IBM I Certified Administrator 7.1

Dear Hiring Manager:

In addition to being an iSeries Admin, I am a customer support professional serving end-users and accomplished technicians alike. You will see a depth and range in platforms and systems that is uncommon. If you can make it to the 4 summary points at the end of this cover letter, you will begin to appreciate how I might contribute to your organization and I hope you will choose to speak with me.

Here are relevant technical competency highlights:

Over 20 years on the As400/iSeries/System i/IBM i V1R2-V7R1

IBM I Certified Administrator Power 8, V 7.1

Supported Power 4 thru 7 frames using the HMC and IVM to manage 11 LPARs across 3 frames supporting IBMi, AIX, VIOS, and NIM

Use of iNavigator and iDoctor for system management, performance collection, monitoring, and forensics

Administered Visions Mimix HA and DR1 for IBM I Production and Lotus Notes environments

Implemented BRMS to manage backup strategy and support tape library

Administer security schema for system and user objects, assisted internal/external auditors to support HIPPA and SOX compliance requirements and reporting using NetIq’s PC Audit and SkyView’s Risk Assessor

Developed schema to secure remote client/server access (Exit Point) using Kisco SafeNet/I and NetIq’s RRM

Implemented Kerberos/LDAP authentication between Microsoft, Apache and IBM i

Monitored network performance using SMNP in conjunction with HP OpenView

Installed and developed schema for Blue Coat’s PacketShaper to provide compression and enforce network QOS and for production services. Installed and managed ruleset for CheckPoint, Lantastic, and Sonicwall firewalls

My most notable skill throughout my professional career is providing superior customer support using good listening skills, documenting stake holder agreements, and a dedication to serving the customer that comes from the heart and the head.

If you have read this far, you can see that I have been in the business for a long time. So why should you consider me for the position?

1. I love this work. I enjoy mentally challenging tasks and projects. I bring that attitude with me to work every day. That attitude can inspire and engage my peers.

2. I have the maturity and perspective that a lot of years in Technical Support provides; when to pause and gather more information before acting, and when urgency indicates immediate escalation.

3. I have an old fashioned work ethic and an open-mindedness about life that makes me someone you can count on to show up every day and step up whenever needed.

4. I have a good sense of humor. I enjoy living and that can be contagious.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

administrator of Systems ~ Networks ~ Security

~ Improving Systems to Meet Business Requirements ~

~ Network Connectivity ~ Capacity ~ Security ~

~ Over 20 years of success installing, configuring, and maintaining state-of-the-art systems, networks, and information security solutions under IBM I (As400/iSeries/System I) computing environments ~

Well-qualified with extensive background and advanced skills honed in IBM i systems administration, LAN/WAN design and administration, IT/Network security and protocols, Disaster Recovery, and advanced Technical Support.

Excel at leading and supporting full life-cycle delivery of complex, multi-system projects while sustaining full functionality for hundreds of users across multiple locations.

Natural communicator and team motivator.

Professional Experience

ROX, LLC – Lancaster, CA Investment Management Firm

IBM I(AS400/iSeries) on Power Systems Certified Administrator 7.1

March 2011 to

Present

Support servers for Production and Test LPAR’s.

Vision’s Mimix DR1 replicating to remote DR server.

Plan, implement system configurations as needed. PTF's, Upgrades, Work Management.

Monitor, address system operational performance. Investigate, resolve, and conduct root cause analysis of incidents.

Analyze, report, advise on system storage capacity.

Write proposals to support growth.

Develop CLLE programs to automate system functions.

Troubleshoot client server access issues(Connection/Latency)

Manage data refresh from production to QA/DEV environments.

User profile additions, updates, deletions, reassigning object ownership, auditing.

System LTO backups for all work including archival and rotation. Regularly review backup logs along with system back up list to verify backup integrity.

Maintain Disaster recovery process and procedures.

Manage Vendor relationships to ensure contractual agreements and SLA’s are being met.

Review and update all system documentation.

Focal point for all network/system security systems

HADDOCK INTERNATIONAL, INC. – Lancaster, CA Investment Management Owner / Managing Director May 2010 - February 2014

Built successful real estate investment firm from the ground up. Hold executive and P&L accountability for corporate business, financial, and IT operations. Acquire, remodel/repair, and resell investment properties for profit under tight budgets and deadlines. Perform in-depth analysis and valuation of target real estate markets and properties. Utilize databases and computer software to locate real estate for purchase.

REPUBLIC INDEMNITY OF AMERICA, INC. – Encino, CA

Workers Compensation Firm

Sr. iSeries System/Security Administrator

January 1990 - November 2009

Subsidiary of American Financial Group, Inc. specializing in Workers' Compensation insurance throughout the western United States.

