SYSTEMS • BACKUP • NETWORKING • M365
Small-environment IT: backup, storage, networking, Microsoft 365, domains and secure access.
This page outlines practical experience across backup and storage, small-office networking, Microsoft 365,
domains / DNS, email, simple websites and secure remote access approaches.
The focus is on clear, repeatable patterns suitable for home offices and small businesses, rather than large enterprise environments.
Region of work: West of Ireland and Midlands, with remote collaboration possible across Ireland and the UK.
Scope: Backup, NAS, LAN/WAN, Microsoft 365, DNS, domains and remote access.
Style: Factual, non-commercial, documentation-like summary.
Use: Reference page for IT teams, MSPs and hiring managers to review skills quickly.
Backup & NAS
LAN / Wi-Fi
Microsoft 365
Domains & DNS
Secure access
The emphasis is on small-to-medium environments: reliable backup, clean networking layouts, Microsoft 365 basics,
domain and DNS configuration, and straightforward web and email setups.
- 3–2–1 style backup thinking for small businesses and home offices.
- Use of NAS devices (e.g. Synology and others), RAID/SHR, volumes and shared folders.
- Snapshots, versioning, verification and test restores instead of assuming backup success.
- Router configuration, WAN and LAN basics, DHCP and DNS usage.
- Wi-Fi setup and troubleshooting in typical home/office layouts.
- VPN concepts: site-to-site and client-based approaches (e.g. WireGuard / Tailscale style).
- User and mailbox creation, aliases and basic shared mailbox scenarios.
- Outlook desktop and mobile client configuration and basic fault-finding.
- Awareness that Microsoft 365 sync is not a full backup, and ways to mitigate that risk.
- Domain registration and TLD selection for individuals and small organisations.
- A, CNAME, MX and TXT record configuration with providers such as Cloudflare.
- Cloudflare Email Routing to personal inboxes (e.g.
elias@boltproof.com).
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC basics and simple deliverability checks.
- Static HTML/CSS sites similar to this page for clear information pages.
- Hosting on GitHub Pages or lightweight shared hosting platforms.
- Connecting the site to a custom domain and maintaining DNS records.
- Windows desktop setup, OS updates and routine troubleshooting.
- File sharing, NTFS permissions and straightforward access structures.
- Explaining changes and risk in plain language suitable for non-technical users.
A small, realistic lab environment is used to explore backup, storage, networking and remote-access patterns.
The aim is to mirror the types of components commonly encountered in smaller environments.
- NAS devices with SHR/RAID arrays, shared folders and scheduled backup jobs.
- Router with multiple networks, basic firewall rules and VPN configuration.
- Combination of macOS and Windows machines for testing common client setups.
- Backup and replication between devices to simulate off-site or secondary copies.
The emphasis is on reliability and repeatability at small scale, rather than high complexity.
- File storage and backup tasks across different devices and shares.
- Media and utility services (e.g. Plex) as examples of internal user-facing apps.
- Remote access using VPN and zero-trust-style tools such as Tailscale.
- Use of Cloudflare for DNS management and secure access patterns.
Components are used as test pieces to understand behaviour and failure modes, not as commercial products.
🛡️
BoltProof.com as a simple secure hub – design idea
BoltProof.com can serve as a single entry point to several internal services, keeping the underlying IP space
private and avoiding directly exposed ports. This mirrors modern small-scale “hub” designs.
- Public page:
boltproof.com – this static overview site.
- Login page concept:
boltproof.com/login – protected via Cloudflare Access.
- Internal routing: once authenticated, traffic is routed over a private mesh (e.g. Tailscale).
- Example mappings:
boltproof.com/nas → NAS admin interface.boltproof.com/plex → media interface.boltproof.com/mac → remote Mac access.boltproof.com/qbit → utility or admin tools.
The design keeps the home IP hidden and uses identity-aware access rather than static port forwarding.
- Provides a consistent login experience and central starting point for internal tools.
- Combines DNS, certificates, identity and private routing in a controlled design.
- Reduces exposure of administrative interfaces to the open internet.
- Gives a concrete example of secure small-environment remote access that can be replicated elsewhere.
The approach is transferable to small businesses needing safe access to a limited set of internal services.
📚
Example scenarios and design assumptions
Several typical situations strongly influence how backup, storage and access are approached. These are common
scenarios in small-environment IT, not client-specific projects.
🔒Ransomware and cloud sync
Cloud file sync services will usually sync encrypted or deleted files as readily as healthy ones. Designs
therefore treat Microsoft 365, OneDrive or Google Drive as collaboration layers, and rely on separate,
independent backups for actual recovery capability.
📦“The NAS is the backup” – validating assumptions
A single NAS used as the main storage location is not sufficient on its own. Design checks always ask:
if this device fails completely, where does the restore come from? This drives the use of additional copies,
snapshots and off-site or offline elements.
🛜Remote access to internal systems
For typical small environments, a preference is given to VPN or identity-aware access tools over exposing
RDP, NAS or admin interfaces directly to the internet. Cloudflare Access and Tailscale-style solutions are
examples of tools that support this pattern.
🌍Domains, simple sites and domain-based email
For individuals or small businesses, a custom domain, a static information site and domain-based email
(e.g. info@domain.com or name@domain.com) are often sufficient. The focus is on
correct DNS records, stable email routing and a small, maintainable site rather than complex stacks.
This page serves as a concise technical overview of skills and patterns in small-environment IT:
backup and storage, NAS usage, LAN/Wi-Fi, Microsoft 365, domains, DNS and secure access.
It is intended as a reference for IT teams, managed service providers and hiring managers who want to
quickly understand how these areas are approached in practice.
Typical working region: Galway, Athlone, Midlands, Limerick and surrounding areas, with the option for
remote work across Ireland and the UK.