Meet The
Team
Learn more about the Skyline team and how we help you achieve your business goals.
Brett Smith
Website Administrator
Visual Timeline:
2010: The First Line of Code:
Dives into programming and development, laying the foundation for building custom website functionality.2017: Architecting Web Defenses:
Begins developing a proprietary web firewall, focusing on the critical importance of website security and uptime for business success.2020: Mastering Performance Under Pressure:
Completes his Web Application Firewall (WAF), proving his ability to keep websites fast and online even against massive traffic loads.2021: Optimizing from the Ground Up:
Works as an infrastructure technician, gaining unparalleled insight into the core network mechanics that dictate website speed and user experience.2024: The Skyline Administrator:
Joins Skyline Digital Marketing to apply his deep technical expertise to engineer, secure, and administer high-performance client websites.
Introduction
As a Website Administrator at Skyline Digital Marketing, Brett Smith operates on a core belief: a website should be more than a digital storefront; it's a high-performance engine for business growth. His professional mission is to engineer web environments that deliver elite functionality, robust security, and a seamless user experience. Brett ensures that every website built by Skyline is architected not just to compete, but to dominate its respective field through superior performance and strategic design.
A Foundation in System Optimization & Security
Brett’s journey into technology began in childhood with a fascination for optimizing computer systems for speed and efficiency. This initial curiosity evolved into a hands-on passion when he discovered game modding, which served as his first introduction to the world of code. However, his interests quickly deepened, pulling him toward the more complex challenges of system administration and cybersecurity.
He honed his skills by building virtual machine environments to safely analyze and remove computer infections, while simultaneously diving into the world of UNIX-based operating systems. Throughout his high school years, he expanded his expertise into networking, mastering the concepts of LAN/WAN architecture and learning PHP. This period culminated in a deep focus on network security and firewall implementation, where he began architecting the solutions he would become known for.
In 2017, Brett undertook a project that would define his expertise: developing his own proprietary HTTP firewall. This multi-year endeavor saw him master the intricacies of the Apache webserver and develop groundbreaking methods for DDoS mitigation, driven by a passion for protecting digital assets against complex threats.
A Portfolio of Technical Achievements
Brett's expertise is demonstrated through a career of building resilient, high-performance digital solutions and infrastructure.
Proprietary Web Application Firewall (WAF): Over a multi-year period, Brett architected and developed a sophisticated WAF designed as a plugin for the Apache webserver. This application has proven its resilience in the real world, successfully mitigating complex HTTP(S) attacks from over 600,000 unique IPs targeting a single server.
Industry-Wide DDoS Mitigation: He was instrumental in developing a new, highly effective method for mitigating complex volumetric DDoS attacks targeting gaming VPNs—a technique that has since been adopted as an industry-wide solution.
Physical Network Engineering: As a mainline fiber optic technician for local ISPs, Brett engineered and deployed the physical fiber optic infrastructure for ten separate residential neighborhoods. He also designed and implemented the complete networks for two local police departments, showcasing his mastery of network segmentation, security, and VLANs.
Custom API & Software Development: He has a proven track record of creating custom applications to solve specific business needs, including developing a plugin for the Ubiquiti CRM platform that automates client communication about network outages via text and email.
The Journey to Skyline
Before joining Skyline, Brett was a freelance programmer and a hands-on fiber optic technician for a local ISP. This unique combination of high-level coding and ground-level infrastructure work gave him a holistic understanding of how the internet works, from the physical cable to the application layer. When the opportunity arose to join Skyline, he recognized it as the perfect chance to dedicate his full skill set to helping businesses build a powerful and secure online presence.
How My Role Benefits Our Clients
Brett's deep and diverse technical background provides a distinct advantage to every Skyline client.
Unbreakable Security & Uptime: With years of experience building firewalls and mitigating massive DDoS attacks, Brett architects client websites with a security-first mindset, ensuring maximum uptime and protection against threats.
Peak Performance & Speed: His expertise in optimizing Apache webservers for minimal resource usage means he can fine-tune client sites to be exceptionally fast and responsive, which is critical for both user experience and SEO.
Holistic Infrastructure Knowledge: Having physically built fiber optic networks, Brett understands website performance on a level most developers do not, allowing him to diagnose and solve issues that originate anywhere from the server to the end-user.
Strategic, Goal-Oriented Development: His process begins by identifying a client's key business goals and performance indicators, then engineering the website's functionality around those objectives to ensure it acts as a powerful tool for growth.
Other Skyline Team Members:
Ryan Yon
Project Manager
Kruz McCollum
Owner / Founder