Welcome to my portfolio!
I build and operate reliable systems across enterprise architecture, homelab infrastructure, networking, and automation. I care about practical security, clear documentation, and systems that are easy to recover.
Carlos Cortes Garcia
CS student ⊹ Enterprise Architecture intern ⊹ Homelab infrastructure + DevOps builder
Right now
The main areas I’m focused on across school, work, and personal infrastructure.
Computer Science @ CU Denver
Strong systems + networking fundamentals, with projects that lean into real-world ops and reliability.
Enterprise Architecture @ Xcel Energy
Solution architecture support: migration planning, infrastructure documentation, and building clarity teams can operate from.
Homelab Infrastructure Builder
Proxmox virtualization, OPNsense routing/firewalling, segmented networks, and a VPS tied into home via site-to-site VPN.
How I like to build
The habits and patterns that shape how I approach infrastructure, automation, and reliability.
Build real systems I actually run
I learn fastest when the system has consequences: uptime, backups, monitoring, and “how do I recover this at 2AM?”
- • Virtualized services + clean network boundaries
- • Backups that are tested, not assumed
- • Docs that make rebuilds boring
Network-first thinking
I treat networking like the foundation: segmentation, least-privilege access, and predictable routing before I deploy anything.
- • Separate server/management traffic from client devices
- • Tight inbound rules, explicit allow-lists
- • Split DNS for internal services
Secure remote access that doesn’t feel sketchy
I like access patterns that are boring and auditable: VPN, bastion-style workflows, and services that aren’t publicly exposed.
- • VPS connected to home network over VPN
- • Admin access through a controlled entry point
- • Only expose what must be public
Automation with intention
I automate the painful, repetitive stuff: updates, deployments, backups; all without turning everything into a fragile science project.
- • Repeatable deploys from a repo
- • Configuration tracked like code
- • Small scripts that remove human error