Contact details

Overview

I am a computer professional with a wide range of Project Management and technical skills.  My strengths lie in being able to deal with users on a one-to -one or one-to many basis, managing people, resources and objectives.  My problem solving skills allow me to bring projects back on track and overcome technical difficulties.

I have liased with all levels of staff and management, from the most junior to directors of Times 100 companies.  I have written technical documents aimed at both technically aware and new users.  I have also written for the computer press.

My NT/2000/2003/Citrix Server skills have been gained from building, installing and supporting servers on client sites, using TCP/IP and IPX/SPX protocols.  These have been linked to XP, 2000, NT4 & 3.51, 3.11, ’95, 98 PC’s and thin clients.  I have linked together the machines to share resources and Mail. 

Additional projects have involved the specifying and commissioning of Windows & Citrix servers, migration of data from NT to 2003 and NT/2000 from other platforms including Netware.

My financial experience comes from supporting Synergy 7, a client/server ledger / SOP / POP / Stock product running under Microsoft SQL Server 6.0, on NT.  I have had to use SQL on a number of occasions to overcome problems.

My experience of disaster recovery is extensive, having recovered many Exchange 5.5 servers and have recently begun recovering Exchange 2000 servers. With the number of recoveries I have now performed I believe I have more experience in this area than most consultants outside Microsoft themselves.  I have also documented and reported on all these recoveries to allow the clients to prevent further disasters within Exchange and also within systems that can impact upon Exchange.

I feel that my professionalism and abilities are reflected in the fact that I continue to be extended in my assignments.

Computer Skills.

Integrated packages
                Office 2003, 2000, XP, 97, 95, and 4.3.
Financial packages
                Synergy 7 - Client/Server. Quicken 6.0 , 98 & 2000, Quickbooks
Operating Systems and main products - Support and installation on all.
Windows (3.0,3.1(1), 95, 98, CE), Windows NT Server 3.51 & 4 Windows 2000 Advanced Server, Windows 2003 Server, Citrix Metaframe XP, Windows NT Workstation 3.51 & 4, Windows 2000 Professional, XP, MSDOS (up to 6.22), , Terminal Server, Exchange Server 5.5, DHCP, DNS, WINS, Active Directory, IIS4, Smoothwall Firewall, Veritas / Symantec Backup Exec, Arcserve.
Database
                Microsoft SQL Server 6, SQL 2000, Dbase, DataEase
Other
Anti-virus (McAfee, Trend, Norton), hardware diagnosis, fax and comms software, Winstall.  Internet control, Public Key encryption, image creation, Smoothwall & 3Com firewalls, Remote control software. Aelita (Quest) migration tools.
Diagnostic
Routers, Hubs, switches. 

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Career history

September 2003 to September 2005
[snip]

This has been a 3^rd line support role, involving NT4, Windows 2000,  2003 & Citrix XP servers.  Hanson has 200+ servers located in their head office and key remote sites, serving 400+ sites, which in turn supports in excess of 1500 personnel.  These servers are a mixture of normal, clustered and SAN systems.  I have been directly involved in upgrading and migrating these servers to Windows 2003 Server operating under Active Directory 2003, migrating users to the new 2003 domain (using Aelita, now Quest tools) and liasing with the XP project team who are upgrading users to use Wyse and HP thin clients.  Provided 3^rd line support for 98, NT, 2000 & XP desktops.

Recently I have been involved in Citrix administration, build and support on two farms of twenty servers with connections across both LAN and WAN.

During this time I have performed fault diagnosis, upgrading and commissioning of servers, including hardware replacement on HP and Dell systems.  My involvement also extended to diagnosing and rectifying backup failures on a wide range of tape drive and media types incuding auto-changers operating under Veritas Backup Exec.

During this contract I have also had some exposure to SQL 2000 when I was required, with the assistance of a DBA, to migrate databases between servers, rebuild servers and set up replication.

