15 year history in reverse chronological order

Senior Database Developer - Oracle to Postgres migration - CGI

Postgres SME,  migrating a large database from legacy Oracle to RDS Postgres

  • Proof of concept: development and evaluation to replace Oracle functionality with performant Postgres alternatives
  •  build/install database tools and extensions for migration, debugging, code coverage, modelling, performance monitoring etc
  • AWS DMS (Database Migration System) for data migration
  • PL/SQL to PL/pgSQL code conversion
  • Postgres Docker Container development and maintenance
  • Languages: PL/SQL, PL/pgSQL, PRO*C, ECPG, Java, Python
  • Platforms:  EC2, RDS, Lambda, S3, Linux (Alpine, RHEL, Amazon Linux)
Senior Solutions Engineer - sales support, Oracle - Postgres mogration - Yugabyte inc

Yugabyte inc is a Silicon Valley Unicorn.  YugabyteDB is a distributed version of Postgres based on customized RocksDB combined with sharding and load balancing algorithms for the data. The Raft consensus algorithm controls the replication of data between the nodes.

  • Subject matter expert on geo-distribution (GDPR, performance)
  • Data Architect, Data Engineer
  • Sales support,  customer engagement, PoC, demonstrations
  • Design and configure Debezium (change data capture) and Kafka for customer project
  • Platforms: AWS EC2/VNC/peering etc,  Kubernetes,  Docker, Docker compose, Centos
  • Yugabyte/Postgres subject matter expert, data architect, platform design, performance, security and integration
Senior Platform Engineer - Database migration - BP Germany (via IBM Germany)

IBM – Senior Platform Engineer

Seconded to BP Germany working on a global project to deliver new filling station pricing systems

Postgres data engineer and data architect using AWS Aurora (Postgres) in a global filling station pricing project working in an Agile multinational team

  • Design interfaces to meet business needs with appropriate error handling and documentation
  • Tightly integrated with the business, developing solutions which are fit for purpose, futureproof and adding value by thinking outside the box
  • Design and create database objects, write database code (PL/pgSQL functions and procedures) to deliver functionality required by the front end and back end team
  • Design, configure and implement a streaming replication/integration solution from RDS Microsoft SQL (MSSQL) to Aurora/Postgres and vice-versa using AWS Data Migration Services (DMS); logical replication from Aurora to Azure Postgres
  • Postgres subject matter expert, advising on platform design, performance, security and integration
  • AWS Lambda, Simple Notification Service (SNS) Simple Email Service (SES)
  • Platforms: Git, Aurora/Postgres, Linux, Liquibase, Datagrip, AWS, RDS, Azure
Senior Solutions Architect - sales support - Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres

Postgres subject matter expert, promoting sales of Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres and advising on data architecture

  • Engage with and advise DBA’s, developers and data architects on integration of Postgres with existing and new data strategies
  • Postgres versions 12 and 13
  • Preparing and delivering customer presentations, promoting open source Postgres and highlighting the added features of Enterprise Postgres for x86, IBM/z and IBM LinuxONE
  • Knowledge transfer – Installation scenarios (on premise, private/public cloud, Redhat Openshift)
  • Advise on Marketing strategy.
  • Provide Postgres DBA/Developer/Integration/Solutions Architect support for existing customers
  • Performance testing Enterprise Postgres (on premise) vs Amazon RDS and Aurora
Data Architect/DBA - Healthcare database - iPlato

Supporting the myGP healthcare application. Implementing stringent data governance requirements. GP booking, prescription ordering, access to medical records

  • Sole MySQL/MariaDB/Redshift Data Architect/Data Analyst/DBA with responsibility 24/7 for critical healthcare databases supporting customer facing online systems
  • Migration from MySQL 5.5 to MariaDB 10.5.7
  • Complete healthcheck and Centos/MariaDB tuning
  • CentOS 6/7 and Ubuntu 20.4 techops
  • Install, configure system/MySQL monitoring (Percona/Grafana)
  • Design improved client – server architecture to increase throughput by at least 100x
  • Develop/test Java and PHP to benchmark alternative MariaDB drivers
  • Experience up to Mariadb 10.5 (including columnar storage/ColumnStore for OLAP)
  • MariaDB temporal tables
  • MariaDB – Redshift data integration using Talend ETL
  • MariaDB Master – Slave replication and failover (on premise and AWS EC2)
  • MariaDB to Redshift streaming replication using AWS DMS (Data Migration Service)
  • SQL query conversion for different database platforms
  • Data modelling and reverse engineering using Navicat
  • PHP scripts to update Redshift data from MySQL over ODBC and PDO using bulk insert

