Andy Ball Email & Phone Number

London, England, United Kingdom

Working as part of DevOps / Engineering team to deliver and support Azure Enterprise Scale / Landing Zone Infrastructure.Tooling : Terraform (IAC) / Github Enterprise / Actions / Powershell / Azure DevOps / Hiera / Confluence / Grafana* Engineer / Code (Terraform) Azure based modules / create GitHub Action workflow for deployment.* Create / Maintain Azure Devops pipelines for CI/CD of Azure artifacts* Produce KQL / Azure Resource Graph based reports for Operational and Governance purposes* Contribute to in-house Powershell Module / with Pester tests.* Convert some Powershell Functions to Python.* Design / Deploy Azure Policy Initiatives via Terraform / Azure DevOps based on Service Definitions provided by CISO / Architecture. * Provide 3rd Line support / guidance to Azure Operational teams - Solve complex Network / Routing issues.

My House

Working as part of DevOps / Engineering team to deliver Azure Enterprise Scale / Landing Zone Infrastructure.Tooling : Terraform (IAC) / Terraform Enterprise (state) / TeamCity (CI/CD) / Bitbucket (git repos) / PowerShell (some basic Bash)/ JIRA (Agile) / Confluence* Architect / Engineer / Code (Terraform) Private Endpoint / DNS Zones / IP Groups modules.* Initiate / Plan / migrate complex ruleset to IP Groups for on Azure Firewall with zero issues: - Code "What if" Function in Powershell to simulate rules engine to assist with .. - Regression test script using KQL query of Firewall log to ensure nothing missed for migration.* Troubleshoot complex Performance / Network / Configuration issues using native Azure tooling (Network Watcher scripted deploy) / Log Analytics queries to Firewall / NSG Flow logs / Dashboards (trend / bottleneck analysis)* Provide support / guidance to Azure Operational teams - Engineer Terraform "canary" VM build to allow for quick deploy / diagnose issues.* Assess Azure Firewall Preview features , cost / benefit analysis --> Go --> Engineer / Deploy Module to test environment ready for GA.* Assist Landing Zone customers with onboarding design / architecture issues. * KQL Left Outer Join Log Analytics Firewall Log with Resource Graph to improve Firewall performance and identify configuration issues.

My House

Short term , Statement of Work based FinOps engagement for Fortune 500 Human Resources provider with large Azure estate.* Architect / design mini business cases for automation solutions to enable consistent Azure cost savings going forward. Develop protypes using Powershell / Terraform and demonstrate to end customer. e.g Standardised budgets / alerting at Business Unit level and tactical smart VM Right Sizing recommendations (based on Azure Monitor metrics)* Develop Kusto / Resource Graph queries to very quickly identify cost savings across the customers 40 subscriptions. i.e. Hybrid Use Benefit, SQL Enterprise edition in Dev environments, orphaned disks, VMs powered off / not de-allocated.* Develop Powershell Module and SQL Schema to allow import of billing data / inventory into SQL Database for repeatable / automated cost savings analysis. Use Azure Data Studio/Database project. Fully document this and project learnings to provide valuable reusable IP for Cloudstratex.* Automate generation of "cracked urls" / Cost Management views API to give targetted view of spend / low resource utilisation to Budget Owners.* Mentor junior colleague on the ways of Azure, Kusto and Powershell.* Get schooled by same colleague on the ways of Python and Anaconda.

London, United Kingdom

Short term paternity leave cover contract* Work with Infosec team to implement Cloud Security using Security Center / Sentinel. * Work with Dev teams to implement Azure B2C based Project for Customer facing web site.* Convert existing ARM template for above deployment to use Terraform.* Audit existing Azure environment and implement improvements (enabling HUB on VMs, missing backups, removing access to Storage Account Keys and Security Center recommendations)* Plan / Design dedicated Azure Landing Zone.* Provide Azure support including - Troubleshooting Azure AD Conditional Access using Log Analytics / kusto - Resolve SQL DW Azure Recommendations / Firewall issue using industry standard logging software that rhymes with punk (name withheld to avoid false hits on searches)

Europe

Part time Azure work for Sp-index.com: - Evaluate / compose ARM template / migrate existing Infra to Azure Front Door solution. - Migrate existing Azure Monitor Alerts. - Attend Security meetings for potential clients- Travelling Europe by bike and train.- Increased FTP (Functional Threshold Power) from 255 to 280.- Complete Exploring sport coaching and psychology online course at Open University.

