Organisation: The University of Sydney
Job Title: Senior Network Engineer (Wireless)
Word Limit: 300 – 500
Location: Sydney
Excellent knowledge of TCP/IP and related protocols
With highly-developed technical skills, I have an in-depth knowledge of TCP/IP and related protocols required to provide a full service network to clients. I have strong troubleshooting abilities and have the capacity to use a variety of tools to determine and resolve network issues. In the instance of network faults I routines use tools such as Ping, Traceroute and arp to check basic connectivity issues and can perform full packet analysis with Wireshark and tcpdump to further isolate faults and find abnormalities. Committed to ongoing professional development, I continually update and refresh my knowledge via conferences, seminars, training programs and by reviewing the latest Request for Comments (RFCs) released by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
During a recent Logical Network restructure project at the University of Queensland (UQ), I was tasked with segregating the existing network into a large security domain. After first determining the requirements of the project and liaising with business users to determine requirements, I developed a proposed network diagram for sign-off prior to implementation. The new network was to have a range of VLANs with Virtual routing and Forwarding (VRF) to cater for the varied internal stakeholders present on the network. Each group was allocated a new IP address range according to function and access, groups included administration staff, faculty members, students, labs, instruments, technical staff and security.
Wireless and VoIP were segregated to provide optimum Quality of Service (QoS). A large amount of client liaison was required, to gather any special requirements such as, the provision of any localised DNS and DHCP services, as well as determining any special internal and access requirements. After a period of rigorous connectivity testing, the network was cut over to the new system and in collaboration with the key internal stakeholders, thoroughly checked for issues. Using monitoring tools and the use of the network logs, I was able to confirm that were no problems with the new network. The end result was an optimised and easily configurable network infrastructure that would future proof the University of Queensland network.
My experience in working with TCP/IP networks, solid communication skills and knowledge of routing and switching enabled me to design and project manage a significant project of great value to the institution. My use of best-practice Cisco methodology in regards to the use of VRF and Virtual Private Networking allowed the existing network to be optimised and used with greater efficiency and flexibility. With a passion for network technologies, highly developed technical skills and high levels of personal drive, I am certain that I can continue to provide strong results as a Senior Network Engineer for the University of Sydney.
Excellent advanced knowledge of Cisco environments and technologies and intimate knowledge of advanced routing and switching on Cisco devices
With numerous Cisco certifications, including Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) and Cisco Certified Network Professional, along with over ten years working in the communications field, I have developed an excellent knowledge of Cisco environments. By ongoing communication with other networking consultants, Cisco account managers and support personnel from the Cisco Technical Assistance Centre (TAC), I have gained further useful insights into advanced Cisco networking.
Throughout my career I have installed, configured and supported a large array of Cisco products such as the 1900, 2600 and 2900 series of routers and Cisco 3750, 3750X,4500,3850 and 6500 switches. I have significant experience with Cisco wireless access points and Wireless LAN controllers, Cisco Wireless Services Module 2 Sand Cisco ASA Firewalls. In addition to strong routing and switching hardware knowledge, I have extensive experience with Cisco Prime Network Control Systems appliances Cisco Prime LAN Management Solution and Cisco Security Manager. On a routine basis I use Cisco Prime Infrastructure to generate reports, update site documentation as well as building and floor maps.
My knowledge of Cisco Networking configurations is considerable with a strong knowledge of VLANs, Trunking, Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP), Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP) and 802.11 networking standards. With advanced skills in routing protocols, I have exceptional experience in the use of Routing Information Protocol (RIP), Open Path Shortest First (OSPF), Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and the configuration and maintenance of infrastructure services like DHCP and DNS.