 

 

 

Data Architect/DBA/Developer - Managing 100+ Postgres servers - YOOX Net-A-Porter/YNAP

Global online retail systems, 100+ Postgres servers and integration with Oracle reporting servers.

YNAP is a global internet retailer with revenue of €2.4Billion

  • 3.5 years as primary Postgres DBA/Developer/Architect/Engineer/SME with responsibility for 100+ business critical Postgres database systems and systems integration at datacentres in the UK, US and Japan
  • Postgres 9.2 – 11. Streaming Replication. Logical Replication. Pglogical. Repmgr. Manual and automated failover. PL/pgSQL. PgPool, Puppet. Git
  • Evaluated Amazon Redshift cluster as a demonstration warehouse
  • Developed a Postgres 10 data mart using pglogical to acquire data from source databases running a variety of Postgres versions
  • Postgres upgrades using pglogical for minimum downtime
  • Oracle 12.1 DBA, data architect, pl/sql procedures. Oracle – Postgres integration: . Foreign Data Wrapper. ODBC
  • Developed systems and code for near real-time synchronisation (data integration) of several Postgres databases to Oracle
  • Data Quality and Data Integration Postgres – Oracle using Talend ETL
  • Centos 6,7 and AWS
  • Forward and reverse data engineering, data modelling using Navicat, LucidChart
  • Post-merger strategic architecture review
Postgres DBA/Developer - Documentation project - Ministry of Justice

Sole Postgres Database Administrator (DBA) and developer working on a new implementation.  Included recommendations and implementations for vertical and horizontal scaling and DR and working with third party supplier:

  • Postgres configuration and tuning. Design and test failover.
  • Technical Business Analyst
  • PL/pgSQL – application development and migration
  • Cloud/VM (Skyscape/VMWare) environment
  • Connection pooling (PgBouncer)
  • Streaming replication
  • Load balancing  (PgPool)
  • Application optimisation
  • Redhat (REHL) and Centos  system administration and shell scripting
  • Talend (ETL tool) data migration
  • Familiarised with Talend MDM
  • Talend RESTful Wed service (REST API)
  • Agile, Jira, Ansible
Business Change Manager - RBS Royal Bank of Scotland

Business Change Manager working on the RBS implementation of the Future Clearing Model (FCM) and the divestment of Williams & Glynne

  • Managed a team of Business Analysts
  • Stakeholder engagement, chairing meetings and driving outcomes throughout RBS Group including banking products, franchises, clearing operations (In Clearing and Out Clearing), Williams & Glynn divestment programme, credit risk, credit decisioning, settlement, image archiving etc.
  • Technical Business Analyst
  • Acted as a technical bridge between business stakeholders and the development team, ensuring that business requirements were realistic and achievable within time and resourcing constraints
  • Developed plan to deliver requirements analysis
  • Developed plan to deliver the FCM programme
  • Responsible for governance and management reports
IT Director - Radiology Reporting Online (NHS-Private JV)

RRO is a joint venture between University College Hospital London and a private Australian tele-radiology company.  It offers 24/7/365 radiology reporting services to the NHS and private sector hospitals using a “follow the sun” model,  with UK qualified radiologists based in a number of offices in the UK and Australia. A key requirement is to provide rapid and reliable radiology reporting for Accident & Emergency departments.

