About

Systems-minded technologist.

Builder of systems. Student of technology. Lifelong learner.

I'm Mike Loerop, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. My focus is on systems, infrastructure, networking, automation, and security -- not as separate disciplines but as interconnected layers of the same problem.

My goal isn't to be known as a specialist in any single area. The goal is to develop genuine competence across the technical stack and document that process honestly -- including the failures.

The best way to learn is to build something real, break it, understand why it broke, and make it better. That cycle is what drives this work.

Philosophy

Technology should be understood, not merely used.

Build.

Create systems, tools, and solutions. Learn by doing something real.

Break.

Test assumptions. Explore failure modes. Understand weaknesses.

Understand.

Investigate root causes. Learn how systems actually work.

Improve.

Optimize, automate, simplify, and strengthen what you built.

Areas of interest

Systems Administration

  • Windows Server
  • Linux
  • Active Directory
  • Automation

Networking

  • Routing & Switching
  • VLANs
  • Firewalls
  • DNS
  • Network Design

Cybersecurity

  • Defensive Security
  • Blue Team
  • Detection Engineering
  • SIEM
  • Hardening

Infrastructure

  • Virtualization
  • Storage
  • Monitoring
  • High Availability

Homelab

  • Self-hosting
  • Experimentation
  • Emerging Technologies

Automation

  • Scripts & Workflows
  • Infrastructure as Code
  • Efficiency
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