London

Mixture of Azure Architecture , Engineering and a little bit of support:* Design / Implement Automated Azure VM Build using Powershell Module / ARM Templates - Deploy via Azure Devops* Implement Chef Extenson for above to hook into existing Config Management / Deployment Infrastructure. Implement API calls to dependent systems - i.e. call Team City jobs to register in 3rd Party PAM tool* Acquire basic Chef skills to troubleshoot above ! * Develop various Azure Powershell funcs for missing / enhanced functionality - ie use Billing API to set / Query Billing status , enhanced VM Inventory (Edit : now in Portal)* Implement Azure Monitor based alerts / Action Groups for Azure Core Infrastructure and Service Health via ARM Template. * Act as Infrastructure Architect / Engineer on key Big Data / HDInsight / Azure Data Factory / Data Lake Project. Work with 3rd party App team - provide advice / standards on Azure integration , security , Data integrity , privacy. * Clean Azure Estate / Security / Standardising / Governance / Billing Management / Cross Charge / CMDB Integration / Azure Monitor / Security Center / OMS / Policies / Azure Budgets* Working on Integration between 2 merged companies from Azure / Active Directory point of view with Azure B2B, PowerBI, VSTS. Participate in several Azure Private Previews in relation to above.* Work with CSOC team to forward Azure Security Centre / Activity Log alerts into Splunk using Event Hub based Solution. * Work with CISO to align Azure Security Policy with Company Privileged Access Management (PAM) standards. * Troubleshoot / Resolve performance issue with Azure / SQL Web App using Application Insights and SQL Analytics.* Act as a Consultant to other teams for initial design / Proof of Concept for Azure based projects* Testing forwarding Activity Log based Alerts to Service Now via ITSM Connector / CI Discovery. * Use Packer to build standard Managed Images for key builds.

Various

working in Project team Architecting new /Migrating existing services from On-Prem to Azure IaaS / PaaS/SaaS equivalents.* Member of Architectural Review Board - validating / challenging Architecture designs internally and Partners / Vendors. Suggest improvements - use of Windows Auth to SQL Server , use of Public Peering for secure access to Azure PaaS Resources.* Automate migration / collapsing of Subscription into another using Azure Powershell / REST API for Cloud Services / orphaned objects. * Work with Network team / Vendor to migrate Network Infrastructure to new ExpressRoute circuit - automate post migration health checks using Powershell. Troubleshoot routing issue with Azure VNet Peering.* Setup Enterprise Agreement Azure Billing Management using combination of PowerBI Content Pack and Billing API from Excel to control costs. * Migrate Azure Virtual Machines using Azure Site Recovery (ASR). Automate initial creation of ASR Replication using Azure REST API (as not available for VMWare at time using Native Cmdlets)* Work with 3rd party vendors to assist with migration / modernising apps for Azure - ie converting / troubleshooting issues with Azure SQL DB / Contained Databases. * Work with Microsoft Azure Product team via CSA / Azure Advisors programme to test / evaluate new Services where tangible use case at customer :- initiate Service Map pilot and feedback suggestions / enhancements.* Write ServiceMap Powershell Module using REST API's- https://github.com/andyjballgit/CVServiceMap/tree/master/CVServiceMapAPI* Write Powershell function to make in house Powershell Modules completly self documenting using Markdown. Use VSS Git Source Control.* Volunteer to technically lead onboarding of SCOM into customer environment : - work with MS Partner to ensure basic functionally delivered as per spec- Work with key Infra teams to ensure monitoring fit for purpose.- Develop custom Management Pack for unstable 3rd party application.

Us And Europe

Sprint 1 (US) Seattle , Vancouver, Whistler , Vancouver Island, Seattle , Phoenix , Las Vegas, Seattle Sprint 2 (Europe) Berlin , Prague, Vienna , Bratislava, Salzburg, Kitzbuhel, Munich