Activities in this role included:

  • Network upgrades to improve speed and resilience,  renegotiating stale contractes to give greater bandwidth for less cost
  • Sales support,  customer presentations
  • Project management of new client integrations
  • Introduction of VOIP telephony to improve communication (desk and smartphone client), provide corporate voice conferencing,
  • Onboarding new clients. Network integration, N3, security, firewalls, integration with client RIS and PACS

 

 

Programme Manager - Documentation systems - UK Payments Administration Ltd

UK Payments provides infrastructure services to the UK Banking industry payment schemes (eg BACS, CHAPS, Faster Payments, Cheque & Credit Clearing, UK Cards etc.) and through them to the UK Banks and the Bank of England.

I was brought in to provide specialist expertise for project start-up, business analysis and vendor selection for a programme of infrastructure change.

Activities in this role included:

  • Programme start-up and documentation to in-house standards based on Prince 2
  • Evaluation of data security with a focus on data governance and cyber security in relation to current threats and CESG guidance and make recommendations for improvements
  • Change Management: Analysing impact of change on the organisation and the client base.  Agreeing change plan with stakeholders. Designing provisions for user education (PR), mitigation of impact, rollout and training.
  • Analysed operational processes (including payment reversals between banks and dissemination of anti-fraud information) and made recommendations for improvement
Oracle, Postgres SME - Radiology database migration at 4 major NHS hospitals - Wellbeing Software Group (HSS)

Implementation of CRIS radiology information system (RIS) at four NHS Hospital trusts including data migration from Oracle to Postgres

  • Developed systems to upload new patient data, including data cleansing.
  • Developed ETL solution using Talend
  • Developed data transfer application in ECPG (Postgres C with embedded SQL)
    • Migration of statistics system from Java to Postgres PL/pgSQL
    • Designed process for data transfer from Oracle to Postgres from scratch including data audit
  • Used Wavemaker to create a GUI database front end to Postgres
  • Implementation of the equivalent of Oracle materialised views in Postgres
  • Advised on IT security and Governance issues
  • Postgres experience: versions 9.1, 9.2, 9.3; PL/pgSQL programming, ECPG, pgAdmin, SQLMaestro, Ora2pg, installation, configuration, optimisation, database links, psql, pgdump, pgrestore
Oracle DBA/Developer - Supply and commission Hardware, Oracle - Urenco (Nuclear industry)

Supplied and installed two Dell servers running Windows surver.

Installed Oracle 11gR1 with Oracle Clusterware.

Configured automatic failover. Applications installation and configuration

IT Director - Telehealth - Pfizer Health Solutions

Pfizer had decided to diversify into a non-pharmaceutical line of business and created a new division called Pfizer Health Solutions (PHS).

 

  • Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS – Oncology project. Managed complex secure network integration between Pfizer data centre and the NHS N3 private network and set up new call centre:  project management of the network design and implementation team (4 suppliers)
  • I was the designated Data Governance manager, accountable to the NHS for data governance and regulatory compliance with requirements for the handling of patient identifiable data; represented PHS at regular project meetings with the client
  • Manage the PHS Data Centre, located at a Sungard facility in London Docklands. Relationship management,  handling all enhancements and operational issues.
  • New Clients: Responsible for technology response in tenders and client presentations
  • Other initiatives included introduction of disc encryption for laptops, mobile broadband, and the use of VPN (Virtual Private Network) for secure connections.  To better manage the client relationship I introduced a web based support ticketing system which was integrated with the software supplier’s systems to improve accountability and tracking of bugs and enhancement requests.

 

Oracle Application Express (Apex) developer - membership system - Community Union
  • Lead architect/programmer for a membership system for Community Union. Complete responsibility for all aspects of systems design and implementation.
  • Oracle version upgrade
  • Apex 3.2 web application; upgraded to 4.1
  • SSL encryption. Rewrite of Apex logon to integrate with customer security system.
  • User level privacy/security implementation
  • 90+ Apex pages (pl/sql, javascript, Ajax)
  • Data migration from SQL Server using Talend
  • ODBC connection to link to SQL Server data.
IT Director - NFU Services (NFU Mutual Insurance)
  • Resolve software application supplier problems – contractual, functionality, support
  • Mentor the Board of Directors – Introduce new sales controls – sales qualification protocol
  • IT infrastructure upgrade