Engagements

To act as Cloud Solutions Architect for the client’s cloud platforms:

• Produce high quality solution designs and application architectures that are aligned with the Data & Analytics architecture principles and strategy.
• Provide architecture leadership in migrating the Real Time Optimized platform from AWS to Azure, liaising with Microsoft and 3^rd parties.
• Champion policies, procedures, and best practice design principles for Azure and AWS.
• Analysis of business requirements to identify flexible and pragmatic design changes to development and production architecture.
• Design new containerised solutions and migration plans from on-premise to the cloud.

To act as Azure Cloud Solutions Architect and Engineer for the client’s cloud platforms:

• Lead Architect for Azure China design and deployment including implementation of Azure Cloud Adoption Framework Landing Zones within China.
• Work with subsidiaries to design and deploy initial offerings within Azure China including secure one-way authentication between Azure AD tenants.
• Provide DevOps engineering of Terraform scripts for build and deployment of greenfield Azure China CAF Landing Zones.
• Create architectural design and migration for one of WPP subsidiary companies’ website.
• Provide DevOps engineering of Terraform scripts for build and deployment of the secure website including networking, Web App, SQL database, Key Vaults, storage accounts and connectivity using private endpoints.
• Create standard design template for highly secure isolated Azure environments including firewalls, IPS/IDS solutions, access control and authentication.

To act as Azure Cloud Solutions Architect and SME for the client’s strategic Azure tenants and Cyber Security platform:

• Create architectural design patterns for individual Azure infrastructure resource types. Providing best practice, configuration recommendations and adherence to security standards.
• Design, run proof of concept and finalise design for Zscaler and McAfee cloud proxy solutions within the Cyber Security platforms Azure tenant.
• Design Azure VWAN solution for Zscaler IPEC tunnel.
• Define Azure Landing zones for Cyber Security platform.
• Create design for network sandbox to enable POC of new networking connectivity patterns between on-premises and/or other Cloud Service Providers.
• Create blueprint for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure Container Registry (ACR) and Azure Container Instances (ACI) for the deployment of Docker images including scanning of code and images.
• Provide architectural guidance to DevOps engineers, management, and projects.
• Work with developers to design and deploy infrastructure in an Azure DevOps agile environment.

To act as Global Cloud Architect and SME for the client’s Trading Data Platform cloud environments:

• Design new Azure environment for Data Platform including networking, subscriptions, resource groups and access management.
• Design and implement microservices and event driven architectures.
• Provide comprehensive security analysis of the current environment.
• Provide detailed plans for disaster recovery and back up strategy.
• Provide best practice for Big Data environment including Azure Data Lakes, Data Warehouse and SQL Databases
• Design and deploy resources including Azure Functions, Web Apps, Data Bricks, Data Factory, Synapse, Redis Cache, databases, data lakes and virtual machines using Terraform.
• Enable Infrastructure as Code using CI/CD pipelines for rapid and repeatable deployment of multiple environments for development, testing and production.
• Provide standardised Terraform modules to be called from Azure DevOps Repository.
• Work with developers to design and deploy infrastructure in an Azure DevOps agile environment.

To act as Cloud Technical Architect and SME for the Client’s Enterprise cloud environments:

• Plan and deploy application suites to Azure IaaS, PaaS and cloud native environments including
  • Infrastructure patterns
  • Web App, API App and API Management.
  • Microservices using Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) utilising Docker Containers.
  • Networking (Load Balancers, routing tables, CDNs, connectivity including ExpressRoutes and VPNs)
  • Identity Access Management and Security
  • Design, specification and pricing of compute, databases, networking, storage, and monitoring.
  • Backup and DR
  • Hybrid Cloud Integration
• Lead Cloud Architect on Smart Cities AWS IoT project.
  • Provide SSE oversite to 3^rd party supplier.
  • Determine AWS Landing Zone configuration with AWS and 3^rd
  • Determine security design for project
• Lead Cloud Architect on Verint voice recording migration project from on-premise to Azure, including infrastructure and network assessment.
• Lead Cloud Architect on Azure Cloud Foundation project providing overall design blue print and best practice.

Provide Blue Print designs for individual cloud components.

