Fitz - Mastiff Systems

Fitzken Mendoza

Not all heroes wield swords—some carry SSH keys and boot into the unknown. Fitzken’s journey began in the humming halls of virtual machines and firewalls, where he forged a Proxmox hypervisor cluster spanning five mighty nodes. From configuring backups through NFS channels to migrating entire fleets of servers, he’s earned a reputation for keeping systems running when others falter. He’s worked with hosting giants like Bluehost and OVH, steering infrastructure through outages and upgrades with calm, clockwork precision.

Skills:

Fluent in the language of Linux, from cryptic logs to silent daemons
Virtualization expert with a knack for scalable, high-availability systems
Adept at building, monitoring, and maintaining infrastructure with a craftsman’s eye

Hobbies:

When the servers sleep, Fitzken turns to gentler pursuits: baking loaves that rise like clean bootups, experimenting with new recipes, building curious DIY contraptions, and spending quiet hours with his loyal dogs.

Favorite Music:

Whether deep in the command line or waiting for a kernel patch to land, Fitzken queues up Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, and pulse-pounding EDM—fuel for the modern mechanist’s mind.

Title: Security Artificer

Guild Role: Keeper of Uptime, Mender of Machines

Posts by Fitz

Passwords & Account Security: Why Your Password Isn’t Enough Anymore

by Fitz 21 Jul 2025

Welcome back to Mastiff Systems’ Cybersecurity Essentials series. Last week, we demystified what a network is and how to protect the network and devices where your data flows. This week, we’re diving into password best practices, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and account hygiene — your core defenses that help safeguard your...

Networking Basics: Understanding and Securing More Than Just Wi-Fi

by Fitz 14 Jul 2025

Your network is the foundation of your business—and if it’s not secure, everything else is at risk. In this article, we break down what network security really means for small businesses, how attacks happen, and simple steps you can take to lock down your Wi-Fi, devices, and remote access tools....

Malware & Software Updates: Why Ignoring That Update Button Can Cost You

by Fitz 23 Jun 2025

Outdated software is one of the easiest ways hackers get in. In this article, we break down how malware works, why software updates matter, and what simple steps you can take—like turning on automatic updates and uninstalling unused apps—to keep your business secure.

Ransomware & Data Backup: How to Protect Your Business from Digital Extortion

by Fitz 17 Jun 2025

Ransomware is one of the fastest-growing threats to small businesses—locking your data, halting operations, and demanding payment. In this article, we break down how ransomware works, how to prevent it with backups and security best practices, and what to do if your business is attacked.

Phishing & Email Security: How to Spot and Stop Digital Scams

by Fitz 09 Jun 2025

Phishing is one of the most common and dangerous cyber threats facing small businesses today—but it’s also one of the easiest to prevent. In this post, we break down what phishing is, how it works, real-world examples, and simple steps you can take to protect your business, your team, and...