Principal Architect

Building Cloud Infrastructure for Enterprise Scale

David Cox — Azure Cloud Architect, Microsoft 365 Specialist, and Infrastructure Expert. Decades of experience modernizing legacy IT stacks and empowering enterprises to innovate and grow.

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David Cox - Principal Architect
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01

About

Architecting the Future of Enterprise IT

I wear several hats at Everbank — my official title is Principal Architect, but besides being the subject matter expert for infrastructure and cloud, I also designed, built, and secured most of the platforms brought online during my tenure with the bank.

I'm a certified Azure Administrator and Azure Virtual Desktop Specialist with decades of experience modernizing legacy IT stacks, connecting datacenters to the cloud, and empowering enterprises to leverage technology for innovation and growth.

Through Default Route Advisory, I help organizations navigate complex cloud migrations, implement robust security frameworks, and build scalable infrastructure that drives business value.

Cloud Architecture
Azure infrastructure design & optimization
Enterprise Security
Fortinet & zero-trust solutions
Virtual Desktop
AVD design & implementation
Identity Management
Active Directory & Entra ID
David Cox
02

Experience

December 2021 — Present

Principal Architect

Everbank
  • Led the modernization of enterprise infrastructure by driving the adoption of SDWAN, Enterprise PKI, modern authentication with Entra ID, and industry standard frameworks for cloud architecture and endpoint management.
  • Designed a dual-region active/active Azure Virtual Desktop solution increasing availability from 99.9% to 99.998% while reducing operational costs by over 30%.
  • Connected corporate HQ, DR, and branch offices to multiple Azure regions using ExpressRoute and failover IPSEC VPN, achieving 99.9999% uptime.
  • Improved the bank's FFIEC rating from a 5 to a 2 in under 3 years through comprehensive security and compliance policies.
Azure AVD ExpressRoute Security Leadership
2012 — 2022

Lead Network Architect & Co-Founder

SMR Hosting / LiquidVPN
  • Founded and operated a SaaS VPN service with global customer base, managing multi-cloud infrastructure with Fortinet, Adtran, and Barracuda security stack.
  • Led DevOps initiatives, fostering agile development and continuous integration practices.
  • Negotiated the sale of both companies to private equity, stayed on as IT Director to oversee merger and transition.
Entrepreneurship Multi-Cloud VPN DevOps
2005 — 2010

Network Engineer

IBM Global Services
  • Designed and implemented robust backup systems and data retention policies.
  • Provided top-level support for Citrix Metaframe XP and Active Directory domains.
  • Advocated for and implemented virtual machines, significantly improving infrastructure efficiency.
Citrix Active Directory Virtualization
03

Certifications

AZ-140

Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty

Planning, delivering, and managing virtual desktop experiences and remote apps on Microsoft Azure

Verify Credential →
AZ-104

Azure Administrator Associate

Implementing, managing, and monitoring Azure environments including identity, governance, and compute

Verify Credential →
AZ-900

Azure Fundamentals

Foundational knowledge of cloud concepts, core Azure services, plus Azure management and governance

Verify Credential →
AI-900

Azure AI Fundamentals

AI concepts and Azure AI services for creating AI solutions in the Microsoft ecosystem

Verify Credential →
04

Technical Expertise

Cloud & Infrastructure

Microsoft Azure
Azure Virtual Desktop
Hybrid Cloud Architecture
Network Architecture

Identity & Management

Active Directory / Entra ID
Microsoft Intune
Microsoft 365 Administration
Group Policy

Security & Compliance

Fortinet Security
Zero Trust Architecture
Enterprise PKI
Regulatory Compliance
05

Consulting Services

Through Default Route Advisory, I provide expert consulting services to help organizations navigate their cloud journey and optimize their IT infrastructure.

Azure Cloud Architecture

Crafting resilient Azure architectures that ensure high availability and disaster recovery across multiple regions. Legacy modernization and comprehensive migration planning.

  • Multi-region design
  • Migration strategy & execution
  • Cost optimization

Microsoft 365 & Intune

Unified endpoint management ensuring secure and compliant access to corporate resources across all devices. Full M365 deployment and configuration.

  • Endpoint management
  • Conditional access
  • Compliance policies

Identity & Access Management

Comprehensive IAM strategies built on Zero Trust principles. Secure identity governance, privileged access management, and seamless user experiences across hybrid environments.

  • Zero Trust architecture
  • Privileged access management
  • Conditional access & MFA

Fortinet Security

Network security architecture and FortiGate deployment providing advanced threat protection across on-premises and cloud environments.

  • FortiGate deployment
  • Security policy design
  • Network segmentation

Azure Virtual Desktop

AVD design, deployment, and optimization for virtual desktop infrastructure. Secure, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for the distributed workforce.

  • AVD architecture design
  • Image management
  • Performance tuning

Hybrid Cloud Services

Seamlessly bridge on-premises infrastructure with cloud services. Expert integration of Active Directory, Exchange hybrid deployments, and unified management across environments.

  • Active Directory hybrid design
  • Exchange Online migration
  • Azure Arc & hybrid management

Let's Build Something Great

Whether you're planning a cloud migration, need expert architecture guidance, or want to modernize your IT infrastructure, I'm here to help. Let's discuss how we can transform your technology landscape.

Email
info@defaultrouteadvisory.com
Location
Canton, Michigan, USA
Availability
Open for consulting engagements
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