Home Lab & Networking
Designing a virtualized lab with Proxmox, Linux servers, and Cisco switching to practice how real systems fit together.
Proxmox · Cisco · LinuxRob Tompkins · IT Portfolio
Learning through hands-on projects.
Welcome, my name is Rob Tompkins. This is my personal IT portfolio, where I share projects, document what I’m learning, and connect with others in networking and systems administration.
01 / About
Meet the person behind the work.
I’m an IT professional with nearly four years of experience after a career change from working as a Special Investigator contracted by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.
Today, I work as a Helpdesk Coordinator and hold CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications. I’m especially interested in networking and systems administration across Windows and Linux.
Outside work, I’m a husband, father of two, and lifelong learner. I spend my free time working out, playing games, and experimenting in my home lab—often breaking something, figuring out why, and learning from it.
Tompkins Tech Group is the home of my personal IT portfolio. It brings together my projects, lessons learned, and career development, and gives me a place to connect with others who share my interest in technology.
ExperienceNearly four years in IT
Current roleHelpdesk Coordinator
CertificationsCompTIA A+ and Network+
FocusNetworking · Windows · Linux
02 / Projects
Learning by building.
Real projects from my home lab and beyond. I’ll add detailed write-ups as each build develops.
GE Scout
Building a tool to collect and analyze Old School RuneScape market data while learning Python, SQL, and APIs.
Python · SQLite · APIsPortable Network Toolkit
Developing a Raspberry Pi based field node for network diagnostics, logging, and hands-on security learning.
Raspberry Pi · Networking · Linux03 / Skills & Learning
The skills behind the projects.
These are the areas I’m developing through hands-on work, home lab experiments, and continued study. My projects show how I put that learning into practice.
Networking
Exploring Cisco switching, VLANs, and network troubleshooting to understand how devices communicate and how networks are designed.
Windows & Linux Systems
Building administration skills through system setup, command-line tools, troubleshooting, and managing lab servers.
Virtualization & Infrastructure
Using Proxmox and virtual machines to build a home lab, test ideas, and practice managing connected systems.
Python, SQL & APIs
Learning to collect, store, and analyze data through GE Scout, connecting programming and databases to a practical project.
04 / Contact
Let’s connect.
Work in IT or share an interest in home labs, networking, or systems administration? I’d enjoy exchanging ideas, hearing about your projects, and learning from your experience. I’m also happy to connect about collaboration and career opportunities.
Email Rob