanced troubleshooting for Microsoft and Azure environments, virtualization and core services.

Guides for this serviceEnterprise DNS: troubleshoot intermittent name resolution →TLS certificates: detect expiry before an outage →Slow file server: diagnose SMB, DNS, antivirus, and storage →Secure vendor remote access with MFA, Conditional Access, and Cisco →Slow SQL Server: diagnose blocking, waits and expensive queries →Migrate a Windows Server 2016 domain controller to 2025 →SQL Server health assessment: T-SQL queries and PowerShell scripts →Azure Update Manager and the future of WSUS: transition with Azure Arc →Exchange Server SE: migrate from 2016 or 2019 without breaking hybrid →Azure Virtual Desktop vs Citrix: architecture, performance and costs →Microsoft Intune: replace Group Policy through a controlled migration →Home Assistant, Matter and Thread: which architecture should you choose? →Secure a UniFi small-business network: VLANs, firewall, guests and IoT →Azure Arc for on-premises servers: inventory, patching and governance without migration →Windows Server 2016 is nearing end of support: build a realistic migration plan →Cloudflare Tunnel with Docker on Unraid: publish services without opening ports →Home Assistant and UniFi Protect: build secure local home surveillance →Modern Wi-Fi and legacy IoT devices: avoid 2.4 GHz connectivity problems →VMware alternatives: hypervisor comparison for 2026 →
Windows ServerAzureVMware vSphereHyper-V
03↗

Network & wireless

Design, migration and optimization of Cisco and Meraki networks, firewalls, VPNs, segmentation and 802.1X-secured enterprise Wi-Fi.

Cisco / MerakiWatchGuard / FortinetFTD / FMC / ISECatalyst802.1X
04↗

Storage & backup

Storage platform design and modernization, backup strategy, recovery and business continuity.

Guides for this serviceMicrosoft 365: backup, retention, and legal hold explained →Migrate a Windows Server 2016 domain controller to 2025 →SQL Server health assessment: T-SQL queries and PowerShell scripts →Restore Active Directory after a cyberattack: build a forest recovery plan →Protect Veeam from ransomware: hardened Linux repository and immutable backups →Microsoft 365: why OneDrive and SharePoint are not a backup →VMware alternatives: hypervisor comparison for 2026 →3-2-1 backup: protecting a NAS or Veeam environment →
VeeamDell EMCNetAppQumuloUnraidSauvegarde / DR
05↗

Advisory & automation

Microsoft 365, roadmaps, architecture reviews, PowerShell automation, monitoring, documentation and team enablement.

Microsoft 365PowerShellPDQGrafana / PrometheusTransfert de connaissances
06↗

AI, Copilot & agents

Microsoft Copilot integration, AI agent design and MCP server deployment to connect assistants with business data, tools and workflows, with a strong focus on security and governance.

Guides for this serviceHome Assistant and MCP: build with Claude, Codex, and ChatGPT →Before Copilot: audit SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive permissions →Securing Copilot agents and MCP servers in the enterprise: a practical guide →
Microsoft CopilotAI AgentsMCP ServersAutomationSecurity & Governance

02 — Approach

From uncertainty to
a clear plan.

I turn complex technical issues into decisions that are understandable, prioritized and achievable.

  1. 01

    Understand

    Goals, risks, constraints and operational reality.

  2. 02

    Prioritize

    Separate urgent from important, without over-engineering.

  3. 03

    Deliver

    Implement with discipline, visibility and control.

  4. 04

    Transfer

    Document and empower your team to own the result.

03 — Selected work

Complex projects,
delivered in the field.

A selection of anonymized transformations delivered in critical healthcare and financial environments.

01

Microsoft 365 and identity migration

Tenant-to-tenant migration, enterprise application integration in Entra ID, and migration of VPN and NetScaler authentication to SAML.

Microsoft 365Entra IDSAML / SSO
02

Active Directory security hardening

Assessment and hardening of Active Directory environments with LAPS, LDAPS, SMB Signing, Microsoft Defender for Identity, PingCastle and Purple Knight.

LAPSLDAPSMDE / MDI
03

Infrastructure modernization

Migration of legacy Windows Server systems to 2019, 2022 and 2025 across environments with several hundred virtual machines.

Windows ServerVMwareAzure
04

Network and Wi-Fi modernization

Modernization of Cisco switching, Wi-Fi and firewall infrastructure, migration to Cisco ISE, and 802.1X wireless access security.

Cisco CatalystFTD / FMCCisco ISE802.1X

04 — Ways to work together

The right level of support,
at the right time.

01

Focused assessment

A senior review of a defined issue, with prioritized findings and an immediately actionable plan.

1–2 sem. / wks
02

Transformation project

From design to production: migration, security uplift, modernization or resolution of a complex problem.

4–12 sem. / wks
03

Fractional expertise

Ongoing technical reinforcement for key decisions, sensitive projects and growing your team's capabilities.

Flexible

05 — Credentials

Certifications and
validated expertise.

Certifications earned and specialized training completed throughout my career.

Microsoft AzureAZ-900
Microsoft Active DirectoryMCTS 70-640
Dell EMCDEA-1TT5 · DES-1221
QumuloL2 Solutions Architect
WatchGuardFireware · Network & Traffic Management
Cato NetworksSASE Expert Level 1 & 2
Microsoft Azure trainingAZ-104

06 — Residential solutions

A connected home,
simple and under control.

A distinct offering to design, integrate and improve the reliability of your home automation environment, separate from my enterprise services.

01

Home Assistant

Automations, dashboards, connected-device integration, and Zigbee or Matter protocols.

02

Ubiquiti UniFi

High-performance Wi-Fi, optimized coverage, VLANs, network segmentation and secure remote access.

03

NAS, storage & backup

Installation, migration and security for Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS and Unraid solutions: file sharing, RAID, snapshots and 3-2-1 backup strategy.

04

Docker & self-hosted services

Deployment and maintenance of containers, media platforms, monitoring tools and other services hosted at home.

05

Surveillance with UniFi Protect

UniFi Protect platform setup, camera installation, detection zones, notifications and secure remote access.

Guides for this serviceHome Assistant and MCP: build with Claude, Codex, and ChatGPT →Home Assistant, Matter and Thread: which architecture should you choose? →Home Assistant and UniFi Protect: build secure local home surveillance →Modern Wi-Fi and legacy IoT devices: avoid 2.4 GHz connectivity problems →UniFi Protect: 8 things to plan before installing cameras →

07 — Technical blog

IT guidance
built for the real world.

Practical guides, field notes and key considerations to make better decisions, secure systems and modernize environments.

Browse all articles →
Illustrated portrait of Marc-Antoine Lambert

08 — About

Marc-Antoine
Lambert

Senior IT consultant · Team Lead · Systems and network architecture

A senior IT consultant and Team Lead based in Montréal, I bring more than 14 years of experience in the architecture, administration and security of technology infrastructure. I have supported healthcare, financial and professional-services organizations through migration, modernization and cloud-transformation projects. My approach combines technical expertise, business understanding, automation and knowledge transfer to internal teams.

PragmaticTransparentOutcome-driven

09 — Contact

Your next IT challenge
deserves a solid plan.

Tell me briefly about your context. I'll reply with the first useful questions to scope the engagement.

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