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Systems and Infrastructure Architecture and Assurance
Dave Sparkes
,
St. Leonards-on-Sea, United Kingdom
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An experienced, highly motivated professional with a wide range of skills and experience in architecture, DR/Business Continuity, systems engineering and assurance roles, including technical governance and leadership to hands-on expertise. A pragmatic approach to resolving challenges focussed on final outcome, and the ability to take innovative approaches when appropriate. Adept at implementing collaborative approaches with stakeholders and working with SME's in a range of disciplines to achieve the required outcome, whilst maintaining a goal focussed approach. Strong background in Public service space, with Defence amd Home Office Projects. Accredited MoD Installation Design Authority (Practitioner) (JSP440 and JSP604, etc) status and holder of National Security Clearance. ================ Websentric AG, Munich Systems Integration Manager 1999-2000 Compaq Computers, London UNIX and Mobile Test Consultant 1998-1999 IBM, Portsmouth Communications Integration Engineer 1997-1998
Markets
United Kingdom
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Industries
Language
English
Fluently
Ready for
Larger project
Ongoing relation / part-time
Full time contractor
Available
My experience
2018 - 2021
job
Lead Engineer/ Architect
DXC Technology.
As part of the ATLAS Consortium (DXC, Fujitsu, Airbus and CGI), DXC are responsible for delivery of the MoD core IT infrastructure at multiple security classifications. Engaged in this role on a number of workstreams. Primary responsibility was for the large legacy Windows estate (comprising a mixture of physical and VM (VSphere managed) servers, which was undergoing user migration to new Secure Cloud based systems. Other responsibilities included oversight of peripheral engineering and assurance, and periods of work on "deployed" systems.
Responsibilities/Achievements
• Technical Oversight and Governance of delivery of technical solutions. Close involvement in ongoing decommissioning work in legacy estate, ensuring that business continuity compliance was fully maintained through to final closedown of various business functions.
• Ensuring that requirements for deliverables were complete, covering all impacted systems and sub systems, and agreed with peers in partner consortium organisations.
• Technical Oversight, Governance and Sign off of relevant documentation ensuring compliance to requirements
• Leading and co-ordinating resolution of issues and challenges with relevant technical specialists as required.
• Representing DXC in multi-party discussions with MoD staff, negotiating and agreeing ways forward with other external suppliers.
• Primary point of contact for Security Assurance Team in CGI to maintain security assurance requirements.
• Arranging and leading a weekly conference call between technical peers across Consortium partners, which greatly improved our ability to agree resolutions to current challenges quickly, and thus take the most expedient approach to issues at hand.
• Development of improved and streamlined procedural control in current engineering workstreams.
Technologies
Secure Cloud (with hybrid aspects to accommodate on premises data requirements), VMWare, Windows Server (various releases), Win 7/10, Networks, Peripherals Engineering and endpoint control, Active Directory, Security Assurance.
Responsibilities/Achievements
• Technical Oversight and Governance of delivery of technical solutions. Close involvement in ongoing decommissioning work in legacy estate, ensuring that business continuity compliance was fully maintained through to final closedown of various business functions.
• Ensuring that requirements for deliverables were complete, covering all impacted systems and sub systems, and agreed with peers in partner consortium organisations.
• Technical Oversight, Governance and Sign off of relevant documentation ensuring compliance to requirements
• Leading and co-ordinating resolution of issues and challenges with relevant technical specialists as required.
• Representing DXC in multi-party discussions with MoD staff, negotiating and agreeing ways forward with other external suppliers.
• Primary point of contact for Security Assurance Team in CGI to maintain security assurance requirements.
• Arranging and leading a weekly conference call between technical peers across Consortium partners, which greatly improved our ability to agree resolutions to current challenges quickly, and thus take the most expedient approach to issues at hand.
• Development of improved and streamlined procedural control in current engineering workstreams.
Technologies
Secure Cloud (with hybrid aspects to accommodate on premises data requirements), VMWare, Windows Server (various releases), Win 7/10, Networks, Peripherals Engineering and endpoint control, Active Directory, Security Assurance.
