Page *
Curriculum Vitae
Machtelt Garrels
Table of Contents
Personal Data
Certificates
Professional Experience
**** - ***: NMBS
**** - ****: LPI
**** - ****: CoreSequence
2001: Siemens, KBC, Datapool, Businesstraining, KeyJob
2001: Ministry of the Flemish Community
4
2000 - 2001: Mind NV
4
1999 - 2000: KU Leuven - ESAT/PSI
4
1998 - 1999: Advanced Business System Integration NV
5
1998: Creyf's NV
5
1996 - 1998: EUnet/Ping
5
1995 - 1996: PC-Shop De Nieuwe Belgen
5
1995: Cyberk@fee BVBA
6
1994 - 1996: Hookon vzw
6
Skills
6
Hardware and Operating Systems
6
Networking and Applications
7
Tools and Programming Languages
8
Extras
8
Personal
8
Post-educational credits
9
Miscellaneous
9
Languages
0
Publications
0
Education
1
To Do
1
Personal Data
Name: Garrels, Machtelt
Date of Birth: 19730608
Address: Geldenaaksebaan 334A bus 0101, B-3001 Heverlee
E-mail:
Driver's license: B
Nationality: Belgian
Phone: ++32 (0) 16 400 255
Mobile: ++ 32 (0-473-**-**-**
Certificates
2000
: Brainbench Certified UNIX Administrator
2000: Brainbench Certified Linux Administrator
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2000: Brainbench Certified RedHat Linux Administrator
2002: Brainbench Certified Linux Administrator
2004: Brainbench Master UNIX Administration Solaris (general)
2004: Brainbench Master UNIX Administration Solaris (8)
2004: Brainbench Certified NT 4.0 Workstation Administrator
2004: Brainbench Master UNIX Administration (general)
2004: Brainbench Certificate in Disaster Recovery and PLanning
2004: Brainbench Certificate in Networking Concepts
2004
: Brainbench Certified Server Administrator
2005: LPI Certified Level I Professional
Professional Experience
2004
- now: NMBS
The NMBS is the Belgian national railway company
Task: Freelance UNIX Administrator in the UNIX Competence Center:
Integration of Sun Management Center with CA UniCenter
TNG:
scripting, analyzing and im-
plementing requests of the Monitoring, Exploitation and Operations teams, troubleshooting.
Extending the LDAP environemnt: integration with MS Active Directory and Windows-based
file servers, LDAP security, troubleshooting user problems, assisting application developers to
make their programs LDAP-compliant.
Development and deployment of a disaster recovery plan for the Sun E15K and E25K servers
running multiple Solaris domains.
Security: system audit setup, implementing enhancements using Secure SHell, restricted shell,
secure key management, service control, access control, SSL, secure data transfer between serv-
ers and applications, troubleshooting secure connections initiated by Oracle applications, Open-
VMS, Solaris hosts, MS Windows workstations etc.
Installation and configuration of SunRay Servers and clients. SunRay is Sun's solution for thin
client computing. Administration of a server pool in a failover group, installing and testing client
applications, troubleshooting connections.
Vendor support management: reporting and follow-up of problems with vendor software and
hardware.
Documenting procedures, knowledge transfer to other team members.
2005
- 2006: LPI
LPI is the Linux Professional Institute. They make distribution-independent Linux exams.
Task:
Translation Coordinator, Vendor Coordinator and Librarian
(part-time in combination with
full-time at NMBS
)
Curriculum Vitae
Machtelt Garrels
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Review and delivery coordination of the computer based tests in six languages to the test center
vendors, creation of PDF for the paper based tests in six languages and delivery to LPI main of-
fice, according to the publication schedule.
Communication with translation vendor and test center vendors: finding sore points in the com-
munication, addressing communication problems by adjusting procedures.
Store files sent to and received from vendors in an encrypted library, organizing the data,
provide LPI staff with the documents they need; assembling packages for vendors and review-
ers.
Finetuning the creation process of computer and paper based tests: debugging database output,
defining the output formats, debugging foreign language output, documenting the processes,
uniforming the look and feel of the exams.
Development of a uniform answersheet using Iris scanning software.
Coordination of translation reviewers, planning publication of translated tests, debugging input
of translations into the database.
Optimizing security procedures: physical security and encryption are very important given the
sensitivity of the data.
2002
- 2004: CoreSequence
CoreSequence is the company that I started with a partner.