United Kingdom

Technical customer facing role,accountable for the end-to-end customer cloud deployment experience on the Microsoft Azure Platform. Work with customers at any level of the organisation to ensure success in their Azure journey. For example in the morning I may be presenting/talking to a CxO about the business benefits of Azure and its USP. Then in the afternoon I could be helping a customer write an ARM template to deploy a complex 3 tier architecture (Web/App/Data) to Azure in an agile and consistent manner. * Successfully drive numerous greenfield / migration projects to Azure Platform on technologies such as Azure SQL Database , DocumentDB , Virtual Machines, Vnets , Dev/Test Labs, ARM / DSC / Automation* Broker conversations between customers and Azure Product Group to feedback on desired functionality / manage assist with Private Preview. Win/win , good for customer satisfaction too. * Lead 1/2 day workshop with customer , Network Appliance ISV and Network Partner for key initial Azure project , now in Production. * Collaborate with generalists and specialists in the Microsoft field and delivery teams (including Partners, ISV's , Microsoft Services and Product Engineering). This generally takes the form of leading Architecture workshops / whiteboarding sessions to thrash out Low Level Designs with customer and partners.* Act as trusted advisor / sometimes virtual TAM with IT Teams at Customers. Feedback to Senior Product Mangers on challenges , i.e ASM/ ARM transition.* Remove blockers to successful Azure POC's / deployments. Work with Vendors, Partners , the rest of Microsoft to achieve this. *Attend CxO simulation and Presentation skills courses.

London

Part of team of 2 providing SQL Server Engineering Services within Investment Banking Division with approx 3000 SQL Server instances, mainly hosted on VMWare and MS Clusters.Self fund attendance at Microsoft Ignite Conference, Chicago May 2015. Design , Test , Document Automated Deployment of SQL Server Service Packs / CU's / Security Fixes using Banks Standard 3rd Party deployment software**. Write / include Powershell script to perform SQL Health check to run before / after deployment (check SQL Services , Databases online , check backed up, correct version). Work with colleagues to design* and code C# / REST / WCF / SSL / JSON / Entity Framework / SQL Server based Web Service to provide Self Service of SQL Server related actions (Inventory / Health / Action items (Create Database / Logins / Do Restore from Dev / Prod). Visual Studio 2012Code Powershell based Health and Integration / Tests for REST API for aboveLearn enough Java to write multi-threaded test harness using Eclipse , to evaluate suitability / performance of Microsoft JDBC driver from Linux clients. Automate testing of our SQL Server 2008/2012 builds on Banks standard Windows Server Plaform releases and SQL Patches using Powershell / SQLPS / WMI including writing a function to enable Powershell remoting on a remote server using Win32_Process.Create method.Evaluate AlwaysON suitability / benefits in comparison with the Banks existing HA / DR solutions and produce detailed paper for colleagues management.Assist Operational teams with Performance problems using the usual toolset (SQLDiag / SQLNexus etc)Provide consultancy type help to Application teams and other Engineering in relation to SQL ServerPass Microsoft Azure Infrastructure exam 70-533* NB The initial Architechture of system was performed by an esteemed colleague , so I am only providing Design / Code going forward from now** Name of software available on request. Not mentioned so I don't get agencies contacting me on it

United Kingdom

Design External Customer Order and Internal Order Processing Portal / Infrastructure based on ASP.Net / SQL Server Evaluate Cloud Platforms - choose Windows Azure based on price and familiarity with tooling Design and build basic customer order web page based on ASP / VB .Net / Azure Cloud Services writing to Windows Azure SQL Server Database using ACS (Access Control Service) for sign-on using Windows Live / Google / Yahoo Login.Expand website to include Research Form for internal users, Admin tasks and Management Reporting with ACS based Role Security. Convert above to C# / Azure Web Sites and deploy.Evaluate and deploy New Relic add-on to provide performance / capacity monitoringImplement Backup / HA / DR solution to Azure Storage using Windows Data Access ComponentMigrate entire solution to new Subscription and Resource Group using Powershell script.Build Windows Azure Virtual Machine in alternate Data Centre for DR purposes.Design and deploy Azure Web Jobs to perform tasks such as SQL Index Maintenance / SQL Backup validation and shut down of Dev / Test Virtual machines using Azure Management Libraries Using Powershell Azure cmdlets and WinRM, fully automate build of DR SQL Server including opening ports on VPN, implementing SQL standards and creating synch from Production Jobs. Use Sendgrid for email , Twilio for SMS and NewRelic for application profilingDesign and Code Paypal proof of concept allowing B2C ordering using their IPN process.Implement Azure remote debugging and log streaming support in Visual Studio 2013 / Azure SDK Use Azure Powershell Cmdlets for Management of aboveMove code into TFS Online , fully document system and handover support.