March 2003 – August 2003
Ad-hoc disaster recovery and systems

January 2003 extended once to March 2003
HBOS Card Services

From January 2003 I was involved in providing 3^rd line support for HBOS.  This involved providing diagnosis and repair of their NT, 2000 & XP infrastructure.  Primary focus has been on the OS itself, Exchange, Exchange 2000 and SQL 7/2000.  My significant knowledge of Veritas Backup Exec was also heavily utilised.

September 2002 to December 2002
Ad-hoc disaster recovery and systems

I have been asked by a number of clients to recover data from damaged Exchange servers (5.5 and 2000).  These include a major charity and a marketing company.  I have acted on behalf of a number of clients who required reports into their recovery procedures in the event of a failure.  I have also been configuring and installing Windows XP for networking.

February 2002, extended seven times to September 2002
Lincolnshire Police, Lincoln

I have completed providing Exchange disaster recovery services to this constabulary to restore their email system.  I also provided a report to outline preventive measures to stop a recurrence of the problems. 

The Exchange server and its data have now been recovered.  I have formally reported and implemented key recommendations to prevent further problems both within Exchange and the NT system and domain, whilst reinforcing their ability to recover from future failures.

January 2002
Digital Data Systems Ltd, Markyate, Herts.

During my time with DDS I was responsible for providing desktop support for the subsidiary of a large aircraft manufacturer, server upgrade design (including Exchange upgrade) for a statistical analysis company. I also supplied support and implemented a corporate anti-virus solution for a cinematographical supplies company.

September 2001 extended weekly to October 2001
Action Plc, London & Leatherhead

My initial brief was to act as holiday cover.  I split Exchange servers to allow one rail company to split into two independent companies.  I was also responsible for the commissioning of an Exchange server for a publishing company migrating from a bespoke email system.

After this I was involved in the rollout for a major building consultancy.  This required me to build and configure Windows 2000 servers to allow migration and integration of systems utilising permissions and Active Directory.  Whilst doing this I used my project planning skills to streamline the rollout procedures.

June 2001. Extended to July 2001
Energis Plc, Leeds

As an Exchange / NT consultant I was acting as third line support whilst a number of members of staff were on holiday and training.  I was also providing my expertise to overcome a number of key NT domain and Exchange problems that required rectification. I was also been involved in supporting Windows 2000 Professional and Windows 2000 Advanced Server.

February 1999 – July 1999.  Extended six times to March 2001
Zetex Plc, Oldham

As NT Consultant at Zetex I was asked to lead a number of key projects within the company.  I also made a number of suggestions to benefit the client, many of which were accepted and successfully introduced.

When I arrived, the company had a strong desire to exploit Windows NT.  However, they did not have the necessary expertise to drive forward their ambitions.  My first task was to audit their current systems.  This was achieved and my recommendations were made to move towards a single operating system platform: Windows NT.   To this end eight Compaq servers were acquired to service the current and future needs of Zetex’s two UK factories.  This, in my estimation would allow the Company to use the systems for four years without further expansion and an additional two years after that by expanding the systems further.

Amongst the many suggestions that were accepted were the widespread adoption of remote control software for technical support; control of web usage by staff, including better reporting, replacement of existing hubs with a layer 3 switch and subsidiaries, the use of public key encryption to pass sensitive documents via email and automated desktop roll-out using image creation software.

I was also responsible for the evaluation and configuration of Citrix Metaframe.  Although I recommended that it did not have any real technical or monetary advantages to the company at the time, the lessons learned may well be used when Zetex proceeds with its Peoplesoft implementation

Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 was a point of particular focus throughout my time at Zetex.  I have recovered, repaired and reconfigured the old servers until finally migrating the mailboxes to new Exchange servers.  This involved organisational and domain modifications.  The users hailed the final migration as a great success as no disruption was encountered.

