Jeffrey Wattswatts@jayhawks.net |
10115 Redbud Lane |
I am seeking a significant and challenging position in Unix and Linux system administration with a company interested in adding my extensive experience, proven technical leadership, and excellent communication skills to their organization.
Unix System Administration, TCP/IP networking, hardware configuration, technical and end user support, hardware and software troubleshooting, on-call dependability, Bourne Shell, Perl, PHP, SQL, OpenBoot, Apple MacOS, Linux, Solaris, IRIX, HP-UX, Active Directory integration, RHN Satellite, Kickstart, JBoss, SGI hardware, Sun hardware, x86 hardware, Apache, BIND, OSIAM, NTP, PostgreSQL, Sendmail.
Jul 2009 - Mar 2010
Contractor at H&R Block.
I was tasked with several projects aimed at improving H&R Block's ability
to manage and audit their HP-UX and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) systems.
Drawing on skills gained through the RHCE certification process along with
fifteen years of experience in Linux and Unix system administration, I
accomplished my tasks on time, completely, and without need of supervision.
Here are some of my major accomplishments:
Active Directory integration. I integrated H&R Block's Unix and Linux user account and access management into their existing Windows Active Directory infrastructure. This migration replaced a manual, labor-intesive, and difficult to audit process with one providing centralized management using familiar Windows tools. My implementation used PAM, Kerberos, NSS_LDAP (Linux), and LDAP-UX (HP-UX), and relied on tools that were supported by the OS vendor, avoiding the use of costly third-party software and streamlining support. Nearly a thousand user accounts were migrated, access control was tightened, and hundreds of unneeded accounts were removed.
RHN Satellite. As part of an effort to streamline patching and new server deployments, I deployed Red Hat's server management system, RHN Satellite. Using Satellite, I created custom server build scripts that allow new systems to be deployed in as little as five minutes, a dramatic improvement over a process that usually took a full day. Custom configuration was included, including deployment during server build of important third party applications and utilities such as VMware Tools, NetBackup, ProLiant Support Pack, etc are now able to be automatically deployed. This infrastructure also allows for rapid patching and rollbacks, enabling H&R Block to patch all of its Linux systems in a week or two (depending on production availability), compared to the three months it took previously.
Organizational improvements. While there, I made several important organizational improvements. First of all, I reorganized and expanded their server documentation, making note of important information such as domain, network location, and server status. I also inventoried their support levels and identified many development and test systems that improperly had 24/7 support, which will save H&R Block thousands of dollars over time. Finally, I did a support budget analysis for fiscal year 2011 through 2013, recommending that H&R Block consolidate its support dates so as to save approximately $26,000 up front and make its support renewal process much easier in the long run.
May 1998 - Mar 2009
Systems Administrator III for Sprint Nextel.
I was the lead administrator of two clusters of SGI Origin servers responsible
for the collection and processing of $35 million in billing per day from
Sprint's Nortel DMS long distance telephone switch network. My
responsibilities included resolving hardware, operating system, and application
issues, coordinating developers, managing vendors, and
working with customers to exceed the company's goal of 99.99% availability.
In addition, I was the secondary administrator for three Sun Enterprise clusters
collecting Sprint's ATM and Frame Relay billing as well as a large, real-time
fraud detection and prevention platform consisting of twenty-four diverse Sun
Solaris systems. I also provided key technical leadership for many business
critical projects ranging from application updates to entire system redesigns
in support of new product releases. For example, due to my lengthy experience
with Linux, I was selected to serve on Sprint's Linux Evaluation Team
that set standards and made vendor recommendations for Sprint's ongoing
strategic rollout of Linux into the enterprise.
I have been formally recognized seven times during my time with Sprint. In 1999 I received three Sprint Values Excellence awards for my work in upgrading a critical platform and for moving several applications from non-Y2K-compliant systems onto supported systems. I received another in 2000 for my efforts supporting the deployment of a new Nortel DMS long distance switch in record time. I also received an award for my success in recovering several million dollars worth of lost billing information in 2001. Later that year, I was awarded a Sprint Annual Award for my successful efforts to prevent a troubled switch deployment from failing, positioning the company to meet increasing customer demand. In 2007 I received a merit award for continued, superior performance and customer focus.
Dec 1997 - May 1998
System Administrator for Internet Direct Communications.
Responsibilities included maintaining a dozen Linux and BSD/OS servers that
provided infrastructure and customer services including email, DNS,
Usenet News, and webhosting for this regional Internet Service
Provider. I also provided support for several Cisco, Ascend, and Bay Networks
Internet routers. I maintained positive relationships with vendors and
clients and supervised the technical support department consisting of six
direct reports. In addition, I developed, deployed, and supported a web-based
accounting and administration system (using PHP, PostgreSQL, and Apache),
streamlining business operations through the automation of complex billing and
administrative functions.
Mar 1997 - Dec 1997
Programmer/Consultant for NT Integrators. I provided on-site support
for customers, enhancing productivity and solving difficult problems. I
assisted business customers in the development of their networks and
establishment of an Internet presence. On several occasions, I was able to
implement Linux solutions for customer problems with great success. For
example, I was able to deploy Linux to inexpensively provide back-office file
and print services. These solutions allowed our business customers to drive
cost from their operations as compared to the proprietary systems they were
using previously.
Mar 1995 - Mar 1997
Macintosh Lab Administrator for Academic Computing Services at the
University of Kansas. I was responsible for
maintaining the primary Macintosh lab on the Lawrence campus. I
advised the lab supervisor on the purchase of new equipment, lab strategy and
planning, and customer support issues. I worked on the budget, provided
labor estimates, and participated on the Microlab Committee
which planned KU's overall computer lab strategy. I maintained a heterogeneous
network of Macintosh computers, printers, and fileservers. I also managed
the deployment and support of productivity and scientific applications
including office suites and statistical packages. In addition, I designed a
distributed backup and restore solution.
Completed four years of coursework towards a degree in Computer Science. Courses included: Discrete Structures, Computer Systems and Assembly Language, Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis, Computer Architecture and Networks, and Introduction to Automata Theory.
Sep 1996 - Present
Founder of KULUA, the Kansas Unix & Linux Users Association, a large Linux
and BSD users group based in Lawrence, which brings together over 350
professionals and enthusiasts from the Lawrence, Topeka, and Kansas City
areas.