🛰️product
R.A.N.D.
Network security for small and medium businesses: a desktop app that maps your network and finds vulnerabilities, plus a plug-in IDS/IPS appliance for always-on protection.
- security
- network mapping
- Cloudflare
hello, world
(that's me in the jersey)
Hey, I'm Rusty
Senior Systems Engineer at Pileum, PMP, and 28+ years deep in IT. Security nerd and builder of web apps and games after hours. Husband, dad to a lot of kids, soccer volunteer.
rusty@beach:~$ whoami rusty carruth: systems engineer, builder, dad rusty@beach:~$ whereis rusty greater jackson, mississippi rusty@beach:~$ cat ~/.focus # what I'm into right now network security for small businesses hands-on security labs (red + blue) Cloudflare Workers, Astro, PHP a 3D game where monkeys escape a zoo rusty@beach:~$ uptime up 28+ years in IT, coffee: plenty rusty@beach:~$
// about
Hardware guy by trade, builder by habit.
I've spent 28+ years keeping the stuff behind the screens running, from Tier 3 server, networking, and systems administration all the way up to running an IT department. If it plugs in, I've probably installed it, repaired it, upgraded it, or figured out why it stopped working.
Today I'm a Senior Systems Engineer at Pileum Corporation, where I wear a lot of hats for our clients: managing accounts, planning and running networks, supporting Hyper-V, VMware, and Proxmox servers, keeping PCs and Macs healthy, and handling cybersecurity and cloud across Azure, AWS, and Microsoft 365. Before that I ran my own shop, led IT for Rankin County, and audited networks for a national CPA firm.
I hold my PMP and like the planning side as much as the hands-on side: getting the right people, gear, and timeline lined up so the cutover is boring.
Lately I've been going deeper on security. I'm working through hands-on labs on both the attack and defense side, and I'm building tools for small businesses that can't afford a full security team. Most nights you'll find me shipping a side project, usually something on Cloudflare with a Linux terminal open somewhere.
🖥️
28+ years in ITServers, networking, wireless, cellular
📋
PMP + 17 certificationsIncluding Jamf Certified Associate and Azure Administrator
🛡️
SecuritySSAE & FISCAM audits, hands-on labs, IDS/IPS
🎓
Mississippi StateB.S. Computer Engineering, minor in math
🐧
Linux at heartHence the penguin in the soccer kit
// career
Where I've been
-
2017 – now
Senior Systems Engineer
Pileum Corporation
A bit of everything for a roster of business clients:
- Account management: sales and keeping clients happy
- Networking: planning, deployment, management, and support
- Servers: Hyper-V, VMware, and Proxmox
- PC support: sales, setup, and support
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud: Azure and AWS
- Microsoft 365: Intune and Entra ID
- Apple management: Jamf and Mosyle
-
2009 – 2017
Owner
Ideal Technologies LLC, Brandon, MS
Desktop, laptop, server, and printer support across Mac, Windows, Linux, and Unix, plus networking, websites, and email for local businesses.
-
2012 – 2017
IT Director & Tier 3 Support
Rankin County Board of Supervisors
Led a seven-person IT team for the county and ran a 24/7 data center.
-
2015 – 2016
Developer
Skyrocket Radio
Built WordPress plugins and themes.
-
2006 – 2012
Manager, Sr. Systems Admin, Developer & Network Security Auditor
Reznick Group (now CohnReznick)
Conducted SSAE and FISCAM technology audits at the federal and private level as a network security specialist, alongside systems admin and software development.
-
2001 – 2005
B.S. Computer Engineering
Mississippi State University
Minor in mathematics. Built a "Squirrel Mitigator" and a weather machine in an Altoids can.
// skills
What I work with
🔌 Infrastructure
Design, install, and support for the physical and network layers.
- networking
- Hyper-V
- VMware
- Proxmox
- wireless
- cellular
- PC support
🌥️ Cloud & endpoints
Identity, devices, and cloud workloads for Windows and Apple fleets.
- Azure
- AWS
- Microsoft 365
- Intune
- Entra ID
- Jamf
- Mosyle
🛡️ Security
Discovery, vulnerability scanning, and hardening, from audits to hands-on labs.
- cybersecurity
- SSAE / FISCAM
- vuln scanning
- IDS/IPS
- DR planning
- nmap
💻 Code
Scripting to automate the boring parts, and full web apps when it's worth building.
- PHP / Laravel
- PowerShell
- JavaScript
- Python
- Classic ASP / VBS
- WordPress
- C# / Godot
☁️ Shipping it
Static sites and serverless APIs that are cheap to run and easy to deploy.
- Cloudflare Pages
- Workers
- D1
- GitHub
- Linux
// projects
Things I'm building
Side projects, a couple of products, and a few things built just for fun.
🔧blog + tools
debugge
A searchable IT blog plus free troubleshooting tools: what's my IP, port checker, DNS lookup, WHOIS, and a site security checker.
- Astro
- Workers
- networking
🕶️product
Veiled
A security-first chat platform that stores nothing. No message history, no user data, no identity. Messages are delivered, then gone.
- privacy
- encryption
- self-hostable
⚽web app
Is It On?
One-tap status for sports fields, games, and community events. Organizers mark Open, Delayed, or Off, and parents know before they load up the van.
- Workers
- D1
- youth sports
🐒game
Who Runs the Zoo?
A 3D multiplayer game: monkeys try to break out of the zoo, keepers try to stop them. Timed rounds, mini-game tasks, and unlockable animals and skins.
- C#
- three.js
- game design
🤖database
GunplaDB
A searchable database of Gundam model kits for builders and collectors.
- search
- static site
🎌database
Gaku.moe
An anime database for browsing shows along with their openings and closings.
- search
- static site
📺fan site
BYTT fan hub
An unofficial, searchable episode archive for Brought You This Thing, with creator socials and stream links.
- SEO
- YouTube data
Older open-source work, like PowerShell modules and OctoberCMS plugins, lives on GitHub.
// off the clock
When the laptop closes
👨👩👧👦
Family first
Husband to a wonderful wife and dad to a lot of kids. It's loud, it's busy, and it's the best part.
⚽
Soccer volunteer
Since 2014 with Northwest Rankin Athletic Association as a board member, coach (E license), and Grade 8 referee.
🎓
Giving back
Member of an Information Technology Education Advisory Board, helping shape how the next round of IT folks get trained.
🏖️
Beach brain
Happiest near the water. Bonus points for spotting dolphins.