Task:
Freelance
UNIX/Linux Consultant/Trainer (Linux, Solaris, general UNIX):
Main occupation: teaching at Sun Microsystems Educational Services: Solaris fundamentals,
Solaris system administration, Solaris network administration, Solaris performance tuning,
Korn/Bash shell programming, Solaris system administration workshops, Jumpstart workshops,
Sun cluster administration, Linux system and network administration courses.
Consultancy and training on-site.
Solaris/Linux support for various clients, a.o. St Jude Medical (medical equipment supplier), the
Belgian Ministry of Finance, Proximus (mobile phone operator).
Content for CoreSequence training site, customized UNIX/Linux courses.
2001: Siemens, KBC, Datapool, Businesstraining, Key-
Job
These companies were all clients of Xatrax Education, I worked for them and Xatrax Education sim-
ultaneously, see also below.
Task: Instructor (UNIX/Linux):
simultaneous with admin job at the Flemish Community: teaching UNIX and Linux introductory
and system administration courses.
Creation of course materials for Xatrax educational branch.
Advise on how to set up educational branch.
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Machtelt Garrels
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2001
: Ministry of the Flemish Community
The IT department provided support for the civil servants working for the ministries of Infrastruc-
ture, Environment and Education. Outsourced via Xatrax, a consultancy company.
Task: System Administrator
(Solaris/Linux):
In a team of 5 system administrators, manage hundreds of Solaris servers: backups and recovery,
daily system administration, troubleshooting availability problems, creation of new users and
groups, monitoring.
UNIX pillar provides second and third line support for Windows, database, mainframe, produc-
tion and test pillars.
Special assignment: printer configuration and availability, troubleshooting communication prob-
lems between printers and mainframe, printers and Solaris, printers and MS Windows clients;
creation of a procedure and software checking the services offered by each Solaris machine and
checking the configuration.
SLA management, point of contact for vendor support.
2000
- 2001: Mind NV
Mind was a Linux consultancy and embedded development company. Now only the embedded de-
partment is left.
Task: Technical Sales (Linux):
Responsible for client database: client relation, probing needs of the client, technical pre- and
post-sales, advise on hard- and software, making offers, support contract management.
Responsible for consultants: placing the right person in the right place.
Finding and managing prospects, representing the company at Linux events.
1999
- 2000: KU Leuven - ESAT/PSI
ESAT is the electro-technical branch of the Catholic University of Leuven, PSI is the medical ima-
ging research department, primarily housed in the university hospital.
Task:
System
Administrator
ESAT
Gasthuisberg
(Irix/Solaris/SunOS/HP-UX/Linux/AIX/Mac/Windows):
Daily system administration in a mixed environment, for medical researchers: user and group
management, mail server and mail accounts management, user support.
Design and deployment of a network backup system, supporting the tape library.
Installation of a fax service linked to the E-mail system.
Support for NMR (magnetic resonance, sub-dept. of radiology).
Managing transport of medical images over the network to other departments and to the central
hospital backup system.
1998
- 1999: Advanced Business System Integration
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Machtelt Garrels
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NV
ABSI is a Sun VAR.
Task: Technical Sales/Product Manager (Solaris/Linux):
Responsible for Dutch-speaking clients, client relationship, offers, technical pre- and post-sales,
support contracts.
On-site consultancy.
Managing projects, sometimes actively involved in setting up and configuring servers and ser-
vices on Solaris and Linux machines, e.g. mail servers, FTP servers, LDAP (directory) servers,
web servers.
DNS registration of client domains, administering DNS server.
Product manager for all Sun/Solaris and Lotus Notes products and services.
1998
: Creyf's NV
Creyf's is the well-known interim agency, providing at that time temporary jobs for a database of
250.000 employees.
Task: System and Network Administrator (AIX/Linux):
Management of 3 AIX servers and multiple Windows NT clients: users, groups, backups, sup-
porting the DBA.
Network management of 70+ interim offices, troubleshooting connection problems.
Assisting the audit team that checked the company for ISO-9001 compliancy.
1996
- 1998: EUnet/Ping
EUnet provided leased line and ISDN connections to business clients; Ping was started at first to
provide leasure modem connections to the Internet for private clients at home in order to have a
higher return on investment of the hardware primarily purchased to support the business clients. The
organization had tens of modem pools, a leased line infrastructure that spanned across Flanders and
over 10.000 users.
