Senior DevOps Engineer · Infrastructure Architect
I help companies in DE, AT, and CH build robust Linux infrastructures, automate deployments, and safely conduct complex migrations – with technical depth and operational experience.
I am Michael Hettwer – a Senior DevOps Engineer and Infrastructure Architect based in Prague and Berlin. I administer and architect Linux environments, from medium-sized single servers to enterprise clusters with 400+ hosts.
My focus is on automation (Ansible, GitOps), secure migrations, Kubernetes adoptions, and ongoing hardening of critical infrastructures – including within the context of NIS2 compliance.
More about my background →Linux
Architecture & Operations
400+
Hosts managed concurrently
DACH
Remote Focus
NIS2
Security & Compliance
Services
Sparring partner for your team: Evaluate and improve processes, toolchains, CI/CD pipelines, and GitOps workflows.
Inventory of your Linux environment: Identify vulnerabilities, highlight optimization potential, and create an action plan.
CentOS 7 → AlmaLinux, legacy replacement, Kubernetes adoption – cleanly planned and executed.
Ongoing management of complex Linux environments: Monitoring, security hardening, patching, and operations.
Collaboration
It starts with a free 30-minute intro call – video or phone, your choice. You describe your infrastructure; I give you an honest assessment of whether and how I can help.
If it is a fit on both sides, we run a short audit (infrastructure review or NIS2 gap analysis) with concrete recommendations. From there, we work either project-based or in a sparring model: fixed sessions, clear deliverables, no surprises.
Remote from Prague and Berlin, with full DACH coverage and native German communication.
Why me
References
Mid-sized manufacturer, ~300 Linux servers
Challenge
CentOS 7 End-of-Life, no migration concept, tight deadline
Approach
Migration plan, Ansible automation, rolling rollout to AlmaLinux
Result
300+ servers migrated within 6 months, zero production downtime
SaaS provider, cloud-native infrastructure
Challenge
Monolithic deployment, long release cycles, high error rate in releases
Approach
Kubernetes adoption, GitOps with ArgoCD, structured CI/CD pipelines
Result
Deployment frequency increased from monthly to daily, rollback time under 3 minutes
E-Commerce company, NIS2 compliance
Challenge
Insufficient security measures, lack of documentation, audit risk
Approach
Gap analysis, security hardening according to CIS benchmarks, monitoring setup, documentation
Result
NIS2 compliance achieved, audit successfully passed, continuous monitoring established
Remote & DACH
I work remotely for companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland – in native German and fluent English. That means documentation in German, calls in your timezone, and an understanding of GDPR, NIS2 and typical DACH compliance requirements.
Whether you are in Berlin, Vienna or Zurich, collaboration is as seamless as on-site.
Technologies
Focus areas: AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux migrations, Ansible-based infrastructure-as-code, Kubernetes with GitOps (ArgoCD), CI/CD via GitLab and GitHub Actions, NIS2-compliant system hardening.
Currently guiding several teams through CentOS 7-to-AlmaLinux transitions and the introduction of policy-as-code for container workloads.
FAQ
Primarily remote; occasional on-site days for initial audits are possible.
Usually within 1–2 weeks after the first call.
The first call is free; the audit is quoted individually.
Send me a short message – I usually get back to you within one business day. An initial 30-minute introductory meeting is free of charge.
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