Astersmith provides end-to-end technology consulting across infrastructure, cloud, security, communications, and software development. Below is a detailed overview of our practice areas. We work with clients to design and implement solutions appropriate for their scale, industry, and budget.

Cloud Infrastructure

Cloud platforms have transformed how businesses build and operate their IT infrastructure. We help clients evaluate, architect, and migrate to cloud environments on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Our cloud consulting services include:

• Cloud readiness assessments and total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis
• Architecture design for IaaS, PaaS, and hybrid cloud deployments
• Workload migration planning and execution, including lift-and-shift and re-architecture approaches
• Identity and access management (IAM) design and governance
• Virtual private cloud (VPC) networking, peering, and connectivity
• Cloud cost optimization, right-sizing, and reserved instance strategy
• Disaster recovery and business continuity planning in the cloud

Artificial Intelligence and LLM Integration

AI and large language models represent a fundamental shift in how organizations can automate processes, extract value from data, and interact with their own systems. We help businesses move past the hype and into practical, production-grade AI deployments:

• Enterprise AI strategy and readiness assessments
• Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) system design and implementation
• Private LLM deployment on-premises or in isolated cloud environments
• AI-assisted workflow automation and business process integration
• Evaluation and selection of AI platforms, APIs, and foundation models
• Data pipeline design for AI and machine learning workloads
• Governance, compliance, and responsible AI policy development

Cybersecurity

Security is not a product you buy — it is a practice you build. Astersmith provides practical cybersecurity consulting grounded in real-world threat models rather than checkbox compliance:

• Security posture assessments and gap analysis
• Network perimeter hardening and firewall architecture review
• Endpoint security strategy and deployment
• Identity management, privileged access controls, and zero-trust architecture
• Security information and event management (SIEM) implementation
• Vulnerability scanning and remediation planning
• Compliance guidance for HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, and NIST frameworks
• Security awareness training program design

Enterprise Networking

A well-designed network is the foundation on which everything else runs. Our networking consultants have hands-on experience with enterprise-class equipment from the industry's leading vendors:

• Cisco routing and switching: IOS, IOS-XE, Catalyst, Nexus, ASA, and Firepower platforms
• Juniper routing and security: Junos OS, EX Series, SRX Series
• Wide area network (WAN) design including MPLS, SD-WAN, and internet-based VPN architectures
• Wireless LAN (WLAN) planning, site surveys, and deployment
• Network monitoring, performance baselining, and capacity planning
• IPv6 transition planning and dual-stack implementation

Server Virtualization

Virtualization remains one of the most effective ways to improve hardware utilization, simplify disaster recovery, and increase operational flexibility. We provide consulting on both major enterprise hypervisor platforms:

• VMware vSphere (ESXi) architecture, deployment, and administration
• VMware vCenter Server design and management
• Microsoft Hyper-V and Windows Server failover clustering
• Virtual machine migration and P2V (physical-to-virtual) conversions
• High availability (HA) and disaster recovery design
• Performance tuning and resource management

Storage Area Networks

Enterprise storage infrastructure requires careful design to meet performance, availability, and capacity requirements. Astersmith has experience with all major SAN transport technologies:

• Fibre Channel (FC) SAN design, zoning, and administration
• Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) converged network design
• iSCSI storage configuration and multipath I/O (MPIO)
• InfiniBand high-performance interconnect
• NAS protocol design (NFS, SMB/CIFS)
• Storage performance assessment and tiering strategy
• Backup architecture and data retention policy design

VoIP and Unified Communications

Open-source VoIP platforms provide enterprise-grade telephone functionality at a fraction of the cost of proprietary PBX systems. We have deep experience deploying production voice systems for businesses of all sizes:

• Asterisk PBX design, deployment, and customization
• FreeSWITCH platform engineering and integration
• SIP trunk provisioning and carrier interconnection
• Interactive voice response (IVR) design and implementation
• Call center and contact center solutions
• Voicemail, call recording, and reporting systems
• Integration with CRM and business application platforms

Mobile Application Development

Custom mobile applications give businesses direct, branded access to their customers and workforce. We design and build native and cross-platform mobile applications for both major mobile ecosystems:

• iOS application development (iPhone and iPad)
• Android application development
• Cross-platform development targeting both iOS and Android
• Back-end API design and mobile-to-cloud integration
• App Store and Google Play submission and compliance guidance
• Enterprise mobile device management (MDM) integration

Custom Software Development

Off-the-shelf software does not always fit. When standard solutions fall short, we design and build custom software that integrates with your existing systems and meets your exact requirements:

• Web application design and development
• Internal tooling and workflow automation
• Systems integration and API development
• Database design and optimization
• Legacy system modernization

Server Operating Systems

Our consultants administer and support servers across the full spectrum of enterprise operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Server: Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, IIS, SQL Server
• Linux: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS, Ubuntu Server, Debian
• BSD: FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and pfSense-based network infrastructure
• Automation and configuration management with Ansible, Puppet, and shell scripting