Task: Customer Support Engineer
(Linux/Windows/Mac clients;Solair/Solaris servers):
First line support for MS Windows, MacIntosh, Linux and other Internet client systems.
Analyzing modem connections.
Assisting clients with configuration of E-mail, FTP, browser, proxy, chat clients.
Communicating EUnet network status to the clients.
Providing content for support web site.
Supporting projects for marketing dept.
1995
- 1996: PC-Shop De Nieuwe Belgen
Curriculum Vitae
Machtelt Garrels
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PC Shop De Nieuwe Belgen provided hardware to Hookon ISP and to ISP clients and advertised the
ISP and the Cyberk@fee to its clients (see below).
Task: Assembly and demonstration of PCs:
Assembling and testing PCs.
Demonstrating PC usage.
Demonstrating Internet client applications.
1995
: Cyberk@fee BVBA
Cyberk@fee was conceived as a means to introduce Internet to the common people and to attract
more clients to Hookon ISP.
Task: Support Engineer (Linux):
Assisting clients with advise on Internet usage.
Demonstration of Internet client applications: E-mail, chat, browsers, FTP, ...
Resolving connection problems on the local LAN.
1994
- 1996: Hookon vzw
Hookon was an Internet Service Provider started by a couple of students and myself. Lack of money
forced us to use the Linux operating system and other GNU software. The ISP and its 500+ users
database was later sold to Access4all.
Task: Support Engineer
(Linux-based ISP):
First line support for modem clients.
Resolving problems by telephone, configuring machines that were brought in by the clients, vis-
iting clients and solving problems on-site.
Content for support site, web site development for clients.
Skills
Hardware and Operating Systems
Daily administration of UNIX(alikes): managing users, mail, file and print sharing, web, secur-
ity, backups: 10 years of experience.
Extended knowledge of Linux (RedHat, Mandrake/Mandriva, Ubuntu, Fedora, SuSE, TurboL-
inux, MKLinux, Solaris, Irix, Sinix, HP-UX, Digital UNIX, Solarisx86, AIX, Mac, Win3.xx;
hands-on knowledge of many other systems, including but not limited to FreeBSD, OS/2, BeOS,
Debian, Win3xx/9x/NT/2k/XP: system and network administration, networking applications,
troubleshooting (remote, on-site, telephone).
Extended knowledge of AIX on RS/6000 servers/workstations: system and network administra-
tion, troubleshooting.
Curriculum Vitae
Machtelt Garrels
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Extended knowledge of Irix on Origin, Octane, O2, Onyx servers/workstations.
Extended knowledge of almost all Sun hardware (Sparc/UltraSparc workstations and servers,
Enterprise machines up to E25K), SunOS and Solaris 2.4/10.
Extended knowledge of Linux on non-PC hardware: Sparc/UltraSparc, Alpha, Mac; multiple
portable devices, multi-processor systems, dual-boot configurations, emulations.
Extended experience in mixed environments, integration of UNIX and MS Windows /Mac ma-
chines.
Installation, configuration and troubleshooting of internal and external peripheral devices on all
these systems.
Networking and Applications
Very experienced in TCP/IP, LAN/WAN/SAN/Internet.
Thorough experience with modems (V32-V90, X2, K56Flex), ISDN adapters: installation and
configuration on all systems mentioned above.
Configuring of routers (Shiva, Cisco, routing with Linux and Solaris).
Firewalls: free: ipchains, iptables, VPN on Linux; Commercial: CheckPoint Firewall-1 +
FloodGate + VPN modules on UNIX (Solaris); Misc: SOCKS-based firewalls, Secure ID.
Experience with leased line, ADSL, cable and wireless (IR, GSM, Wavelan) connections on
UNIX/Linux.
Very experienced with Open Source packages such as Samba, Sendmail, Postfix, SpamAssassin,
virus scanners, Bind, Apache, OpenSSL, Squid, OpenLDAP on UNIX and alikes.
Installation/configuration/integration of IMAP+SSL (+pam+sasl) on UNIX, e.g. Cyrus IMAPd,
Courier.
Installation, maintenance and backups of databases: PostgreSQL, Oracle, Informix on
UNIX(alikes).
Backup and security tools: ADSM, HACMP, Legato, Amanda, volume managers and RAID
tools on UNIX and alikes.
