Greg Williams

About Greg Williams

I apply the scientific method to Azure cost control and cloud reliability.With 25+ years in tech (and a background in Chemistry), I don’t guess why cloud environments get expensive or fragile. I identify the root cause, validate it with data, and implement fixes that stick.I primarily support MSPs and solo Azure consultants — often behind the scenes — who need to deliver clean wins for their clients without hiring additional staff.Where I help most:Azure Cost Cleanup & Risk ReductionHidden cloud waste doesn’t announce itself. Orphaned disks, unused NICs, idle VMs, misconfigured private endpoints, expired certificates — they quietly drain budgets or become outages later.I identify and eliminate these issues using repeatable, automation-friendly approaches.Automation & Delivery SupportI build and refine practical Azure Automation runbooks and VM Run Command workflows to prevent the same problems from reappearing. This includes private DNS handling, certificate deployment, and cleanup logic that scales across environments.SQL Performance (When It’s the Real Bottleneck)When slow applications are actually caused by SQL bottlenecks, I identify and resolve the issue at the query and index level — often avoiding unnecessary infrastructure upgrades.How I work:I’m not a generalist. I specialize in high-impact cleanup and prevention work — short, focused efforts that reduce cost, risk, and operational noise.I also develop RW-UX (Risk-Weighted User Experience) — a framework focused on preventing irreversible loss. In cloud environments, that translates directly into eliminating quiet risks before they become incidents or budget fires.If you’re an MSP or consultant who needs help delivering an Azure cleanup or automation project quickly, feel free to DM me.

Experience

1. Sr Consultant

   Illumination Works

   Feb 2023 — Present · Beavercreek, OH, US

   Designed, implemented, and monitored Azure Government Cloud solutions, ensuring reliability and scalability for mission-critical systems.Led integration of multiple data systems using Azure Data Factory, Databricks, and Azure SQL, supporting both streaming and batch data pipelines.Developed and managed Azure DevOps (ADO) pipelines and VM image configurations, focusing on maintainability and performance.Oversaw production environment operations, including monitoring, troubleshooting, and change management to ensure system stability.Collaborated with cross-functional teams to coordinate software releases and deliver features aligned with user needs.Led the design and delivery of external Kafka solution low-code platform, supporting real-time data processing.Designed and delivered Power BI platforms across highly secured tenants, enabling robust data visualization and analytics.Created communication channel process solutions, optimizing deployment workflows and empowering development teams.Developed and deployed Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates for Infrastructure as Code (IaC), supporting scalable infrastructure.Implemented CI/CD pipelines in collaboration with development and data teams, driving continuous integration and delivery.

Education

• Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University

  Master of Business Administration (MBA)

  2012 — 2014

• Kansas State University

  Bachelor of Science (BS)

  1986 — 1991