During my time with Zetex I was able to greatly reduce the amount of downtime both scheduled and unscheduled.  This has led to the IT Departments’ graduation from being an excuse for poor user performance to being more fully involved in decision-making and growth for the company.  This is a position that I feel proud to have helped achieve.

May 1998 – August 1998.  Extended four times to January 1999
Halifax Plc., Leeds

I was a member of the IS Special projects team.  My role was to project manage, test, document, script and install software and hardware that is ‘non-standard’.  This is all software that is not installed as part of the standard build.  To achieve this I have had to use Windows 95, NT Server 3.51 & 4, NT 4 Workstation and Winstall.  To give two examples at opposite ends of my role, I have been responsible for project managing the acquisition and installation of a new Oracle server, I have also been controlling the testing, y2k checking and rolling out of tax software to 26 users in the Finance Department.  At any one time I was normally responsible for 8 – 10 projects, although this peaked to 13.

April 1998
Digital Equipment Corporation, Derby

I have been involved in two short contracts for Digital.  This involved rolling out Windows 95 to clients’ user-base and subsequent technical support.  I was also required to offer help and advice to the client to resolve a number of key issues that delayed the rollout. 

I also offered technical support for another of the Corporations clients, based on NT Server and Workstation 4.

July 1997 to August 1997 (Extended three times until February 1998)
Simoco Europe Ltd., Cambridge

I was asked to join the technical support department by the new IT Services Manager.  As well as providing support up to third line on Windows NT4, Windows 95 and Windows 3.11 for Workgroups, I also advised and made recommendations upon how the department could operate more effectively.  This was with emphasis upon the introduction of a tiered response to user problems.  I was also asked to advise and assist in the rollout of Windows 95 to 300 users on the site.

My final assignment for this company, whilst in Cambridge, was the evaluation, purchase and implementation of a help desk solution for use by Simoco.  I was also required to dovetail the activities of the department to make best use of the available resources.

Since mid-November 1997 I have been supporting the users at Simoco’s Derby branch.  This has involved me in configuring and troubleshooting their NT4, Windows 95 and Windows 3.11 machines.  I have been responsible for planning and implementing the migration of users from small Unix servers to using the NT4 Server installed by the company.  I have also installed and configured MS Exchange 5 clients.

December 1996 to February 1997 (Extended twice until June 1997)

Olivetti UK Ltd, Knutsford

I have been involved in the gathering of user requirements for the Windows NT v4 network roll out at Barclays Bank.  This has involved interviewing and negotiating with users, writing reports and testing software to ensure it runs under this operating system.  I have provided second line support for Windows NT v4.  Also I oversee and test the installation of NT workstations.

June 1996 to October 1996 (Extended twice until December 1996)

IBM UK, UK Wide

I was involved in the roll out of the NT project for NatWest Bank.  My role was that of post live support of their Windows NT v3.51 installation, ensuring that the equipment was installed, configured and operating correctly and making sure that the NatWest staff fully realised the benefits of the new system.   

Education

School
Greenmore College, Edgbaston, Birmingham.

4 O’ levels:              Mathematics - A                     English Lang.- B
                                                Physics - B                             Chemistry - B

Open University

S101: Science Foundation Course.                          T101: Living with Technology.
DT200: IT, Technical & Social Issues.                   M205: Fundamentals of Computing.
T247: Working with Systems.                                T244: Managing in Organisations.

Alpha Training

NCC Certificated, Systems Analysis.
COBOL Programming, City & Guilds 424, Level 2 standard.

Kalamazoo

City & Guilds level 3: Advanced Diploma in ‘C’ Programming.
City & Guilds level 3:Advanced Diploma in Computer Applications. 

Personal details

Marital status:        Married.                  Driving Licence:      Full, one endorsement.

Children:                 One                         Health:                    Excellent, non-smoker 

Hobbies:                Walking, swimming, reading, playing poker, geocaching, cricket, listening to music, computing.