Virtualization Engineer

CRAIG C HOPKINS-VCP

VMware Engineer/Architect

SUMMARY

Virtualization Architect - Design and Implementation Engineer

• 10+ years experience architecting and implementing complex virtualization projects using VMware vSphere 4 - 6.0 • Build, configure, and monitor virtual infrastructures to consolidate data centers increasing density for cost savings lowering rack space and power requirements.

• Seasoned professional with experience designing, implementing, administering AD, Group Policy, implementing Windows server versions from 2003 to 2012.

•Hands-on Project Leader Server consolidation/virtualization using VMware ESX/ESXi server. These projects include virtualizing physical data-centers to an all virtual data-center and relocating to co-location sites.

• Lead on upgrade projects of vSphere from 4.0 up to and including 6.0 saving companies

$100,000's of dollars on hardware, support, NOC space and environmental costs.

• Design disaster recovery plans using virtualization VMware HA, SRM and FT as its backbone components. Design plans for offsite replication, backup plans for onsite and setup plans for business continuity.

2015-10 -

2016-5

Sr Virtualization Engineer-Contractor

AIM CONSULTING GROUP

Support engineer for enterprise VMware environment consisting of approx 1000 hosts and 12000 guests. Duties include support for upgrades to ESXi 6. Review current architecture to help define path going forward. Working with virtualization team to implement vRealize Operations 6 across the enterprise. Going forward vROPS will be used for performance monitoring, alerting and tuning of hosts and guests.

2013-07 -

2015-08

Senior Virtualization Engineer

FOSSIL GROUP, INC

Senior VMware administrator/architect, covering daily admin/monitoring of 80+ hosts with 1300+ mixture of Wintel and RHEL VM's. Rearchitected much of environment to stabilize, optimize and upgrade environment to ESXi 5.5 with linked vCenters with SSO. This resulted in increased uptime, performance and reduced after hours support calls. Monitor environment to optimize performance and troubleshoot using vROPS 6.0. Manage DR/BC using VMware SRM with hardware replication on IBM XIV SAN. Monitor IBM Blade Centers to keep firmware up to date

2012-09 -

2013-07

Systems Engineering Architect II-Contractor

ALLY FINANCIAL INC

VMware admin/architect worked on rolling out new 2 data centers consisting of HP Proliant servers for Ally. A production and a DR site in preparation of SRM implementation. Build currently to be about 1500 guests strong. ESXi being the current standard. Windows IMS/SME for production

servers running on vSphere. Duties include migration of data from older physical or virtual servers to current production environment. Involved in architecture of SRM for prod/model/DR sites.

2008-02 -

2012-10

Virtualization Engineer

ADIRONDACK VALLEY CONSULTING

Consult with small to medium businesses helping them to maintain, grow and protect their networks of various size and complexities. Main focus is on presenting procedures, designs and tools to virtualize the environment for effective disaster recovery, security and streamlined processes to provide SMB's with a real ROI. Using VMware, Citrix and other best of industry virtualization products to support virtual environments allowing even SMB's to realize $1,000' s of dollars of savings by consolidating their IT operations. 2008 - 2012-07 Wintel Engineer-Contractor

OXFORD INTERNATIONAL

Windows refresh project engineer. Tasked with upgrading 2003 servers to R2 and tuning for older in-house applications.

2011-09 -

2012-03

Sr. Systems Engineer-Contractor

ENSCO PLC

Member of team upgrading vSphere 4.0 to 5.0 upgrade, in place upgrade of UAT environment and new server deployment of IBM x-Series to the Production environment. Team member migrating current data center to newer larger data center while building a new DR site for use by firm after relocation Dallas to Houston Assisting with day to day network administration during company transition/relocation from Dallas to Houston. Covering for IT staff that have either relocated or moved on.

2011-02 -

2011-09

Virtualization Engineer

DEAN FOODS

Project lead on a large hardware fresh, server consolidation project. Projected to save Dean Foods tens of thousands of dollars annually in power, cooling, and data center footprint. Develop automated procedures for host and VM builds and management. Evaluated tools to use for P2V and V2V. Products considered were Double Take Availability/Move, and Platespin. Analyzed failover capabilities and remote site sync. Collaborated on redesign of virtual environment and rollout plan. Filled as backup for day to day datacenter hardware support.

2010-11 -

2011-02

Windows Engineer-Pci-Contractor

FREEMAN COMPANY

Identify vulnerabilities as described in the PCI documentation. Research, recommend and initiate fixes for OS and security vulnerabilities required to pass a PCI audit. Initiate trouble tickets on the patching of security issues found and supervise any projects involved in the mitigation of these issues. Document processes and procedures related to IT and security practices.

2010-03 -

2010-06

Systems Engineer

BMI SYSTEMS

Systems Engineer Pre-sales and implementation engineer using EDM systems to provide proof of concepts for showing clients where they can improve workflows and streamline document management processes. Developed processes to save companies from thousands to millions of dollars yearly in document storage, lost document recreation, compliance issues and retention policies. Worked as part of a team designing, implementing and supporting various size EDM solutions for SMB to Enterprise clients.

2009-03 -

2010-01

Sr. Network Engineer

JB POINDEXTER & CO

Primary focus was to consolidate and virtualize datacenters located in the northeast so they it could be moved to a central co-location site in the Houston area. Architected, virtualized and administered Wintel and RHEL servers being moved to a VI 3.5 platform. Centralized 30+ locations spread from Canada to Mexico to be managed from a single data center. Project consisted of Wintel servers from Windows 2000 to Windows 2008 R2. Many of the apps were at EoL and required considerable monitoring and tuning in many instances using aftermarket tools. Project was expanded to include servers that were to be physical saving the company $50k plus on new hardware. Implemented ESXi 4 to replace hardware for the servers that would be left at the PA location. This also resulted in further savings for the company. This project required extensive use of VMware Convertor software. Acted as the sole VMware Engineer, P2V'ing all machines in a 5 week period once ESX infrastructure was fully deployed.

1996-08 -

2008-02

IT Director

PEARSON COMPANY

HARPER, P.C. IT Director IT Manager for a Top 15 independent Houston CPA firm. Designed, implemented, managed and administrated networks and help-desk. Established corporate policies, using ITIL practices to standardize all hardware, software and usage policies.

2010 - 2011 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN Web programming/design

1978 - 1980 HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Computer programming, graphic design, business management EDUCATION

CERTIFICATIONS

VCP 5 - Current

MCSE - Retired

MCNE - Retired

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