Cisco. Palo Alto. Ansible. Without the Enterprise Contract.
What I Do
Network Infrastructure
Enterprise network design and deployment using Cisco, Palo Alto, and UniFi. VLAN segmentation, zero-trust architecture, and SD-WAN — built by an engineer who designs these at enterprise scale daily.
Cloud & Hybrid Infrastructure
Azure and GCP migrations that don't break what already works. Hybrid cloud architecture, Microsoft 365 integration, and self-hosted alternatives that can dramatically reduce your SaaS spend.
Cybersecurity
Palo Alto next-gen firewalls, Cisco ISE network access control, endpoint protection, and compliance-ready security assessments. Not a checklist audit — a real security posture from someone who configures these in production.
Managed IT
Proactive monitoring, automated patching via Ansible, and real support when something breaks. A full IT department — monitoring, updates, troubleshooting, planning — minus the six-figure salary.
Structured Cabling
Clean Cat6/Cat6A runs, properly terminated patch panels, and network closets you won't be embarrassed to open. Professional installation that meets TIA standards and is built to last.
Security Camera Systems
UniFi Protect and enterprise IP surveillance — site survey, camera placement, installation, and remote access. Your footage stored on-site on hardware you own, not on someone else's cloud with a monthly fee.
Who I Am
I'm James Kirkpatrick — a CCNP Enterprise certified Network Architect with 13+ years in enterprise infrastructure, specializing in Palo Alto and Cisco security platforms. I've designed segmentation strategies across global data centers, migrated thousands of users between security platforms, and automated network operations at scale. Now I bring that same expertise to small and mid-size businesses across Southern California who need enterprise-grade IT but can't justify a full-time hire.
Most local IT firms are generalists — they reset passwords and call Cisco TAC when something breaks. I'm the person Cisco TAC talks to. Northern Edge exists because SMBs deserve the same caliber of network engineering that large enterprises get. I also do something no other local MSP does: self-hosted infrastructure, automation with Ansible, and smart office systems with Home Assistant.
CCNP
Enterprise Certified
13+
Years in Enterprise Networking
100%
Self-Hosted Infrastructure
Get In Touch
Tell me what's broken, what's slow, or what keeps you up at night — I'll tell you exactly how to fix it. Straight answers, no sales pitch.