Summary: Almost 20 years spent on multiple platforms providing 24x7 support. Designed, administered, optimized, and supported IT and network systems, servers, hardware, and equipment supporting daily business operations and 400-650 employees across multiple locations and platforms. Designed, configured, upgraded, and maintained IBM i (iSeries) Power Systems having multiple LPAR’s. Designed, implemented, monitored multi-system and multi-platform backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity. Analyzed business needs and recommended new technologies across multiple platforms to maximize capacity and scalability while minimizing cost. Implemented and upgraded multi-platform information security policies, protocols, firewall, and antivirus. Performed high-level troubleshooting, diagnosis, and resolution of IT and system issues, and coordinated patches and implementations with vendor designers and resources. Scheduled and managed hundreds of multi-platform software package deployments, updates, and patches. Mentored junior team members and ensured 100% availability of all systems and remote connectivity/security. Held accountability for cross-platform selection, testing, and implementation of company’s enterprise infrastructure security solution. Successfully facilitated deployment and achievement of I.T. elements of HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.

Selected Achievements:

Drove holistic, full life-cycle delivery of complex technical projects, coordinating diverse team members while aggressively meeting project milestones, budgets, and deadlines.

Fulfilled HIPAA requirement to secure Client/Server access to systems. Installed and developed business rules controlling access to company data.

Fulfilled HIPAA requirement to remove *Public access to company data using a combination of Authority Lists, Primary, and Supplemental Group Profiles.

Configured EIM/SSO to automatically authenticate to Windows and i5/OS applications.

Led multi-phase transformation and modernization of company’s IT and network infrastructure: modernized LAN/WAN connections to increasingly robust telecom technologies and subsequent optical connection to provider w/ DR backup.

Standardized and instituted systems, procedures, and plans enabling high availability of critical systems in private and open networks.

Led planning and execution for AIX (UNIX) server project to support IBM WebSphere, IBM Content Manager, set up LPAR, installed server operating systems, wrote scripts for capacity planning and implemented in sandbox, R&D and production environments. Built DR infrastructure at remote sites for fail-over.

Successfully performed hundreds of installations/upgrades of IBM i OS, application servers, and vendor software.

Managed vendor relationships within the scope of the infrastructure department to ensure SLA’s are met.

Assessed and recommended technology solutions and tactical action plans to reduce and mitigate risk while strengthening overall IT/data security.

Standardized and instituted systems, procedures, and plans enabling high availability of all critical systems enterprise-wide, balancing utilization of private and open networks.

Installed and managed IBM Domino on the IBM i platform, then mentored up a helpdesk operator to handle that responsibility full-time, going forward.

Installed and managed the Windows environment, then mentored up a helpdesk operator to handle that responsibility full-time, going forward.

Coordinated setup and installation of web services, including firewall, DMZ and web server.

Established VPN for remote home users using host configuration and CISCO clients while sunsetting prior technologies that were at end-of-life.

Set up terminal services and Citrix for data retrieval from host and PC applications (using EHHLLAPI and DDE).

Defined, instituted, and tested company’s Disaster Recovery plan, including local and remote equipment and software selection, housing (cooling, electrical, halon) with host and PC server environment, and TCP/IP remapping of routers and switches.

Technical Skills include:

Operating Systems and software: IBM i, AIX, MS-Windows Client 3.5 thru 8.1, Server NT –MS 2003, Terminal server and Citrix, IBM Domino, iNavigator, iDoctor, BRMS, MQ Series

IBM i Specific Vendor Packages:, Vision's Mimix (HA and DR1), Aldon Change Control, Synon Cool/2E, Elixir, NGS/IQ, CBU, Seacrest Document Integrator, Websphere, Apache, Trailblazer Secure FTP, DataPropagator, Hawkeye, QuestView, Code400, MAESTRO (Change Control), IBM Fax and Fastfax (Host and Enterprise).

Security Specific: NETIQ's PS Secure and Audit products, SkyView Risk Assessor, Kisco Exit Point Security.

Server Hardware: IBM Power Systems (and older p, i and x Series), Dell.

Networking Hardware: Cisco, Racal, Packeteer (IP Traffic monitoring, shaping, and compression).

Network Security and access control: SonicWALL, Checkpoint, and Guardian Firewalls, iPrism (web tracking and user content management).

Network Tools: Ethereal Packet Sniffer, WhatsUpGold, HP OpenView, MS-Visio.

Languages: CL Scripting, can debug RPG, COBOL.

Protocols: Ethernet, Token Ring, x.25, NetBios, SNA, DRDA. TCP/IP: SMNP, Telnet, FTP, HTTP, DNS, DHCP, LPD-LPR, Mail (POP, SMTP), BOOTP. Unix(AIX): NSF, MOUNT, RPC, NIM.

Proprietary Education Programs and Certificates through:

IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 7.1

CISCO, RACAL, Internal corporate sponsored Management and Service training, IBM Common Education, more than 20 weeks of platform-specific

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