Bring a problem — an infrastructure or security decision you're weighing up, a proposal you want a second opinion on, a recurring issue nobody's got to the bottom of — and get a straight, experienced answer. Thirty-plus years of hands-on Linux, infrastructure, and web work, distilled into guidance you can act on.
This is a consulting service. What you're paying for is knowledge and experience — senior-level advice from someone who's actually run the kind of infrastructure you're asking about, rather than a managed-service contract or a break-fix number you call once something's on fire.
For most problems, the deliverable is guidance: I take the time to understand your environment and the issue, then tell you straight how I'd approach it and what to look for. Depending on the problem, that might be a handful of fixes your existing tech can action from an email, a review of a quote or proposal you've been handed, or a recommendation to engage a particular kind of provider — and, honestly, sometimes the answer is "this is worth doing yourself, here's how."
I'm the expert opinion, not the boots on the ground. That said, where a job is well-scoped and squarely in my wheelhouse — standing up and maintaining a Linux server, or building something AI-assisted — I'll often take it on directly. If it's bigger than that, I'll help you work out what you need and who should do it.
No reseller kickbacks steering the advice, no upsell to a product you don't need. If the honest answer is "you don't need me for this," that's the answer you'll get.
Three decades of running production Linux, networks, mail, and web infrastructure — plus postgraduate cyber security qualifications. Real scar tissue, not a certification wall.
Pitched at small and medium Australian businesses. Advice scaled to what you actually run, not enterprise frameworks bolted onto a five-person team.
A couple of these are things I'll often take on directly; the rest are advisory — I help you understand the problem and how to approach it, then point you toward the right kind of provider to carry it out. Either way, if it touches servers, infrastructure, the web, or IT security, it's worth a conversation.
Squarely in my wheelhouse, and well-scoped enough that I'll often take it on directly — standing up, hardening, and maintaining a Linux or BSD server — or reviewing an existing setup and telling you what needs attention. Ubuntu, Debian, Red Hat / Rocky, FreeBSD.
Another one I'll take on directly — web applications and sites built faster and more cost-effectively by pairing modern AI tooling with someone who knows what the generated code actually needs to be safe and maintainable.
The architecture questions that don't fit a neat product box — how to structure a network, whether a design will scale, what's behind a recurring problem, or whether an approach is sound before you commit. I'll tell you how I'd tackle it and what to look for in whoever builds it.
Practical, right-sized security guidance for businesses without a dedicated IT team — what actually matters, what's noise, and how to get the fundamentals in place. Often the outcome is a short list your existing tech can action, or a clear idea of what kind of help to bring in.
The plumbing that quietly runs everything — and quietly breaks it. Straight answers on domain decisions, why DNS isn't behaving, and why business email keeps landing in spam, so you (or your tech) can put it right.
Reliable Linux hosting with direct technical support and no call-centre layer — offered as part of an ongoing working relationship rather than a mass-market product.
If you've read one of the resource guides and thought "I could use a hand with this" — that's exactly the point. A few examples of what people bring:
Not sure whether your question fits? Ask anyway. If it's not something I'm the right person for, I'll say so and, where I can, point you to who is.
There's a lot of free, genuinely useful material in the resources library — that's the DIY tier, and you're welcome to it. A paid engagement is for when you want that experience applied directly to your situation, rather than working it out yourself.
Consulting is charged at $150 per hour, with a half-hour minimum. No retainers, no lock-in — you pay for the time a piece of work actually takes.
Because most contact happens by email, it's worth being clear about what "time" means: charged time is cumulative across the whole engagement — reading and understanding your situation, any research or investigation it needs, and writing considered responses. It isn't just the minutes spent typing a reply; the value is in the thinking behind it.
Here's the process, so there are no surprises:
The proforma up front is the whole point: you get a clear, honest read on the cost and scope before committing, and I only send one when I believe I can actually be of use.
For needs outside what I offer directly, a couple of specialists worth knowing about:
For businesses that want fully managed, scalable cloud hosting at a larger scale than I take on directly. Ask me if it's a fit for you before signing up.
Email me what you're dealing with. If I can genuinely help, I'll come back with a proforma invoice and a plan — how I'd approach it, what to look for, and who should carry it out. And if it's something well-scoped and in my wheelhouse, I may just take care of it for you.
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