Hi, I'm Maarten!

Working on the design and evolution of DigitalOcean’s global backbone network. Focused on BGP architecture, route reflectors, and traffic engineering across multiple regions. Strong emphasis on peering strategy and traffic optimization: analyzing Kentik data to identify new peering opportunities and improve traffic flows. Actively involved in selecting and onboarding Internet Exchanges and setting up private network interconnects (PNIs) with high-volume peers. Regularly represent DigitalOcean at industry conferences such as Peering Asia, APRICOT, European Peering Forum, Global Peering Forum, and ITW, meeting with existing and potential partners to discuss interconnection strategies and identify opportunities to further optimize the network. In addition, work closely with dark fiber and wavelength providers, analyzing fiber route KMZs to minimize infrastructure overlap and reduce the risk of multiple circuit outages in the event of a fiber cut.

Responsible for setting up monitoring tooling and building an automated DNS solution that applied updates to PowerDNS based on Nautobot data. As vpTech did not yet operate a source of truth, installed and configured Nautobot and introduced structured network modeling. Continued by rolling out golden configurations and automating router configuration using templating and Salt.

Consulting assignment at LeasePlan (via YaWorks). Worked as a network automation consultant in a multi-vendor environment with Juniper, Arista, and HPE devices. The role combined hands-on infrastructure implementation with automation design. Set up and operated the automation stack using Docker, including Nautobot as the single source of truth and Itential for workflow-based automation. Implemented golden configurations, interface and BGP configuration, and VLAN management. Designed and configured automation workflows and extended Nautobot with custom reports to support operational insight and validation.

NEP focuses on the live registration of internet, television, radio, and music productions. NEP works for the Dutch Public Broadcasting, as well as for commercial and international broadcasters and the business community. As a Senior Network Engineer, I was responsible for network design, implementation, and automation. A few years ago, the broadcasting industry transitioned to the SMPTE 2110 standard, where IP plays a central role. At NEP, a platform was created in which broadcast equipment that was traditionally deployed in outside broadcast vehicles is now strategically placed in the data center. This enables remote production using centralized computing resources, improving hardware efficiency and operational flexibility. I set up an automation environment using NetBox and Ansible. The centralized production network is built as a spine-leaf architecture using VXLAN and EVPN. The leaf switches are connected to various mobile environments that can be deployed across different studios. Reconfiguration of the leaf switches is handled by a central system that pushes changes via the NetBox API, allowing the network to be configured automatically. For monitoring the network infrastructure, NEP uses Zabbix and LibreNMS. I developed a webhook daemon that automatically synchronizes changes, additions, and deletions from NetBox into LibreNMS and Zabbix. Skills: Python, Ansible, NetBox, Arista, APIs

MegaPort is a company focused on Network as a Service and specializes in cloud connectivity. Via MegaPort, it is possible to purchase services from providers such as Google Cloud Platform from a wide range of locations where these cloud platforms are not natively available. In 2016, MegaPort acquired a small Internet Exchange Point (ECIX), and I was responsible for integrating the two networks. MegaPort already operated its own SDN software, which aligned well with the existing ECIX infrastructure. I designed a dedicated management network based on Juniper SRX hardware, ensuring that all routers and switches were always accessible for management tasks from the SDN platform. Due to rapid network growth, deployment delays became a challenge, which led to the development of a new service called MegaPort in a Box. I developed a tool that provided insight into the status of construction phases across the various data centers where MegaPort deployed points of presence. Skills: Python, MPLS, BGP, SDN.