Active Directory, VMware, It infrastructure, Cloud, Windows server, Security, Compliance, Windows, Engineering, It, Cgi, Infrastructure, Development, Server, Hybrid
2015 - 2017
freelance
Technical Assurance Consultant
MoD ISS Corsham.
A new secure WAN solution (and associated services) had been procured to be implemented via a complex migration programme. As a Technical Lead in the "Site Readiness Team" responsible for assurance of the individual site designs for MoD sites across the UK and worldwide.
Responsibilities/Achievements
• Individual responsibility for all MoD sites in London, Eastern UK and South East Coast, plus overall technical lead within the team.
• Ensuring that individual designs were aligned to future site requirements and not just an expedient "like for like" replacement, i.e. accommodating bandwidth, QoS and business continuity forward planning.
• Developing templates to categorise resilience requirements for each site, with aspects such as soft/hard resilience, physical bearers and routing, etc..
• Assessing impacts and dependencies reported by supplier, in particular (often expensive) remedial works required to allow installation of new equipment, and wherever possible securing agreement on alternative approaches that would heavily mitigate or even remove such dependencies.
• Ensuring that identification of all dependencies at sites were complete, covering all impacts with attention paid to any other "in-flight" work at a sight. Most larger sites had many other cross dependent projects underway driven by Defence demands, requiring complex planning and collaboration. Engagement in site planning meetings led by "Site Managers" was a key aspect.
• Leading visits to MoD sites with Supplier engineers/architects to progress and expediate complete designs.
• Recommending approval of individual site designs to MoD management for sign off.
• Recording, reporting and escalating project risks and issues to ensure effective governance and engagement at all levels.
Technologies
Datacentre Architecture/Secure WAN/NATO SDIP Security
Responsibilities/Achievements
• Individual responsibility for all MoD sites in London, Eastern UK and South East Coast, plus overall technical lead within the team.
• Ensuring that individual designs were aligned to future site requirements and not just an expedient "like for like" replacement, i.e. accommodating bandwidth, QoS and business continuity forward planning.
• Developing templates to categorise resilience requirements for each site, with aspects such as soft/hard resilience, physical bearers and routing, etc..
• Assessing impacts and dependencies reported by supplier, in particular (often expensive) remedial works required to allow installation of new equipment, and wherever possible securing agreement on alternative approaches that would heavily mitigate or even remove such dependencies.
• Ensuring that identification of all dependencies at sites were complete, covering all impacts with attention paid to any other "in-flight" work at a sight. Most larger sites had many other cross dependent projects underway driven by Defence demands, requiring complex planning and collaboration. Engagement in site planning meetings led by "Site Managers" was a key aspect.
• Leading visits to MoD sites with Supplier engineers/architects to progress and expediate complete designs.
• Recommending approval of individual site designs to MoD management for sign off.
• Recording, reporting and escalating project risks and issues to ensure effective governance and engagement at all levels.
Technologies
Datacentre Architecture/Secure WAN/NATO SDIP Security
Management, Architecture, Security, WAN, Tech lead, LED
2011 - 2015
job
Infrastructure Architect/Systems Engineer
BAE Systems AI.
The role started as the Primary Systems Engineer for BAE's initial offering to Telefonica UK of BAE's "Data Retain" system servicing requirements of EU Data Retention Directive, progressing to a role as Infrastructure Architect and Technical Lead for a major uplift of the service at Telefonica to meet new enhanced requirements of the legislation. The system(s) were a resilient design located across multiple data centres with the ability to load share, but able to operate in single site mode in DR scenarios and fully recover to multi site mode as required.
Responsibilities/Achievements
• Technical Lead for original system and Infrastructure Design Architect for new solution.
• Continuous improvement approach to original system to improve reliability and resolve issues. Analysing problems, developing solutions, and advising the support team as appropriate.
• Developed the detailed infrastructure architecture and design for a new system from outline solution agreed with Customer. Documented design in HLD and LLD artefacts.
• Close collaboration with Development team to incorporate an automated (Kickstart/Puppet) deployment strategy for the new system.
• Technical point of contact with end client (Telefonica) Data Centre Management to agree and develop aspects of the new system to meet requirements, and report progress.
