About Henry Potgieter
One senior engineer, the whole stack, for businesses with no IT department
I build the software a small business runs on, put it on servers I have hardened myself, watch it, patch it and fix it and explain all of it without the jargon. Over twenty years in production networks and enterprise DevSecOps, now pointed at businesses that need senior engineering without a full time technical team.
I started in ISP support in 2002, ran a regional provider's network within four years, then spent a decade in carrier and business networking before moving into DevSecOps, where the work is containerized platforms, CI/CD, patch and certificate automation and leading a team that keeps enterprise Kubernetes, GitLab and monitoring running. ViscousBits is where that discipline goes to work for you.
Based in the Hamilton, Ontario area. Remote first, on site by arrangement. ViscousBits is a Canadian corporation and invoices in CAD or USD.
I started in ISP support in 2002, ran a regional provider's network within four years, then spent a decade in carrier and business networking before moving into DevSecOps, where the work is containerized platforms, CI/CD, patch and certificate automation and leading a team that keeps enterprise Kubernetes, GitLab and monitoring running. ViscousBits is where that discipline goes to work for you.
Based in the Hamilton, Ontario area. Remote first, on site by arrangement. ViscousBits is a Canadian corporation and invoices in CAD or USD.
8 case studies, client work and systems I run myself
What I do for clients
- Custom appsInternal tools, quoting platforms, field forms, built around how you already work and tested before every release.
- Private AI and automationWorkers you own instead of rent and assistants grounded in your own rules and data.
- Managed servers and websitesMonitoring, patching, backups and a monthly report written for you.
- Websites and emailFast brochure sites that bring in the right calls and email that lands in the inbox.
- Security and privacyAudits, hardening, backups ransomware cannot reach, incident response and staff training.
- Rescue and takeoverThe developer left and the passwords went with them. I take it over and sort it out.
- Personal privacyYour own phone, laptop and home network, locked down and explained.
- Off grid communicationsPrivate long range radio networks, consulting only.
The service pages end with the case studies behind them. All case studies.
What I work with
Skills
Systems: Linux, server hardening, patch automation.
Networking: BGP, MPLS, firewalls, VPNs, WireGuard.
Automation: Ansible, Salt, Terraform, GitLab CI.
Containers: Docker, Kubernetes.
Observability: Prometheus, Grafana, alerting that pages a human.
PKI and TLS: certificate automation at scale.
Web and apps: Python, FastAPI, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Node.js, PostgreSQL, MySQL.
AI: private knowledge bases, models hosted on your own servers, gateways with personal data filtering.
Security: vulnerability management, incident response, Content Security Policy, access control.
What I run myself: my own servers, my own monitoring, my own radio network and my own language models. The setups I recommend are the ones I live with.
Networking: BGP, MPLS, firewalls, VPNs, WireGuard.
Automation: Ansible, Salt, Terraform, GitLab CI.
Containers: Docker, Kubernetes.
Observability: Prometheus, Grafana, alerting that pages a human.
PKI and TLS: certificate automation at scale.
Web and apps: Python, FastAPI, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Node.js, PostgreSQL, MySQL.
AI: private knowledge bases, models hosted on your own servers, gateways with personal data filtering.
Security: vulnerability management, incident response, Content Security Policy, access control.
What I run myself: my own servers, my own monitoring, my own radio network and my own language models. The setups I recommend are the ones I live with.
How I work
Working with me
Async first. Written updates you can read when it suits you, instead of meetings.
Written quotes. A free written scope first, then a quote in writing before any build starts.
Agreed windows. Changes to live systems happen in windows agreed with you, with published response targets for managed accounts.
Reversible by default. Every change is tested, staged and can be rolled back. You get a monthly report written for an owner to read.
Written quotes. A free written scope first, then a quote in writing before any build starts.
Agreed windows. Changes to live systems happen in windows agreed with you, with published response targets for managed accounts.
Reversible by default. Every change is tested, staged and can be rolled back. You get a monthly report written for an owner to read.
How I use AI
AI policy
AI makes a senior engineer faster. It drafts code, tests and documentation while automation covers the nights. I review every change before it ships.
On managed accounts, fixes come from a reviewed list approved in advance. I approve anything risky myself. Actions are logged and reports are written so an owner can read them.
Routine monitoring runs on systems I control. Investigations and reports may use a cloud AI provider, which is disclosed in the privacy policy. An option that runs only locally is available per client on request.
On managed accounts, fixes come from a reviewed list approved in advance. I approve anything risky myself. Actions are logged and reports are written so an owner can read them.
Routine monitoring runs on systems I control. Investigations and reports may use a cloud AI provider, which is disclosed in the privacy policy. An option that runs only locally is available per client on request.
Want to talk through a project?
Start with a free external security check or describe what you need. Messages go through the encrypted contact form only.