At the University of Queensland, on the recent building upgrades, I was able to use my knowledge of Virtual Private Networking (VPN) and VRF technology to provide a robust and secure network for faculty members and students utilising a Layer 3 Multi -Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) VPN. With a large amount of experience in implementing wireless technology at UQ, I have installed a large number of access points and managing the Cisco wireless controllers. Recently I was involved in designing the wireless network at UQ to provide ubiquitous access to the university via the internal and external mesh network. In addition to Cisco wireless I have experience deploying Ubiquiti wireless bridges for point to point links as well as Meraki Access points, utilised during the recent AusCERT Conference.
With advanced level skills in Cisco routing and switching at an advanced level, I am able to implement and manage complex, Enterprise level environments. My most recent employment at The University of Queensland, has provided numerous opportunities to design, support and manage large scale networks through their entire lifecycle. I look forward to providing innovative and best-practice implementations of Cisco networks for The University of Sydney.
Extensive experience in designing, installing, configuring and maintaining large enterprise Cisco-based environments
With significant experience in the tertiary education sector, including over six years working for the University of Queensland and the University of Sydney, I have provided design, installation and management support for Enterprise-level networks. Highly skilled at managing and designing complex networks, I follow industry standard project management practices such as PMBOK and PRINCE2 and best practice standards including the Cisco Prepare Plan Design Implement Operate Optimise (PPDIOO) life cycle model.
At the University of Queensland, I was assigned the project to design and implement the network for the Centre of Advanced Imaging (CAI) building, an integrated research facility providing end to end biomedical imaging and other multi-disciplinary research. As the resident subject matter expert on the UQ Network Team, it was my responsibility to provide the network for this facility, and to produce a design incorporating the access layer, aggregation layer and distribution layer. Core requirements of the network were high performance, redundancy, resiliency with a requirement to be flexible enough to be future proof, and a low ongoing support requirement.
Prior to design stage, I met and conducted meetings to gather network requirements for each group to specify VLANs, subnet allocation, bandwidth requirements and other special requirements. Once this information was known, it was possible to move to the design stage and produce the logical and physical network maps. For the design stage, I prepared building and rack elevations utilising Microsoft Visio, confirmed the level of power availability for racks and switches and for determining wireless access point positioning. Redundancy was a vital requirement of the building network, so the fibre design called for implementation using a physically diverse path to two separately located distribution routers housed in the University’s two data centres.
The proposed network was comprised of the following Cisco equipment; 50 WS-3750X 24 port Power over Ethernet (PoE) switches, 2 WS-4503 aggregation switches and 60 Cisco AIR-3502 access points. I prepared the Bill of Materials for the project with the addition of the required number of Cat6A patch leads, Single Mode and Multi-mode fibre patch leads, small form-factor pluggables (SFPs) and racks to house the equipment. Once the equipment arrived, it was pre-built and all hostnames and IP allocation for switch management was performed.
On cut-over, after testing thoroughly, I addressed all post installation issues and performed wireless coverage testing with Fluke Airmagnet. As a final step prior to handover to support, all documentation was updated and distributed to the relevant support group. The network project implementation was a success with very few post installation issues, and the CAI has become a valuable addition of the UQ campus providing the opportunity for high level research and imaging. The above example demonstrates my experience in designing, installing, configuring and maintaining large Cisco based environments.
Extensive experience using SNMP/Netflow based monitoring systems [SolarWinds Orion, What’sUp Gold, Openview, or similar]
As an experienced Network Engineer, with high level experience in supporting large networks, I have had significant experience in fault finding and root cause analysis. I have a solid knowledge of SNMP/Netflow based monitoring systems including Statseeker, Intermapper Big Brother and Cisco Prime Infrastructure. These tools form an important part of my troubleshooting and planning skillset and I am proficient in the use and configuration for efficient project planning and for fault finding while resolving trouble tickets.