To act as Infrastructure and Cloud Technical Architect and SME for the Client’s European datacentres and cloud environments:

• Plan and deploy application suites to Azure and AWS IaaS and PaaS environments including
  • Infrastructure patterns
  • Networking (Load Balancers, routing tables, CDNs, connectivity including ExpressRoutes, DirectConnect and VPNs)
  • Identity Access Managemental and Security
  • Design, specification and pricing of compute, databases, networking, storage, and monitoring.
  • Backup and DR
  • Hybrid Cloud Integration
• Plan and deploy infrastructure services for a new datacentre including
  • Pure Storage Arrays, EMC VPLEX, RecoverPoint and VNX
  • Cisco MDS SAN switches
  • Cisco UCS Blades Chassis’ and Fabric Interconnects
  • VMware ESXi 6.0\6.5 including Site Recovery Manager
• Plan and implement migration of infrastructure and services to new datacentre.
• Create migration plans for Brocade to Cisco MDS SAN switches.
• Provide VMware ESX DR designs including stretched clusters using EMC VPLEX Metro and VMware Site Recovery Manager using EMC RecoverPoint and Pure replication.
• Design and deploy Panzura Hybrid Cloud NAS solution using Azure storage.
• Design and deploy Commvault 11 backup solution including cloud integration.

Plan upgrades to existing infrastructure.

To act as Subject Matter Expert for the Client’s enterprise and mid-range storage infrastructure including:

• Provide designs, migration plans and best practise for VMware, UNIX, Linux, iSeries and Windows environments.
• Provide designs for Cloud and Virtualised environments.
• Provide fibre channels and converged network designs.
• Provide security designs and best practise.
• Plan data migrations using array based, host based and operating system solutions.
• Performance & Scalability planning.
• Business Continuity & DR architecture design including local and multi-site replication.
• Management software and monitoring designs and best practise.
• Data Centre designs, migrations & exits.

To act as Subject Matter Expert for the company’s primary and secondary storage infrastructure including:

• Develop Disaster Recovery strategy for VMware, AIX and Windows Environments.
• Lead Storage Architect on new Datacentre project, providing High Level and Detailed Designs for EMC V-Max, CLARiiON and Celerra plus NetApp V Series and Cisco MDS.
• Developing migration strategy from existing datacentre to new datacentre for all SAN attached hosts.
• Design, test and deploy EMC SRDF/S and TimeFinder Replication.
• Design, test and deploy EMC RecoverPoint replication using Cisco SANTap for EMC DMX to CLARiiON.
• Design, test and deploy EMC Cloud Tiering Appliance (CTA) for Celerra file archiving.
• Create high level and in depth designs to migrate Windows, ESX and Solaris servers block based LUNs from NetApp filers to EMC CLARiiON including replication.
• Migrate 3500 users, 6600 CIFS shares and 22TB of data from NetApp to Celerra
• Design, test and deploy SRDF replication for VMware and P Series environments.
• EMC Symmetrix and CLARiiON storage arrays.
• NetApp and Celerra NAS environment.
• Cisco MDS SAN Switches including Fabric Manager.
• EMC Control Centre and NetApp Operation Manager monitoring tools.
• Provide consultancy to other groups for performance and configuration.

Provide the highest level of support and deployment of the bank’s primary storage infrastructure including:

• Provide consultancy in the specification and tendering of Primary Storage Re-Platforming project.
• Evaluate FlexPod, VCE Vblock and HP Matrix architectures for FSA storage migration to BoE using pod based compute environment.

To act as Subject Matter Expert for the company’s primary and secondary storage infrastructure including:

• Develop Disaster Recovery strategy for VMware, AIX and Windows Environments.
• Lead Storage Architect on new Datacentre project, providing High Level and Detailed Designs for EMC V-Max, CLARiiON and Celerra plus NetApp V Series and Cisco MDS.
• Developing migration strategy from existing datacentre to new datacentre for all SAN attached hosts.
• Design, test and deploy EMC SRDF/S and TimeFinder Replication.
• Design, test and deploy EMC RecoverPoint replication using Cisco SANTap for EMC DMX to CLARiiON.
• Design, test and deploy EMC Cloud Tiering Appliance (CTA) for Celerra file archiving.
• Create high level and in depth designs to migrate Windows, ESX and Solaris servers block based LUNs from NetApp filers to EMC CLARiiON including replication.
• Migrate 3500 users, 6600 CIFS shares and 22TB of data from NetApp to Celerra
• Design, test and deploy SRDF replication for VMware and P Series environments.
• EMC Symmetrix and CLARiiON storage arrays.
• NetApp and Celerra NAS environment.
• Cisco MDS SAN Switches including Fabric Manager.
• EMC Control Centre and NetApp Operation Manager monitoring tools.
• Provide consultancy to other groups for performance and configuration.

Provide the highest level of support and deployment of the bank’s primary storage infrastructure including:

• EMC Symmetrix and CLARiiON storage arrays.
• Performance tuning of storage arrays and SAN environments.
• NetApp and Celerra NAS environment.
• 3PAR storage Arrays.
• F5/Acopia File Virtualisation Switches.
• Cisco and McData SAN Switches including Fabric Manager and Connectrix Manager.
• EMC Control Centre and NetApp SANscreen monitoring tools.
• Configure and script all replication installation, failover and DR implementations.
• Provide consultancy to other groups for performance and configuration.