• Accommodation of an ongoing migration project for the interface to the Authorised users (e.g. Police), from legacy connections to the new Government PSN network which was underway in parallel to the new system installation.
• Leading the multi-disciplined onsite team in physical setup and configuration of the new system across three customer datacentres. Undertaking hands on installation and configuration when required.
Technologies
Linux/Red Hat/Oracle RAC/Infrastructure/Kickstart/Puppet Automation/F5/Isilon Storage/Cisco
Responsibilities/Achievements
• Technical Lead for original system and Infrastructure Design Architect for new solution.
• Continuous improvement approach to original system to improve reliability and resolve issues. Analysing problems, developing solutions, and advising the support team as appropriate.
• Developed the detailed infrastructure architecture and design for a new system from outline solution agreed with Customer. Documented design in HLD and LLD artefacts.
• Close collaboration with Development team to incorporate an automated (Kickstart/Puppet) deployment strategy for the new system.
• Technical point of contact with end client (Telefonica) Data Centre Management to agree and develop aspects of the new system to meet requirements, and report progress.
• Accommodation of an ongoing migration project for the interface to the Authorised users (e.g. Police), from legacy connections to the new Government PSN network which was underway in parallel to the new system installation.
• Leading the multi-disciplined onsite team in physical setup and configuration of the new system across three customer datacentres. Undertaking hands on installation and configuration when required.
Technologies
Linux/Red Hat/Oracle RAC/Infrastructure/Kickstart/Puppet Automation/F5/Isilon Storage/Cisco
Network, Customer, Oracle RAC, Tech lead, Storage, Development, Mode, Retention, Infrastructure, Support, Design, Service, Architecture, Management, Automation, Continuous improvement, Cisco, Deployment, Oracle, Linux
2009 - 2011
job
Lead Test Assurance Manager
Identity and Passport Service.
for UK Passport Programme
Senior Assurance Manager on two time constrained projects, first on the PKI programme for Identity Cards, and then stepping up to Assurance Lead on Passport service migration to a new Supplier (which included a complete change in manufacturing approach for passports). A closely engaged approach was required on both, spending a great deal of time at supplier sites both in UK and abroad.
Responsibilities/Achievements
• Key technical conduit (both internally and externally)- harnessed expert awareness of PKI, system APIs, partner systems and data flows to overcome long standing issues and add disaster recovery resilience. Developed a migration strategy for fast in situ upgrade of existing service and worked with suppiers to successfully implement it, resolving long standing Operational problems
• Leading assurance of new multisite Passport production lines at three factory sites. Working with Supplier staff to improve Passport manufacturing process and resolve issues keepin wastage to acceptable levels. Analysing and approving business continuity plans, and assuring disaster recovery testing of facilities.
• Analysing and assuring business and functional requirements against supplier designs; negotiating changes, advising stakeholders and Senior Management on recommendations. Sign off of test and implementation plans against the agreed Test Plan Framework
• Ensuring full interoperability of new Passport production facilities with core Passport IT systems. Assuring plans for cutover from legacy production plants to new facilities..
• Undertaking many of the Project Management aspects on the Passport migration project due to loss of Project Manager through voluntary redundancy.
Technologies
Secure Document Manufacture and management/PKI/NSM/Encryption/Manufacturing-IT system interfaces.
Senior Assurance Manager on two time constrained projects, first on the PKI programme for Identity Cards, and then stepping up to Assurance Lead on Passport service migration to a new Supplier (which included a complete change in manufacturing approach for passports). A closely engaged approach was required on both, spending a great deal of time at supplier sites both in UK and abroad.
Responsibilities/Achievements
• Key technical conduit (both internally and externally)- harnessed expert awareness of PKI, system APIs, partner systems and data flows to overcome long standing issues and add disaster recovery resilience. Developed a migration strategy for fast in situ upgrade of existing service and worked with suppiers to successfully implement it, resolving long standing Operational problems
• Leading assurance of new multisite Passport production lines at three factory sites. Working with Supplier staff to improve Passport manufacturing process and resolve issues keepin wastage to acceptable levels. Analysing and approving business continuity plans, and assuring disaster recovery testing of facilities.
