I’m Damon Hoody, a Network Support Specialist at NEOnet and a graduate of Western Governors University’s B.S. in Information Technology program. In my current position, I support both network and voice systems while continuing to learn more about routing, switching, Cisco Unified Communications, and the day-to-day work involved in keeping those services running.

Before joining NEOnet, I worked as a Computer Technician at Cuyahoga Valley Career Center, where I also graduated with honors and distinction from the Cisco Networking Academy. That experience gave me a strong start in IT and allowed me to work on everything from system deployments and infrastructure upgrades to server migrations and network projects. More importantly, it helped me discover that networking was the direction I wanted to pursue professionally.

Since moving into my current role, I have been learning how traditional networking and voice work together. Along with supporting switches and connected devices, I have been studying how Cisco phones register, how CUCM routes calls, and how technologies such as SIP, RTP, CUBE, and dial plans fit into the larger network. Voice was almost entirely new to me when I started, but it has quickly become one of the most interesting parts of my work.

Outside of work, I maintain a physical and virtual homelab where I can turn what I am studying into practical experience. I use Cisco Modeling Labs to build and troubleshoot network topologies, experiment with routing and network services, and explore technologies that I cannot safely test in a production environment. I also maintain the infrastructure behind hoody.cx, including its mail services and DNS configuration.

I currently hold the CCNA, CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, ITIL 4 Foundation, LPI Linux Essentials, Cisco CCST Networking and Cybersecurity, and ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity certifications.

This blog is where I document my progress through IT, from my earlier interest in capture-the-flag exercises and offensive security to my current work in network operations and Cisco voice. My interests have changed over time, but the goal has remained the same: to better understand how systems communicate, how networks fail, and how to troubleshoot them when they do.

Security is still an important part of that work, but it is no longer the destination by itself. My focus today is on supporting reliable networks and voice systems while continuing to grow into a well-rounded network professional.

Feel free to explore the site. Whether you work in networking, voice, systems administration, or are still learning the ropes, I hope you find something useful here.

God bless you.