London

Initial 6 month contract working in the challenging retail part of the group with approx 600 instances of SQL Server. Renewed for 6 months and now part of merged team in Global Banking and Markets (GBM) with a combined total of approx 3000 instances running on HP Hardware / VMware / EMC SAN / SRDF. Windows / SQL <=2008 R2 and MS Clustering. Seconded to GBM for 1 week to investigate intermittent performance issues on 3rd party HPC system. Implement / analyse custom long running SQLDiag. Suggest and implement performance enhancement (new statistics) to resolve the issue. Work with SQL Engineering to make above SQLDiag part of standard SQL build / "black box" approach to Performance issue data gathering. Engineer / document SQL Server 2005 sp4 rollout process. Drive repeat / number of support tickets down by use of auto ticketing to correct teams, suppression of noise and root cause analysis of annoying intermittent problems (e.g. blocking / tran log blowouts / job failures / Performance / Duplex / Half Duplex issues )Build relationships with other teams and leverage this achieve infrastructural efficiency and happy customer outcomes. i.e. go the extra mile to fix issue with VMWare / Vcenter database and acquire a "free" virtual CPU for another performance affected server = happy business users :-)Standard DBA tasks - Resolve incidents / support issues . Backup / Maintenance / Blocking / Performance/ Dump and Load / Implement changes etc.

Sydney, Australia

DBA in Infrastructure team managing 71 instances of SQL Server 2000/5/8 on HP Hardware / Server 2003/8 across 2 datacentres.Voluntarily perform Operational Risk Assessment / Produce report based on scripted inventory for Management of current production environment. Fix critical issues (I tend to do this for most new DBA roles)Migrate Shared SQL Server to new hardware with no issues. Assist Developers with complex issues (Kerberos , Performance, interfacing to Active Directory).Design, Engineer and Implement standard fully unattended install of SQL Server 2005/8 with Service Pack / Cumulative Updates / Database Mail/ standard jobs etc. Inventory / Engineer migration/decomissioning of 140 databases from Shared SQL Server 2000 Server environment to 2005/8 using Profiler / Upgrade Advisor / Custom VB / DMO / WMI Script.Resolve performance issues in MOM 2005 based Forefront implementation and in-house mission critical apps.Self train in Powershell 2.0 and write meaningful scripts - ie populate SSMS Registrations from SCOM, SQL / Windows Server inventory / best practice report, Find Database (from SCOM) / Find DPM Server

Sydney, Australia

Sydney based role, performing traditional SQL Server DBA duties: - Diagnose and resolve performance issues on various mission critical systems using SQLDiag, ReadTrace, SQLNexus- Engineering new SQL Server 2005 based build. - Standardise Dev, Staging, Production environments- Streamline SQL and Windows Operational processes and Alerting- Migrate systems to SQL Server 2005.- Mentor Junior DBA's- Assist with Pilot MOSS 2007 Project on SQL Server 2008.

Contract role based in Sydney, Australia. Providing support for Microsoft's Premier customers in all things SQL Server. Mentoring India based colleagues and handling escalation of cases. Visit customers on several ocassions to resolve high priority issues. Offered role on returning to Australia based on previous experience of working in the same team (see 2003).Extension of contract offered and discussions held on going permanent but fancied a change of scene / environment.

Project to move large estate of SQL Servers running 6.5, 7.0, 2000 to single consolidate SQL Server 2005 platform. Complete Project Lifecycle from scoping, hardware sizing, deployment and standards and migration (via SSIS and DMO Scripting) of databases.

working in Windows Engineering team in Investment Banking arm of UBS. Act as Production DBA for 7000 Server based MOM 2005 Transaction and Reporting Databases. Develop with custom Reporting Services based reports Engineer Dual Site DR Solution using SQL Server / EMC Clariion / Veritas Storage Foundation (VVM)

Permanet role based in Sydney, Australia. Providing support for Microsoft's Premier customers in all things SQL Server.

SQL Server DBA working on SQL 7.0 and 2000 , supporting 50 Servers running Windows NT and 2000Provide support and advice to developers on Data Warehouse for Financial Regulatory Reporting.

Evaluate Sharepoint Portal Server 1.0 for suitability for use as Corporate Intranet platformSet up evaluation based on current site and perform gap anaylsis, including collobaration facilties with Office. Produce detailed report and presentation for Senior IT Management

SQL Server Developer and DBA for company providing facilities and matching services to building trade and suppliersAssist developers with TSQL CodingWrite scripts to stress test Application Design and Implement automated release process from Visual Source Safe to DB using SQLAgent and scripting

Provide 3rd Line Support 90 Branch based SQL 6.5 / Windows NT Servers hosting company Timesheet and Payroll systemDesign and Implement rollout of Exchange 5.5 email to branches.