Primary focus is divided between providing a storage strategy, deployment of storage infrastructure in worldwide data centres and engineering technical solutions.

• Define and document a global Storage strategy including recommendation of strategic vendors and equipment.
• Define and document Storage Product standards for Global Data Centres and act as Design Authority.
• Create high level and in depth designs for Storage Area Network, Network Attached Storage, Content Addressable Storage, Storage Management and Backups.
• Create standards, engineer and test solutions for EMC Symmetrix DMX3, NetApp Filers, EMC Centera, Cisco MDS switches, IBM TSM and Quantum Physical and Virtual Tape Libraries.
• Design, architect and engineer strategy on Site Failover and Disaster Recovery utilising SRDF, SnapMirror, IVR and FCIP.
• Create high level and in depth designs for Storage Management solutions, Operational monitoring and vendor support.
• Create high level and in depth designs for Microsoft Exchange and SQL database integration, DR and backups using EMC Replication Manager.
• Create high level and in depth designs for VMware ESX server and VDI environments using SAN and NAS based NFS.

Primary focus is divided between providing a storage review and deployment of storage infrastructure in worldwide data centres.

• Define and document a global Storage review program.
• Make recommendations and evaluate new and emerging technologies where business benefits are clear, bringing in 3’rd parties to certify aspect of the design and integration of the data centre solutions.
• Define and document Storage Product standards for Global Data Centres and act as Design Authority for projects.
• Provide Technical Governance to business units in support of storage requirements with projects.
• Make Technical and Process design recommendations for the worldwide data centres’. Determined requirements including infrastructure and application i.e. Network FC Switches, inter-site links, Tape Library and Drive technology.
• Create high level and in depth Storage Area Network designs for EMC DMX2, DMX3, and CLARiiON including replication technologies.
• Create high level and in depth designs for EMC ControlCenter and Secure Remote Gateway.
• Create high level and in depth designs for EMC database integration software and backups.
• Provide consultancy on Site Failover and Disaster Recovery
• Gather and analyse competitive and vendor information.
• Assess research results and applicability to business requirements.
• Participate in product testing for developing of new products and services.

Primary focus was divided between deployment of storage infrastructure in new data centres, European branch remediation and evaluation of new technologies.

• Provide Design Authority and Technical Architecture to Derivatives Settlement project. This single project utilises 50% of UK’s multiple petabytes of storage infrastructure.
• Make Technical and Process design recommendations for the main hub of data centres’. Determined requirements including infrastructure and application i.e. Network FC Switches, inter-site links, Tape Library and Drive technology.
• Make recommendation and evaluate new and emerging technologies where business benefits are clear, bringing in 3’rd parties to certify aspect of the design and integration of the data centre solutions.
• Scope, document, define and implement a technical storage remediation solution for all EMEA (Europe Africa, Middle East and Far East) branch in scope locations. Meet with Site VP’s and Senior IT Contacts.
• Scope, document, define and implement a virtual tape solution for EMEA which provides a centralised campus environment with resilience between sites for multiple backup environments.
• Scope, document, define and implement a tape inventory solution for EMEA which integrates into the global solution currently being commissioned.
• Define technical museum solution for displaced technologies ensuring business needs are met and Legal compliance adhered to.
• Gather and analyse competitive and vendor information.
• Assess research results and applicability to business requirements.
• Participate in product testing for developing of new products and services.
• Drive the process of setting standards through the Technology Architecture Process.
• Developed strategies to enhance revenues or services, reduce costs & manage risk. Takes part in decisions affecting long range organizational goals & strategic planning. (VP level).
• Help drive continual improvement for backup solutions and processes to improve first time success rate.

The role requires operational and implementation knowledge of EVA 5000 (Enterprise Virtual Array) HSV110 disk enclosures and MA8000 (Modular Array)  HSG 80 environments including the fabric switches, Network Storage Routers, ESL tape libraries and associated server hardware and software.

• Designed, planned and implemented new test EVA environment including switch configuration, system initialization, configuration and cross site replication.
• Planned and implemented upgrade of VCS code, switch firmware, SecurePath, SMA software and platform kits for 50 servers across live SAN environment.
• Monitoring the environment to ensure there are no pending failures through DTCS, ISEE and EVE.
• Owning any issues and investigating to completion.
• Introducing new servers onto the fabric including installation of Platform kits and SecurePath, setting up the required storage systems and presenting to the hosts for all storage systems.
• Setting up Continuous Access (CA) disaster recovery and Business Copy (BC) snapshot jobs.
• Modifying existing configurations as required by the business including resizing of Disk Groups and Vdisks.
• Provide technical expertise during the design, implement and configuration of a new backup strategy project.
• Evaluate and implement OV SAM monitoring tools.
• Provide technical training and knowledge transfer to other members of the team.