IT Infrastructure and Telecom Consultant
Consulting
Total years of experience :23 years, 6 Months
Consultant in different aspects of IT Infrastructure and telecommunications such as relocating data centers by developing projects action plans and coordinating with different suppliers.
Main and disaster recovery data centers installation and operation, by adapting to different budgets in place, in addition to UPSs and Power sizing, dimensioning and distribution.
Provided assessment of active network components replacement to align with business growth speed needs.
Consulting and sales function in several IT projects (IP telephony, videoconferencing, passive and active data centers infrastructure’s components).
Reviewed and developed the IT strategic plan in addition to vendors SLAs and contracts.
Approved vendors used by the organization and monitored their financial condition.
Approved and monitored major projects, IT budgets, standards, procedures, and overall IT performance.
Designed and Implemented an outsourced external callcenter system by integrating it with the bank’s AVAYA PABX and Network.
Revised and applied ITIL processes to align the bank’s processes with the ITIL ones, including creating helpdesk function through SCSM, installing SCCM and SCOM Microsoft products.
Managed priorities between the IT department and user departments; and reviewed the adequacy and allocation of IT resources in terms of funding, personnel, equipment, and service levels.
Main achieved projects: main and disaster recovery sites installation & configuration using Cisco blades UCS and EMC storage with a recovery point time elapsing from 5 to 30 minutes, by configuring deduplication and compression on a slow headoffice link to DR site consisting of 8Mbps as a speed.
• Accountable for managing IT Infrastructure across the bank’s national network. Responsible of a team which monitor, support and configure the network and systems platform in a Cisco environment; domain controller and active directory win 2003, exchange mail server 2007. Active directory migration to windows 2008. Security appliances such brightmail, websense and swift administration.
• Design, Installation and configuration of the UPSs, systems and networks monitoring tool PRTG.
• Studying, planning, ordering and preparing for the infrastructure and systems installation for a new Disaster Recovery Site by respecting a budget of 1.5 million USD and a time range starting by December 2010 and ending by December 2011, in addition to power UPSs sizing, dimensioning and cooling.This DR site is currently running over 15Mbps symmetric DSL with backup 6Mbps microwave link.The project phases included vendors and internal team management in accordance with the bank’s internal policies and technical requirements.
• Strengthen the existing microwave WAN infrastructure by leading the addition of an infrastructure layer through a private WAN DSL lines from the PSTN provider. Design, negotiations, ordering the necessary equipments handled personally and lead to the deployment and configuration of the
2Mbps dedicated SHDSL, using MPLS technology, for each branch link to headquarters and DR site. Designed and implemented QoS and policy control over the whole network on MPLS and FR.
• Main Datacenter’s Infrastructure rehabilitation by tuning datacenter cooling in terms of hot aisle/cold aisle configuration to conserve energy and lower cooling cost, and introducing new UPS and data cabling’s structure to reach the standards of a modern main datacenter.
• ITIL processes alignment with the global ITIL processes applied in the Bank.
Network Supervisor accountable for overall support, configuration, maintenance and monitoring of mission-critical banking systems composed of a large number of Cisco routers and IGXs operating in a WAN environment over a mixed system of leased lines, ISDN and microwave media like SAGEM, ERICSSON and SR TELECOM. Technologies include MPLS, Frame Relay, ATM, and X25. Manage the nationwide ATM machines connected over the WAN MPLS and Frame Relay Network. Design and Implementation of routers and switches policy controls and QoS, according to the business users needs.
Provide high-level support to users in various departments. Cross-train personnel from other departments to troubleshoot first-level networking issues. Work closely with networking, electricity, and PABX suppliers and contractors, managing key third party relationships and providing onsite control and quality assurance to ensure timely and accurate installations. Project Manager on multiple projects, coordinating all facets from scope of work through launch.
Lead the ongoing Bank’s main network upgrade (WAN and LAN), planning and implementation of new two Cisco multilayer 6509 series core switches, new 3560 series switches, Ericsson microwave backbone installation up to 155Mbps speed to provide faster upgraded WAN capabilities.Respected the Project’s life cycle by closing it on time (2 years) and the projected budget of 1.8 million USD.
Lead an ongoing series of design, planning and implementation projects for the installation of new branch networks in support of the growth of the Bank through the old SAGEM, the new ERICSSON microwave and leased lines links..
Lead the ongoing branches relocations by ensuring the network infrastructure servers rooms successful relocations, in addition to UPSs sizing, dimensioning and distribution.
Onsite Project manager for a two-year cycle of backup disaster Head office center in jbeil city. Designed UPS, data layouts of the 7 upper floors and 3 underground floors where the data center resides. Cisco IP Telephony project (Cisco call manager 4.1) is implemented in that building. Voice mailbox unity server and voice recorder server has been implemented too. This DR site was mainly connected through a high speed microwave private ERICSSON backbone.Project management included vendors management (contracts negotiations and solutions adoptions) along with all coordination required with internal team members, the bank’s higher management and external suppliers,
Respected the Project’s life cycle by closing it on time (2 years) along with the projected budget of 6 million USD.
Onsite Project Manager for a two-year cycle of branches servers rooms rehabilitation initiatives. Designed layouts (data, telecom cabinets, outlets, etc.) and created procedures and specifications (rooms dimensions, UPS specifications, cooling, access security control…etc.).
Provided end-to-end design and implementation services for a new 5-floor headquarters office in Damascus, Syria. Designed data and electrical components for computer rooms and other back office functions. Selected telecom link between Beirut and Damascus offices. Performed the same design and field functions in Sudan, Iraq (Baghdad), Cyprus and Armenia.
Conducted a design study for a disaster recovery center in Cyprus as an outside backup site.
Performed security study for a project to connect branches via the WAN to headquarters Control Room. Conducted hardware and software study elements for the project. Resolved ongoing video and alarm problems, devising a comprehensive security solution that addressed deficiencies. Installed new networked DVRs and new security panels in all branches.
Baccalaureate in Elementary Mathematics Collége Des Soeurs De Saints Coeurs, Zahleh, Lebanon Diploma in Electrical Engineering (Major in Telecommunications) University of Saint Joseph ESIB, Beirut, Lebanon, 1994-1999