Glasoperator / Vodafone Libertel B.V. was a Dutch ISP that was later acquired by T-Mobile. The ISP operated on the KPN-WBA network while also maintaining its own fiber optic infrastructure. As a Global Peering Manager and Technical Networking Consultant, I was responsible for multiple projects. I visualized network flows using tools such as pmacct and Grafana and used these insights to establish external peering relationships with over-the-top providers such as Netflix, Google, and Amazon. I improved traffic visibility through the use of BGP communities and automated customer routing decisions. Skills: Peering, NetFlow/IPFIX, open-source tools, BGP. Vodafone Group is the umbrella organization and provides IP transit and MPLS connectivity worldwide. In addition to my work at Glasoperator, I also fulfilled the role of Global Peering Manager for Vodafone Group. I provided insight into ongoing and upcoming upgrades across the Vodafone network, which typically involved 100G interconnections with external parties. During a period of rapid growth, network traffic increased from 6 Tbps to 10 Tbps within two months. This required close coordination and communication with operational network teams across multiple countries. I took ownership of this process and made network growth and upgrade progress visible using data-driven tooling. Skills: Peering, traffic forecasting analysis, communication.

At Leasweb I have deployed a complete new setup based on netflow v9/IPFIX to review current bandwidth utilization for egress and inter-router traffic. Using tools like pmacct, nfcapd and self-written front-end I have managed to reduce transit cost, increase peering ratio and connect top 10 networks through private interconnections.
I have completed an audit for selecting a new facility in Silicon Valley based on a networking point of view. This audit included: duct/manhole observation, risk analysis and upstream connection paths. During this audit I have had intensive contact with our Tier1's to negotiate the possibilities to facilitate us in one of the new POP's in Silicon Valley.
In September I have visited Equinix Singapore to build the CDN presence and negotiate IP transit and backbone infrastructure.
As a member of the Network Design team another responsibility lies within maintaining peering relations, strategically plan and schedule peering (PNI or publicly) upgrades or expansions to improve LeaseWeb/Fiberring connectivity.

Building and maintaining large scale network consistent over multiple regions. Being the first employee of Atrato IP Networks I've been in the position of building this current worldwide network. I have started rolling out the Netherlands area where we used dark fiber backbone and a set of passive DWDM interfaces to aggregate the large amount of traffic volume. While expanding to various countries in and around the Benelux we kept on growing to the US and currently expanding to the mid-east and Asia.
I have deployed most routers and configured and connected them in the network. Late 2011 we have established the first worldwide 100Gbit/s Ethernet port to AMS-IX in close cooperation with the AMSIX team. All equipment used by Atrato is Brocade on their MLX-e and XMR architecture. As layer-2 aggregation devices a set of TurboIron and Juniper EX series are used. Aside from this deployment the network also required a lot of maintenance, implementing a heavy set of communities for customer control of the network was designed by me. Network monitoring and sFlow configuration on all devices with an integrated system with data collected from rancid, weathermap and MRTG.
I've written customer-provisioning tools in PHP and jQuery with a mix of system tools to automate this process and eliminate human errors.
Late 2012 we began to realize that Brocade could not meet our requirements and Atrato was pushing the hardware limits in multiple ways. We started with a view selected vendors which could replace our network world-wide and currently we are in a very close stadium with Juniper Networks. As the network develops also the knowledge of different systems increases. We are working closely with Smartoptics to establish passive DWDM connections over larger distances (up to 200km) where inbound amplification is used to boost the attenuation.

Manage the AMS-IX layer-2 platform.
Setup radius AAA (authorization, accounting, authentication).
Cabling work in data-centers, switch to switch and switch to customer.
Customer implementation and communication.
Design and implement new platform based on MPLS and VPLS technologies.

Redesigned complete Internal and External network (E-BGP/E-BGP/OSPF). Replaced old Juniper and Extreme Networks hardware with Force10 Networks.
Setup of RANCID configuration management.
Manage BGP external peering sessions.

Installing and manage the Core network (BigIron 8000).
Implementing IPv6 on an Zebra router.

Installing new Core/Edge-Network with 1 Juniper M40, 1 M10 and 1 M160. Implementing new VRRP configuration to customers.

Running and maintaining the network (Juniper-routers BGP).
Development of shell scripts (Perl, Python)
Development of small dynamic websites (PHP/MySQL)
Third line helpdesk.

Development of intranet.
Mailsetup running on ldap (PHP/ldap/MySQL/Python).
I-BGP, E-BGP networking (Zebra BGP/OSPF).