The current contract is a short-term contract to help in the deployment process of a three tiered web based application process. The tools used are Unix shell, Perl and Subversion (Release control), hosts running under Solaris 9 & 10 and Red Hat linux (VMware).

Vocalink is a merger of companies Voca and Link. I formerly worked at Link for 18 months during 2005/06 as a consultant, this time I am working as an Architect responsible for a Network integration project, that allows all sites in the new company to communicate.
• Design and configure existing Cisco devices, including ASA, Pix and Routers / Switches upto 6509E
• Advise on a new design for mobile phone Banking, a project I originally brought through devleopment into production during my last period with Link (08/05 - 12/06). This design included Solaris 9 and Solaris 10 containers for Web servers and Oracle 10g.
• Integrate virtualized systems into the development environments, including VMware ESX 3.5, Sun containers and Citrix

This period has included taking a break to undertake a security course and certification from GIAC / SANS. I worked as a Infrastructure Architect for a new three tier application architecture for Orange. I originally worked with the same teams when the company was Wanadoo 2004/05.
• Segmenting the Production, Pre-Production, Test and Developement network environments into the new model.
• Design for Oracle 8i to 10g migration for the Company’s broadband databases
• Work on the design and security of the infrastructure from the network perspective and hosting servers. The network being Cisco and the servers Fujitsu-Seimens systems running Solaris 9.
• VPN requirements for remote access and external parties.
• Project Management to bring all parties (technical, business and management) together to organize testing plans and schedules.

I worked for Sun Microsystems as a Technical Project Manager (TPM) in Manchester writing the design of Migrating Applications for their Customer BT. My main role was that of Technical Architect. This is part of a larger consolidation project. The target to migrate over 300 applications to new consolidation Data Centres. I was one of three TPMs responsible for over 30 designers, organised in 6 teams.
• Migrate applications from a mixture Sun hardware and Solaris versions (2.6 - 2.9), to T2000s and V490s running Solaris 10 and utilising container technology offered at Solaris 10.
• Initiating standards within BT for their virtualised environments. This involved testing the concepts out on a variety of Sun systems, from the Ultra-10's to the T2000s ,V490s and E2900s.
• Work on a new Network Data Centre design, documenting the network Infrastructure within BT.

I worked at Link Interchange in Harrogate as a Solaris / Cisco Architect, from the technical viewpoint I was responsible for the mobileATM project. This project enables mobile phone users to access their bank accounts, much as they would at a fixed ATM system. This system is now live with major Telco Operators and Banks. I was also the technical contact within the project for outside developments teams and vendors.

The worked involved :
• Design, configure and implemention of Sun servers, a mix of Sun Sparc and Sun AMD systems (Sun x86), the OS is a mix of Solaris 9 and 10 (Solaris 10 using Containers).
• Database (Oracle 9i RAC) and application servers clustered using Sun Cluster 3.1.
• The Cisco devices include Switches (29xx and 3560), Routers (26xx), Cisco CSS (11500) and Cisco Pix firewalls (515E) in failover.
• Security model for Sun servers and Cisco devices, including VPNs to outside parties.
• Design and implementation of the Sun and Cisco hardware and associated software, such as Oracle 9i (RAC), Apache, tomcat, JES, Netbackup, etc.
• Design and manage rigorous Operational Acceptance and Penetration Testing.
• The original contract was extended to design and implement a DR solution

I worked for Zetex in Oldham to review and upgrade old infrastructure systems, many still on Sparc architecture, such as SS20. The OS being a mix of Solaris 2.5.1 to Solaris 10. The Network infrastructure mainly small Cisco routers and Switches.

• The work involved specification of new system based on the SunFire range to replace the older hardware.
• This included design, pricing and implementation of the new systems.
• Negotiate with supplies.
• Design of LDAP, and addressing other security issues.
• Design and implement a new backup regime arounf HP Data Protector
• Rewriting some administration scripts (using C, Perl and Shell), and installed monitoring tools, such as Big Brother, and also SNMP based performance tools, such as ORCA, and MRTG.
• I have also built new SuSE and Red hHat Lnux based intranet server..

I worked with Wanadoo in Leeds to help on the rollout of a new infrastructure project. This introduced new Solaris Sun Fire Servers into Wanadoo. The servers manly being 880 and 1280, with smaller systems such as V480 and V240. The version of solaris was Solaris 2.8
• installed Big Brother as monitoring software and looked at using a more robust commercial products, such a HP openview on the Sun servers, and Cisco network devices.
• wrote audit scripts (Unix Shell script and Perl) and configuring the Apache server to provide the web pages for the audit files and management reports.
• Also working on a project to centralise the patching of Sun systems around Sun’s Patch Manager, and integrating this with existing and new Jumpstart servers.