Installation, configuration and management of Netscape/iPlanet/SunONE servers: Mail
(POP/IMAP), News, web, Directory and proxy servers, IDsync for integration with MS Active
Directory.
Mailinglist installation and management: Smartlist, Majordomo, ezmlm, procmail.
System and network monitoring tools/intrusion detection: CA Unicenter, Solaris Management
Console, Sun Management Center, Big Brother, TripWire, snoopers, dumpers, loganalyzers,
SNMP on UNIX/Linux.
Installation of streaming audio and video servers: Real, HelixDNA.
Extended LDAP knowledge: installation, configuration, database management, troubleshooting
of clients and servers, migration, duplication.
Volume management: Veritas, Solstice DiskSuite, Solaris Volume Manager, Linux LVM.
High Availability: SunCluster administration and customization, HA Linux, Veritas Cluster,
Solaris Resource Manager.
Curriculum Vitae
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Thin client and diskless client solutions: X client/server, RDP Windows/Linux integration, Cit-
rix client/server, ICA client, NCD, SunRay server/client, Cygwin Windows/Linux integration.
Voice over IP client and server applications: Skype, Asterisk, X-Lite, KPhone, GnomeMeeting:
installation, configuration, integration.
Tools and Programming Languages
UNIX shells: Bash, ksh, csh, sh, tcsh.
HTML, XML, DocBook, CSS.
Favorite editor: vi.
Enough knowledge of C, Java, Perl for debugging, thorough knowledge of basic programming
techniques; not a programmer.
CAD/CAM: AutoCad, Ideas, programming of machines for metal workers, hydraulic machines,
PLC, automation.
OpenOffice word processor/spreadsheet/presentations.
Experience with various ticketing and bugtracking systems: HelpDesk, Remedy, BuqTrack,
Bugzilla, Maximo,
Extras
Business administration.
Capable project manager
SLA management
Composition and follow-up of offers to clients
Possibly the only tri-lingual UNIX/Linux instructor (EN/FR/NL); extended experience as trainer
(Sun, IBM) for basic, system and network administration courses for small and large groups.
Writing/editing user manuals, course materials, system-specific documentation in Dutch, Eng-
lish and French, translations to these languages from English, Dutch, French, German.
Personal
Well-developed communication skills, fluent contact with customers, users and students, knack
to bring technical matter in a down-to-earth way that is understandable for everyone.
Linux and Open Source Advocacy.
Training: experienced and enthousiastic instructor, structured and conceptual: UNIX/Linux gen-
eral usage, system and network management, shell scripting.
Dislike for insecure systems, evangelist role to safe IT environment.
Special talent for support (NL/FR/EN).
Brainbench Certificate in Telephone Etiquette.
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Very good conncetions with national and international Linux community.
Post-educational credits
1998: AIX system administrator, IBM, Ter Hulpen
1998 - 1999: monthly Sun College days, Sun Services, Zaventem
1998: Lotus Notes and Domino Technical Sales training, Lotus, Zaventem
1998: Cisco Products Sales training, ABSI, Brussels
1999: Sun Y2K Competence, Business Faculty, Brussels
1999: 3Com Technical Sales training, Business Faculty, Brussels
1999: RHCE, Raleigh (NC, USA)
1999: Sun Workgroup Computing, Sun Educational Services, Brussels
1999: Sun Cluster Seminar, SunU, The Netherlands
1999: Sun Enterprise Computing, Sun Educational Services, Brussels
Miscellaneous
1996: Humo Wild Site of the Week for http://tille.xalasys.com/clo/index-old.html
1997: secure IRC server for chat with Geena Lisa (local celebrity).
1997: first Linux user with cable access provider UPC.
1997 - 1999: VNC tester (Virtual Network Computing, remote display system).
1999: first European in a RedHat course.
1999: xoom.be on 4 FreeBSD PCs: web, mail, ftp, backup.
2000: Turboline testuser for Linux (ADSL provider).
2000 - 2002: QuestionExchange expert in Linux Installation, OS (Linux, BSD), Linux Networking,
Applications (X11, KDE, Daemons, SMTP-Sendmail, en Sound), Printing en Security: average
score 10/10.
2001: HAL: "Closing the Gap": free 3-day workshop for UNIX newbies.
2002: Crosscompiling for embedded systems with Lego MindStorms.
2002: REGA Leuven: workshop Linux installation for university students.