I utilise these monitoring systems in both a support and project planning context and the use of these tools allows me to quickly isolate faults and resolve issues and effectively plan for new implementations. All managed network equipment at the University of Queensland is configured to send alerts to the monitoring system via SNMP, and I am highly proficient in the configuration of appropriate alerting. During a recent project at the University of Queensland, I was working on a building aggregation project and the requirements and traffic were not fully documented. To gather data to plan the project, I used the monitoring tool Statseeker to gather information and then based on that information, used Cisco LMS to prioritise the bandwidth requirement in the different buildings.
At UQ, in addition to my project duties I provide support, and whilst working at the Network Operations Centre (NOC), I routinely use Big Brother and Statseeker to check router CPU usage and any SNMP traps that may have been triggered on the network equipment of the university. Whilst on-call, I remotely log on to the monitoring system to determine the source of network issues, and these tools have proven extremely useful in the resolution of network outages and performance problem.
Throughout my career as a Network Engineer, I have utilised a number of different technologies to monitor network devices and enable high uptimes and performance. The use of SNMP based monitoring software has been a mainstay of my support and project methodology. I am able to effectively configure devices for alerting and rapidly analyse the alerting input to allow the swift resolution of issues. I am certain I can further contribute the efficient planning, network optimisation and resolution of network faults as a Senior Network Engineer for the University of Sydney.
Experience in large multi-campus ICT environments.
With extensive exposure to large multi-campus ICT environments at the University of Sydney and most recently the University of Queensland, I am confident in my ability to work effectively within these facilities. Equipped with a sound knowledge of ITIL best practices, including Incident, Change and Problem Management as well a thorough understanding of organisational change practices, I facilitate change easily. A strong team player, I lead by example and utilise a collaborative approach for all my engagements with team members and other stakeholders. With the ability to cultivate productive working relationships, I am capable of co-operating and aligning individual goals with the organisation in order to achieve organisational goals.
The University of Queensland has a user base of over 60,000 students, 7000 staff and an additional 7000 users from the wider community. Comprised of four major campuses, 19 smaller campuses and over 545 buildings, the ICT environment is of a significant size. Within this environment I have worked in both project and support capacities, providing on-call support when required. With well-developed communication skills, and an ability to match my communication style to the audience, I have been able to lead diverse teams working on the University of Queensland network. The team members were drawn from client faculties, network staff and third-party vendors and to deliver productive ICT solutions.
At the University of Queensland, I have participated in the design, upgrade and deployment of a large amount of infrastructure and have been involved in the various upgrades that have been ongoing since 2010. During each project, I have an open approach, involving the client from the conception phase and continue to provide feedback on project milestones as they are achieved. Liaising with other service providers, is an important aspect of my work, and I cultivate productive working relationships with them, as well as keeping them apprised of current work to ensure there is no service disruption. Using an open and collaborative approach has enhanced my ability to successfully deliver projects with minimal disruption. Additionally, I have had a support and change management responsibility for the network infrastructure, and I can rapidly prioritise issues according the severity and impact to users. With well-developed skills in the use of methodologies such as ITSM and management suites such as LANDESK management, I provide high quality and efficient customer focused IT service.
With over ten years of IT experience, and more recently six years of experience working for two leading universities in Australia, the University of Queensland and the University of Sydney, I have significant experience in large, multi-campus networks. In both roles I have performed duties with a support, on-call and project focus, and am flexible to perform either role. I enjoy the scale of University level networks and the challenges that inevitably come with a network of that size. As a committed learner, I am eager to expand my knowledge and am certain I can continue to make a strong contribution in the position of Senior Network Engineer for The University of Sydney.
Cisco Certified Network Associate and Cisco Certified Network Professional
As an IT professional with over 15 years of experience, I understand the importance of continual professional development, to enhance my ability to provide efficient technical support to my organisation. With a passion for networking and communications, I have engaged in numerous industry recognised training programs and have been awarded multiple network related certifications. I have significant experience with designing and supporting Cisco networks and have been awarded a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), CCNA (Wireless), Cisco Certified Network Professional (Routing and switching), Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) and am a Juniper Networks Certified Associate.