I worked as the temporary Unix Team Leader at Rabobank in the City. It is a challenge for all, as the systems were poorly documented and the handover insufficient.
• Rebuild and recruit a team of 6, including the new permanent team leader.
• Investigate networking and address (redesign) issues around the Sun Platforms (solaris 2.6 – Solaris 9).
• Design a new storage model (HDS SAN).
• Help administrate clustered host system (Sun Cluster 2.2 & 3.1 and Veritas VCS. The disk management systems being Sun ODS and Veritas VXVM.
• Network Administration, mainly low end Cisco routers and switches.
• I have been involved in Solaris Security. This including designing and configuring of the Bank’s Internet Banking Web servers, including network and OS design using Apache as the Web Server. This included the use of Red Hat Linux systems

I worked in Derby for the online bank egg. Working on two 1 month contracts. The work was mainly to review certain components running on the Solaris OS, and improve performance.

The bank was running Sun Solaris 2.6. The intention is to move to Solaris 8 or 9, depending upon the testing of legacy systems at Solaris 8 and 9.

The main work was troubleshooting the Internet Web server and security systems to the backend Solaris servers. Performance tuning was also an issue to address as the system moves from Solaris 2.6.

I helped at Hatfield Business College on a part-time basis taking Cisco Networking courses (CCNP and CCNA). The work mainly involved in setting up new courses around IT security. The work involved setting up hardware and course notes for Cisco exams. The courses also covered the security of Unix, Linux and Microsoft systems.

I worked on contract for Nedbank in Johannesburg South Africa as a Deployment Manager. I worked on a Project that involved archiving Bank and Client documents, for long-term storage.
• Training staff in Unix (Solaris), Network and security for an in-house banking project that was being used locally in South Africa and sold internationally.
• Vendor Management, staff training, and Product and OS installs and upgrades for both Solaris and Cisco IOS.
• assisted with the Administration of Oracle (V8) running on Solaris
• Design systems built around Sun 4800 servers running Solaris 8 and 9 locally and on IBM AIX internationally.
• Designing and writing monitoring systems for the Products, this included reviewing HP Openview. Also investigated the use of LDAP on the Unix infrastructure.

Undertook Cisco part-time training courses at Hatfield Business College in Pretoria South Africa, working towards Cisco CCIE Certification. I now have my Cisco CCIE Written accreditation. I also worked part-time at HBC as a lecturer, giving Unix, Linux and Cisco training courses.

I started working for Sun Microsystems at one of it's customer sites, Credit Suisse in Zurich.
• Worked on Sun E10K's , and several Sun clustered (Sun Cluster Version 2.2) Sun servers, including E4500 and E420. The versions of Solaris used are Solaris 2.6,2.7 and 2.8.
• Working on designing solutions to address performance and security issues.
• Writing monitor scripts (shell, Perl and some C) to profile the systems performance.
• Redesign and build new network infrastructure (Cisco) for over 50 Sun Servers.
• Architecting a new Storage Solution for existing Sun E10K systems and new Sunfire 6800, including new Sun Jumpstart servers
• worked on Security Audits and Reviews of Unix systems and Networks.
• Design and implement backup regimes using Netbackup and Oracle’s RMAN.

While in Switzerland I have undertaken Sun Courses in SunFire (6800), T3 Storage and SunCluster 3

I worked for the Sema Group in Nottingham looking after a variety of Sun Severs from E250 through to E10K. The work also included :-
• Unix Shell, Perl programming, with some Web Server Admin work and sendmail configuration.
• A3500 controllers and D1000 disk arrays and A5200.
• SVM, with some Disksuite.
• Netbackup, used on conjunction with Oracle’s RMAN to secure the Database instances.
• I also performed some network and performance troubleshooting.

I worked for Hewlett Packard on the High Speed Data project, this was to design and build an ISP infrastructure within Telewest Communications. The work was carried out at HP and Telewest sites.
• design and build Solaris systems. These systems would handle DNS and DHCP service throughout the UK for Telewest.
• Design, test and troubleshoot the network layout in respect to DNS, Dynamic DNS and DHCP
• Develop systems including Cisco Switches, routers, PIX firewalls and Cable modems.
• Deploy the final design to tests sites.