Certifications
About Us
In current engagements we specialise in VMware, X86 hardware and data centre technologies as the leading consultant. This role requires us govern and shape these areas so they provide automated, standardised and efficient platforms which then house the organisations' most important applications. The key aspects of this role are outlined below.
Governance and strategic planning
Governance and effective planning are key priorities. To maximise our investments in these technologies we designed and maintain a roadmap for management, deployment and future upgrades of x86, VMware and data centre infrastructure across Optus. These roadmaps now provide clear direction for this technology. We have initiated projects to reduce server sprawl and align all current infrastructure to a centralised management model. This involves managing both hardware and software licence renewals for VMware, Windows and RHEL on VMware, Legato Networker and HP Operations and Performance Manager. Some of my current projects underway include the VMware vSphere upgrade, automation of server provisioning from customer to implementation, VMware storage standardisation and remediation, Pay-As-You-Go Virtual Machines and the use of appliance computing for operational simplicity. We design and maintain policies and document templates to manage customer cost estimates, infrastructure solution designs and build standards. Extensive consultation with I.T. departments is incorporated to further tailor these documents to customer needs. By automating manual tasks we ensure that operational costs are reduced. We actively improve the various companies' x86 virtualisation rate year on year; driving this rate from zero 5 years ago to 45% at the end of this financial year. Further plans to achieve 95% virtualisation have been scoped and are on track. We also advise on capacity planning for VMware, x86 and data centre infrastructure. This forecasting of assets incorporates both infrastructure and licence management purchase standardisation and monthly capacity reports. We recommend and shape a shared infrastructure fund which finances infrastructure and software growth as required.
Financial management
Our work consulting on technical specifics for various Annual Operating Plans requires us to advise on funds required across all business units to ensure growth, remediation and the alignment of new works to I.T. strategy. The associated budgets of these operating plans range up to $50 million. We have also provided consulting around technical specifics for presentations to Capital Review Boards. We have reduced operational expenditure by automating the ESX provisioning process, and reducing associated manual labour for our customers. Similarly, our responses to various tenders has led to a reduction in operational expenditure and streamlined our customers' approach to server provisioning.
Design solutions
Our solution designs contain a high degree of accuracy and detail for projects affecting our customers and their subsidiaries. These include all non-functional requirements as well as defining all steps in associated implementation plans.
Vendor engagement
Our responsibilities involve regular contact and technical relationship management of key representatives and regular attendance at meetings and forums with core vendors (HP, IBM, Sun, Microsoft, EMC, HDS, XSI and others as appropriate). This relationship allows for seamless design implementation for many of our customers.
Client management
We look forward to feedback and regularly employ surveys that shape the way we work, to best accommodate a changing environment. We listen to our customers’ needs and anticipate their requirements. We regularly simplify business requirements and improve customer experience.
Contributions to corporate culture
We choose to embrace change and respectfully challenge the status quo every day. Whether it be improving processes, strategies or relationships, we continually break new ground and seek innovative ways to automate manual tasks. We take calculated risks to meet customer and business goals and share knowledge freely; particularly when it comes to documentation, strategies, and new discoveries.