Christian Hofstede-Kuhn

Expert IT Consultant & Open Source Advocate specializing in Automation and Systems Engineering

Christian Hofstede-Kuhn - Professional IT Consultant

About Me

Technical Expertise

Operating Systems

  • Linux (RHEL, Debian, Ubuntu, SUSE): 20+ years
  • Certifications: LPIC Level 1, RHCSA
  • FreeBSD: Advanced networking, security, and containerization specialist

DevOps & Automation

  • Ansible: Expert in enterprise-grade automation solutions
  • Containers: Docker, Kubernetes, Podman
  • CI/CD: GitLab, Jenkins Pipelines

Networking

  • IPv6: Certified specialist
  • Firewalls: TCP/IP, system hardening
  • Datacenter: Large-scale project implementation

Applications

  • Webservers: Apache, Nginx
  • Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB
  • DNS: ISC Bind, PowerDNS

Security

  • PKI: OpenXPKI, StepCA
  • Jails: Hardened application deployment through FreeBSD containerization
  • Audit: HashiCorp Vault, compliance

Cloud & Platforms

  • OpenShift: Enterprise container platform
  • Quadlets: Podman container management
  • Traefik: Modern reverse proxy

Professional Journey

Jan 2023 – Present

Cloud Consultant, Red Hat GmbH

Leading enterprise clients through their digital transformation journey with Ansible automation, Red Hat Enterprise Linux optimization, and FreeIPA identity management solutions. Focused on driving automation efficiency and infrastructure modernization.

Aug 2019 – Dec 2022

IT Engineer, Noventi Health SE

Managed and scaled mission-critical healthcare infrastructure including Linux systems, Ansible automation frameworks, and Kubernetes clusters. Ensured high availability and security for sensitive healthcare data processing systems.

Jan 2012 – Aug 2019

Systems Administrator, awitna GmbH

Architected and maintained heterogeneous Linux/BSD environments with focus on high-performance networking, virtualization, and security.

Apr 2010 – Jan 2012

Java Developer, Medpex GmbH

Developed scalable eCommerce features supporting 10,000+ concurrent users. Focused on high-performance backend systems, database optimization, and API integration for large-scale online pharmacy operations.

Jul 2007 – Apr 2010

Team Lead, Pro-Medisoft AG

Led development teams in building enterprise Java eCommerce solutions. Mentored junior developers, established best practices, and delivered robust software platforms for healthcare sector clients.

Sep 2004 – Jul 2007

Apprenticeship, Pro-Medisoft AG

Foundation years in application development, learning Java programming, database design, and software engineering principles. This apprenticeship ignited my passion for technology and set the stage for my career in IT.

Featured Projects

FreeBSD Advanced Networking

Comprehensive guide to implementing enterprise-grade firewall configurations using VNET and Jails for secure, isolated network environments with high-performance routing capabilities.

SSH Key Audit Automation

Ansible playbook for comprehensive SSH key management and security auditing across enterprise infrastructure. Ensures compliance and identifies potential security vulnerabilities in SSH configurations.

jailexec.py - FreeBSD Jail Management

Forgejo with Quadlets

Complete deployment guide for Forgejo Git repository platform using Podman Quadlets and Traefik reverse proxy, showcasing modern container orchestration without Docker dependencies.

Burningboard.net - Mastodon Instance

Administrator of a German-speaking Mastodon instance serving a vibrant tech community. Focused on decentralized social networking, community management, and providing a safe space for technology enthusiasts to connect and share knowledge.

Get in Touch

Impressum

Angaben gemäß § 5 TMG

Name: Christian Hofstede-Kuhn

Address: Mühlweg 56
67117 Limburgerhof
Deutschland

Contact: info@hofstede.it

This website is a personal portfolio and professional presentation. The content represents my own professional work and expertise in IT consulting.