Available for Consulting & Freelance Engagements

Elia Hlatywayo

Network Security Engineer · CCNP Enterprise

I design, secure, and recover the networks that public institutions and growing businesses depend on. 9+ years of infrastructure experience, a formal background in data protection law (POPIA/GDPR), and a hands-on disaster recovery track record that's been tested under real budget and compliance pressure — not just on paper.

98%
Uptime Maintained
40%
Faster Than SLA
2Hr
DR Recovery (was 24h)
About

The Rare Combination

I started in IT in March 2017 as a technician at Kings Mobile — hands-on desktop and hardware support, the unglamorous groundwork every real engineer's career actually begins with. From there: 1st-line network support at Keller Africa, Cisco hardware repair at Qrent, and since July 2021, network security engineering at Nine IT Systems, where I now hold CCNP Enterprise and carry independent responsibility for infrastructure that enterprise and municipal clients genuinely depend on.

What makes the profile unusual is the second thread: a Higher Certificate in Law from UNISA, focused on data protection. Most network engineers can secure a system. Fewer can tell you whether that system is actually compliant with POPIA or GDPR while they do it. I design infrastructure where those two conversations happen at the same time, not as an afterthought bolted on before an audit.

That combination is exactly what sits behind the compliance check further down this page — a tool built to translate network and disaster-recovery risk into the language a business owner or executive actually needs to make a decision.

See My Qualifications →
Services

What I Actually Do

Freelance and contract engagements alongside full-time work, scoped to fit your timeline, budget, and risk tolerance.

N

Network Design & Optimisation

WAN/LAN architecture, VLAN segmentation, wireless deployment, and network documentation built to scale without becoming unmanageable.

DR

Disaster Recovery & Continuity

DR site preparation and testing, Veeam-based backup and migration, and DR drill scheduling aligned to a formal Business Continuity Plan — not a folder that's never been opened.

§

Network & Data Compliance Consulting

Every engagement reviewed with a POPIA/GDPR-literate eye. I help you understand where your network, backup, and data-handling practices create real legal exposure — explained in plain business language, not just a technical report nobody reads.

>_

Network Simulation & Training

Custom lab environments for CCNP-level training and topology testing, built on Liana-NetLabs — a full network simulator I designed and coded myself. Try it live →

Certified & Recognised By
Cisco Fortinet Microsoft Oracle Proofpoint Ubiquiti CompTIA
Skills

Technical Stack

Networking & Routing
Cisco CCNP/CCNA, OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, VLAN Segmentation, WAN/LAN Design, Ubiquiti Wireless
Security
Fortinet & Sophos Firewalls, Proofpoint AI Email Security, VPN Architecture, DMZ Design
Cloud & Infrastructure
Microsoft Azure, VMware, Google Cloud, Veeam Backup & Disaster Recovery
Identity & Directory
Active Directory Administration, Azure AD Sync
Automation & Scripting
Python, PowerShell, Netmiko-based network automation
Compliance & Legal-Tech
POPIA/GDPR Compliance, Data Privacy Architecture, IT Contract Review
Projects

Flagship Builds

2024
Greater Giyani Municipality — WAN/LAN Modernisation
Led full network modernisation and VLAN re-segmentation, reducing internal attack surface by 35%.
-35% ATTACK SURFACE
2025
Collins Chabane Municipality — Disaster Recovery
Configured Cisco firewall/VPN and deployed 6 servers, delivering a guaranteed 50 Mbps recovery capability on schedule and within budget.
50 MBPS GUARANTEED
2026
Greater Giyani Municipality — Disaster Recovery
Delivered end-to-end DR (Google Cloud, Veeam, FortiGate VPN). Identified that the originally proposed 200 Mbps ISP link would not meet failover requirements, redesigned the connectivity path, and passed full DR testing.
FULL TEST PASS
2026
Greater Giyani Municipality — CCTV Network Deployment
Key decision-maker on network access and storage design for a new CCTV installation covering the municipal parking lot and surrounding buildings, delivered alongside Mpheki Technology Engineering. Successfully tested, with the parking lot and adjacent buildings now under live coverage. Also run ongoing maintenance on the camera systems at two remote sites — the Traffic Station and Stores offices.
MULTI-SITE CCTV LIVE
2026
Auditor-General — Secure Network & Print Support
Set up and secured network access and printing for visiting Auditor-General delegates during an on-site audit, hardening the environment against cyber risk so the audit ran without disruption.
ZERO-INCIDENT AUDIT SUPPORT
2026
Liana-NetLabs — Self-Built Network Simulator
Designed and coded a browser-based CCNP-level network simulation lab from scratch — drag-and-drop topology builder, a full Cisco IOS-style CLI (every command supports both full and abbreviated syntax), and a real OSPF/EIGRP/BGP convergence engine with hop-by-hop traceroute.
SELF-INITIATED BUILD
Qualifications

Education & Certifications

Hover or tap any certification to view the actual document.

Education
Higher Certificate in Law
University of South Africa (UNISA)
2024
Bachelor of Commerce in IT Management
MANCOSA — In Progress
Exp. 2027
Introduction to Information Systems
iQ Academy — Pass with Distinction (95.5%)
2025
Certifications
VIEW
CCNP-ENT
CCNP Enterprise
Cisco · 2029
VIEW
CCNA
CCNA
Cisco · 2029
VIEW
N10-009
Network+ CE
CompTIA · 2027
VIEW
A+
A+ CE
CompTIA · 2019
VIEW
FCAC
Fortinet Assoc.
Fortinet
VIEW
PCAES
AI Email Security
Proofpoint · 2025
VIEW
PCSAS
Security Awareness
Proofpoint · 2025
VIEW
SC-900
SC-900
Microsoft · 2022
VIEW
DP-900
DP-900
Microsoft · 2021
VIEW
OCI-F
OCI Foundations
Oracle · 2025
VIEW
OCI-AI
OCI AI Foundations
Oracle · 2027
VIEW
UBWS
Wireless Specialist
Ubiquiti
VIEW
UBWA
Wireless Admin
Ubiquiti
VIEW
PY101
Python 101
IBM
VIEW
HCSA
Video Intercom
Hikvision

IT Chartered Engineer (SA) — ITCeng(SA)

Institute of Chartered IT Professionals (ICITP)
Application In Progress
Free Tool

Network, DR & Data Compliance Quick-Check

Six plain-language questions. No jargon, no obligation. At the end you'll get a clear breakdown of where your business actually stands on network resilience, disaster recovery, and data compliance — and what it means in practice.

Based on your answers, here's what I'd prioritise first — and I'm happy to walk through it with you at no cost.

Enquiries

Let's Build Something Resilient

Open to enterprise, municipal, and public-sector infrastructure, disaster recovery, and compliance engagements — freelance or full-time.