About Stephen Bancroft
About Me: Stephen Bancroft
I am a seasoned Google Cloud Architect and DevOps professional with a passion for designing, implementing, and securing complex cloud environments. With a career spanning over two decades in the technology sector, my expertise lies at the intersection of infrastructure, security, and automation.
Currently, I serve as a Senior Cloud Engineer at Mantel Group, where I lead large-scale migrations and cloud resource audits for major enterprise clients.
🚀 Professional Profile
My work is driven by a deep commitment to Open Source and a thrive for projects involving Linux cloud architectures, virtual technologies, and advanced networking. I specialize in:
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Extensive experience using Terraform to provision scalable, robust networks and highly available infrastructure.
- Google Cloud Expertise: From Google Cloud VMware Engine (GCVE) migrations to uplifting GCP Foundations and security postures.
- GitOps & CI/CD: Optimizing delivery pipelines and implementing GitOps methodologies to ensure cost-effective and reliable solutions.
- Security & Compliance: Enhancing security postures to meet stringent industry standards, including CIS Benchmarks.
🛠 Technical Skillset
| Category | Skills |
|---|---|
| Cloud Platforms | Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Google Cloud VMware Engine (GCVE), AWS |
| Automation & IaC | Terraform, Google FAST, GitOps, CI/CD (CodeFresh, Bamboo, Cloud Build) |
| Networking | NSX-T, BGP, Cloud Interconnect, AVI Advanced Loadbalancer, Cisco, Firewalls |
| Operating Systems | Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, RedHat, SUSE), Solaris, Windows Server |
| Dev & Scripting | Python, Python API Development, Unix Shell Scripting (BASH) |
📈 Recent Impact
- Canva: Led the GCP Foundations Uplift, migrating IaC into a mono-repo and upgrading FAST modules.
- ANZ: Conducted security remediation for CodeFresh pipelines and deployed high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
- UniSuper: Architected the migration of on-premise VMware environments to GCVE using custom-developed NSX-T Terraform code.
- HUB24: Mitigated architectural risks for production cutovers and established foundational monitoring and alerting systems.
🎓 Certifications & Education
I hold an Associate Diploma in Electrical Engineering (Computing). My professional certifications include:
- Google Cloud: Professional Cloud Architect, DevOps Engineer, Network Engineer, Security Engineer, and Developer.
- AI: Generative AI Leader (Google).
- Linux: Red Hat Certified Engineer.
- Management: PRINCE2 Foundation.