1996 - 1999 - Systems Manager, Radio Spectrum
Management, Ministry of Commerce.
Soon after arriving in New Zealand, I
started a stint at the Ministry of Commerce's Radio Spectrum Management group.
This was a pivotal change of direction in that it marked the end of my software
career and the start of my infrastructure career. It also marked the switch from
VMS to more mainstream technologies. The Radio Spectrum Group (RSM) ran a VAX
Cluster, one of my main areas of responsibility, but it was during this time
that I embarked on various projects to move the group to a more Microsoft-based
network using Windows NT and Microsoft Exchange 5.5. This experience was vital
in my later move into consulting which focused initially on Active Directory and
Exchange 2000.
Duties:
- Manage the Ministry’s Radio
Spectrum Management Systems and Networks.
- Manage the Radio Spectrum
Management Systems Support team.
- Manage relationships with
clients, suppliers, partners, customers, consultants and other Ministry IT
groups
- Manage Systems projects
- Manage the Systems budget.
Functions:
- Deliver and support systems and
networks required by the Ministry of Commerce’s Radio Spectrum Management
group. The group consists of approximately 80 head office staff based in
Wellington and around 60 users in 12 remote offices countrywide.
- Database Administration (DBA) of
strategic databases
- Deploy new systems and optimise
the environment to enhance and extend available facilities to meet and
exceed client and user expectations.
- Manage Change Control, Security,
Contingency Planning and Disaster Recovery.
- Plan strategic direction of
technologies, systems and networks. This is done with due cognisance of
other Ministry IT groups and Ministry-wide IT strategy.
- Contribute to Ministry-wide IT
strategy.
- Plan, control and direct all
systems and network projects through the full project life cycle.
- Facilitate the provision of a
customer-focused help desk. Facilitate timely resolution of all problems.
Major Projects:
- Microsoft Exchange 5 rollout and
migration from Novell GroupWise
- Windows NT Server rollout and
migration from Digital Pathworks
- Wide Area Network Upgrade and
migration from multiplexed WAN
- Windows NT Workstation rollout
and migration from Windows 95
- Legacy Systems Retire and
Reconfiguration
- Spectrum Management System
Technical Infrastructure
- Spectrum Management System
Database Administration Development
Technologies:
- Open VMS Clusters
- Digital Pathworks
- Windows NT Server and Workstation 4.0
- Sybase 11 DBMS
- Microsoft Exchange 5 and 5.5