2002: Digitale ontmoetingen/Les Digitales: Women and new technologies: workshops Linux install-
ation and general usage.
2003: Review of the TLDP Author Guide [http://www.tldp.org/guides.html]: checking technical ac-
curacy and coherence of this document for authors wishing to get started with DocBook XML.
2003: REGA Leuven: workshop Linux installation for university students.
2004: TLDP [http://tldp.org] coordinator of mirrors and feedback.
2004: Brainbench Certificate in Information Technology Terminology.
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Machtelt Garrels
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2005: Review of Reliance LG LSP 340 Series WLL Modem Setup HOWTO [http://www.tldp.org/]
by Dhiraj Gaur: technical, language, grammar and spelling review.
2005: Betatester of new Solaris 9 exams for BrainBench [http://www.brainbench.com/].
Languages
Dutch: native speaker
French/English: very fluent in speaking as well as writing and reading.
Basics German, Spanish, Italian, Portugese.
Brainbench Written French certificate
Publications
Open
Source
Personal
Bookkeeping
Applications
[http://tille.xalasys.com/articles/bookkeeping.php]: Open Source applications for personal fin-
ance, published in LinuxJournal June 2002.
European
support
for
Open
Source
in
small
and
medium
businesses
[http://tille.xalasys.com/articles/os-eu.php]: published in LinuxNews July 2002 (nl).
Linux and SAP [http://tille.xalasys.com/articles/Linux_en_SAP.php]: Brief overview of the state
of SAP development for Linux servers. Written in the summer of 2002, was to be published in
LinuxNews, but they went broke. (nl)
Introduction to Linux [http://tldp.org/guides.html]: Tutorial containing lots of exercises, first
published December 2002, added to TLDP collection January 2003, translated in Hindi
[http://www.geocities.com/linuxparichay/].
The Linux Documentation Project Weekly News [http://tldp.org/ldpwn/latest.html]: weekly
magazine, revived by Appaji Nag and myself in April 2003.
Linux Libraries for Dummies [http://tille.xalasys.com/training/sdl/]: Linux libraries by example,
mini-guide, May 2003.
LDAP Operations HOWTO [http://tille.xalasys.com/training/ldap/]: everything you need to
know about OpenLDAP-based directory server management, June 2003.
Getting started with Fedora Linux [http://tille.xalasys.com/training/fedora/]: Beginner's guide to
Fedora, December 2003 (nl).
Curriculum Vitae
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Inside TLDP [http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.phpsid=7433]: A behind-the-scenes look at
the evolution of the Linux Documentation Project, LinuxJournal.com February 2004.
Bash Guide for Beginners [http://tldp.org/LDP/Bash-Beginners-Guide/html/index.html]: Bash
scripting for power users, published into TLDP April 2004.
Introduction to Linux [http://store.fultus.com/product_info.phpproducts_id=65]: A Beginner's
Guide, POD paperback, ISBN 0-9744339-3-4, May 2004.
Bash Guide for Beginners [http://store.fultus.com/product_info.phpproducts_id=66]: POD Pa-
perback, ISBN 0-9744339-4-2, June 2004.
Achter de Schermen van
TLDP:
history and ways of TLDP, LinuxMagazine June 2004 (nl).
XML
&
DocBook:
Structured
Technical
Documentation
Authoring
[http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7740]: LinuxJournal.com August 2004.
Technische Documentatie met XML en DocBook: DocBook by example, introductory article,
LinuxMagazine September 2004 (nl).
Cygwin: Changing the Face of Windows [http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8078]: Linux-
Journal.com February 2005.
SDL in een Notedop: when you are tired of "hello world", LinuxMagazine April 2005 (nl).
Plezierig Programmeren met Lego Mindstorms: LinuxMagazine June 2005 (nl).
Education
1991: Ended highschool Latin-Mathematics at the Royal Atheneum in Zottegem, Belgium.
1991 - 1996: Industrial Engineer Electro-Mechanics, option Design at the IHS BME in Ghent, Bel-
gium.
To Do
Learning how to do a decent programming job in C, Java and maybe also Perl, learning PHP.
Learning more about writing device drivers, application development, interplanetary connec-
tions, working in the ISS or on Mars.
Teaching: share your wealth, writing a programming course.
Learning Chinese and Arab.
Curriculum Vitae
Machtelt Garrels
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