Principal Platform Engineer

• Mar 2023 - Present

Cloud DevOps Consultant

• Jul 2021 - Mar 2023

Helping UKCloud's customers get to grips with the brave 'new' world of cloud computing, and in particular, UKCloud's offering. Deploying customer capability using Infrastructure as Code with Ansible and Terraform. Deploying on platform services with Ansible - monitoring with Prometheus, Grafana and ELK, with custom dashboards, monitors and alerts. HAProxy clustering, IIS and SQL Server installs, scripted data and user migrations - basically a jack of all trades. Helping UKCloud's customers get to grips with the brave 'new' world of cloud computing, and in particular, UKCloud's offering. Deploying customer capability using Infrastructure as Code with Ansible and Terraform. Deploying on platform services with Ansible - monitoring with Prometheus, Grafana and ELK, with custom dashboards, monitors and alerts. HAProxy clustering, IIS and SQL Server installs, scripted data and user migrations - basically a jack of all trades.

Lead Technical Designer

• Apr 2020 - Jul 2021

UNIX SME and Operating System Design Lead

• Sep 2016 - Mar 2020

Currently designing and testing virtual infrastructure to build and support operating systems that underpin NATS' next generation of Air Traffic Control applications (https://www.nats.aero/about-us/single-european-sky/).Using a combination of Packer, Terraform, vCloud Director, Puppet, Git, Jenkins and Ansible to create a CI pipeline to create, test and deploy secure and robust operating systems. As well as setting up this pipeline, I'm responsible for the specification of the Linux builds in particular (Red Hat, CentOS), and for the design and build out of the services that support those operating systems once deployed - patching, security, licensing and reporting. Show less

Technical Consultant

• Oct 2015 - Apr 2016

Worked on a project to help Vodafone roll out a new software suite across all of the individual European markets so that customers can manage their personal data better. The role in particular targets the integration challenges of introducing the software into each country - capturing any market specific problems and requirements. Following on from this, I worked briefly on the infrastructure design for a reporting environment for the same software suite before the project died a death. Worked on a project to help Vodafone roll out a new software suite across all of the individual European markets so that customers can manage their personal data better. The role in particular targets the integration challenges of introducing the software into each country - capturing any market specific problems and requirements. Following on from this, I worked briefly on the infrastructure design for a reporting environment for the same software suite before the project died a death.

MediationZone Consultant

• Jan 2014 - Oct 2015

Worked as a key member of a small team of MediationZone (MZ) specialists helping Rolls Royce to develop their new aircraft and engine data processing platform. The initial role involved working as an MZ developer using agile methodology, whilst cross-training RR staff in use of MZ. The role expanded to include delivery of formal training sessions - primarily in Linux - to a wider group of staff, as well as involvement in the design of a number of the MZ components, writing a number of scripts to enable rapid deployment of the solution components, writing data quality test tools and various other value-add code to speed up development and automate testing. Show less

Technical Consultant

• Dec 2008 - Dec 2013

Worked on a large data centre migration project which, for one of the systems, also involved writing a suite of software in perl and shell to provide semi-automated failover to systems that weren't HA-friendly. Also worked on a database uplift project involving new server deployment and SAN migration, and spent time working on performance analysis / troubleshooting problem systems. Involved in provisioning a virtual desktop environment based on VMware ESXi with very limited resources and an interesting mix of NAS, SAN and tagged VLANs. Created a PXE/Kickstart server build environment for a medium sized Oracle Linux rollout, building 50+ servers in a very short timeframe, including fully automated post-install security hardening, software installation, patching, and user environment creation (bare metal to fully operational server in 20 minutes). Show less

UNIX Technical Support Specialist

• Sep 2008 - Dec 2008

Back to the BBC to help support the growing number of systems including Redhat Cluster and HP Serviceguard environments. Worked on a system hardening project. Back to the BBC to help support the growing number of systems including Redhat Cluster and HP Serviceguard environments. Worked on a system hardening project.

UNIX Consultant

• Jan 2008 - Jul 2008

Continued my prior role whilst now working for Ntegra. Worked on a large project to increase capacity on Vodafone's billing system. Involved installation and configuration of new servers and migration of systems. Continued my prior role whilst now working for Ntegra. Worked on a large project to increase capacity on Vodafone's billing system. Involved installation and configuration of new servers and migration of systems.

UNIX Engineer

• Nov 2007 - Dec 2007

Worked on a migration project for a short period before HP and the client parted company! Worked on a migration project for a short period before HP and the client parted company!

UNIX Technical Support Specialist

• Jun 2007 - Oct 2007

Working in the UNIX support team looking after HPUX and Solaris servers for the BBC. Paying particular attention to some newly acquired HP Serviceguard clusters. Working in the UNIX support team looking after HPUX and Solaris servers for the BBC. Paying particular attention to some newly acquired HP Serviceguard clusters.

UNIX Engineer

• Oct 2005 - May 2007

Involved in server consolidation and decommissioning work. Also worked on large server provisioning project. Worked on Windows print server migration project. Involved in server consolidation and decommissioning work. Also worked on large server provisioning project. Worked on Windows print server migration project.

UNIX Support Engineer

• Dec 2000 - Apr 2005

Provided UNIX support for the UK Billing System. HPUX, Solaris, EMC storage, Veritas Clustering. Involved in several data and server migration projects alongside day to day support role. Provided UNIX support for the UK Billing System. HPUX, Solaris, EMC storage, Veritas Clustering. Involved in several data and server migration projects alongside day to day support role.

UNIX Engineer

• Jun 1999 - Dec 2000

Supported a mix of HPUX and Digital UNIX systems connected to EMC storage. Looked after and developed automation and reporting systems for their backup system (Omniback, StorageTek). Supported a mix of HPUX and Digital UNIX systems connected to EMC storage. Looked after and developed automation and reporting systems for their backup system (Omniback, StorageTek).

Systems Engineer

• Dec 1995 - May 1999

Jack of all trades. Involved in looking after VMS, Digital UNIX, Windows Servers. Also looked after a mix of Oracle and SQL Server databases. Did some development work in C. Only left this job due to my long commute. Despite resigning, was rewarded with a cool 3 week stint in America at the Philadelphia offices to help sort out some HPUX and Digital UNIX servers. Too long ago to remember what else I did! Jack of all trades. Involved in looking after VMS, Digital UNIX, Windows Servers. Also looked after a mix of Oracle and SQL Server databases. Did some development work in C. Only left this job due to my long commute. Despite resigning, was rewarded with a cool 3 week stint in America at the Philadelphia offices to help sort out some HPUX and Digital UNIX servers. Too long ago to remember what else I did!