• Analysing and assuring business and functional requirements against supplier designs; negotiating changes, advising stakeholders and Senior Management on recommendations. Sign off of test and implementation plans against the agreed Test Plan Framework
• Ensuring full interoperability of new Passport production facilities with core Passport IT systems. Assuring plans for cutover from legacy production plants to new facilities..
• Undertaking many of the Project Management aspects on the Passport migration project due to loss of Project Manager through voluntary redundancy.
Technologies
Secure Document Manufacture and management/PKI/NSM/Encryption/Manufacturing-IT system interfaces.
Project Management, Project Manager, Management, Service, Test, It, Implementation, Testing, Pki, Production, Framework, UP, Manager
2008 - 2009
job
Data Centre Senior Project Engineer
Telefonica UK O2.
• Streamlined installation and setup process for new systems, removing need for external installation companies
• Supported move to highly virtualised environment utilising Sun Solaris and HP Proliant technology
• Implemented a number of new systems to support new service facilities.
• Supported move to highly virtualised environment utilising Sun Solaris and HP Proliant technology
• Implemented a number of new systems to support new service facilities.
Service, Technology, Support, Hp proliant
2006 - 2007
job
Technical/Test Manager UK Passport IT
Siemens Business Services.
system
• Leading implementation and systems testing of a newly built Disaster Recovery Facility. The core UK passport database was operated on a fully resilient Solaris Cluser at the primary site, but the Passport Service required a geographically separate facility for Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery purposes.
• A new Government owned building had been constructed for the facility. A new Solaris cluster was installed and SAN replication strategies implemented to mirror the primary site. Appropriate BGP policies were designed and agreed with the WAN provider to ensure automated failover when required.
• A complex test and validation strategy was developed supporting UK passport services within budget and strict specifications, which was agreed and assured with the Passport Service Assurance Manager.
• Worked closely with Siemens Operation/Support Teams to build and implement the standby system
• Worked closely with UKPS (Passport Service) Test Assurance Manager to agree Test and Proving Strategy. Prior to service acceptance, led two major (weekend) test exercises to demonstrate operation and viability of new facility with successful sign off by UKPS.
• Undertook two failover trials at weekends with customer agreement, then a full test overseen by Passport Service assurance resulting in full signoff with no issues.
• Leading implementation and systems testing of a newly built Disaster Recovery Facility. The core UK passport database was operated on a fully resilient Solaris Cluser at the primary site, but the Passport Service required a geographically separate facility for Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery purposes.
• A new Government owned building had been constructed for the facility. A new Solaris cluster was installed and SAN replication strategies implemented to mirror the primary site. Appropriate BGP policies were designed and agreed with the WAN provider to ensure automated failover when required.
• A complex test and validation strategy was developed supporting UK passport services within budget and strict specifications, which was agreed and assured with the Passport Service Assurance Manager.
• Worked closely with Siemens Operation/Support Teams to build and implement the standby system
• Worked closely with UKPS (Passport Service) Test Assurance Manager to agree Test and Proving Strategy. Prior to service acceptance, led two major (weekend) test exercises to demonstrate operation and viability of new facility with successful sign off by UKPS.
• Undertook two failover trials at weekends with customer agreement, then a full test overseen by Passport Service assurance resulting in full signoff with no issues.
Budget, Database, Service, Test, It, Implementation, Support, Testing, Test manager, WAN, SAN, Customer, LED, Manager
2003 - 2004
freelance
Systems Integration Consultant
Fujitsu.
• Designed and constructed Solaris production server farm and components for a DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) portal, in a two site setup for resilience.
• Developed documented, repeatable automated build strategy and process using Solaris Kickstart and (shell) scripting.
• Developed encrypted process within architecture for authorised data transfer through firewalls and authentication with client systems.
• Developed documented, repeatable automated build strategy and process using Solaris Kickstart and (shell) scripting.
• Developed encrypted process within architecture for authorised data transfer through firewalls and authentication with client systems.
Scripting, Integration, Architecture, Authentication, Server, Production, Portal
My education
UCL
BSc, (Eng) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Minor in Design)
BSc, (Eng) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Minor in Design)
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