Resume

Nik Trathen

Contact details

Contact telephone number: (03) 9389 2148

Mobile telephone number: 0423 280 019 (preferred)

Email address: nnnikt@gmail.com

Postal address: Unit 5 55 Reid Street

Fitzroy North VIC 3068

Career objective

Always thirsty for a challenge & never one to "burn out", I would love to develop my experience as a software tester and diversify my skills in Project Management and other new areas.

Education

1993

Advanced Certificate of Information Technology at Swinburne. Top grade average of intake.

1990

Educated to year 12 at Billanook College.

Short courses

2011

Microsoft: SCCM development & deployment

EMC: Supporting and managing a global document management system, Documentum (also an instance named GDRS using the same software elsewhere in the company)

2010

CA: ARCserve Backup 3 day course covering management of enterprise backups.

EARLIER

Microsoft: Windows XP Home & Professional - conducted onsite at CSL, advanced training targeted at hardware/software technicians from Microsoft (CSL is a gold partner).

Numerous internal training programs with CSL & HP for quality service & support skills conducted through online training modules, contracted trainers and required reading.

Professional Selling Strategies with Pacific Training Corporation

Relevant skills

• Freelance IT consultant (PC, Mac and Linux - no bias) with over 10 years corporate experience at CSL, HP and Edge.
• Self trained in XHTML/CSS with vast experience gained re-coding web for the Australian Federal Government & CSL.
• OSX, Windows XP & 2000 Rollout Engineer for CSL, HP and others at Tattersalls, Repco, Connex (Rail), The Age and Smorgon Steel.
• Rollout Manager for recent CSL Windows XP SOE deployment using Microsoft SCCM including user state migration.
• Primary software tester in a globally regulated pharmaceutical environment
• 10 years of enterprise hardware support experience including the following technologies: Netservers (with Linux & Microsoft installation training at HP), Hubs, Switches, RAID systems, Managed PCs & Thin Clients, Optical & Magnetic Storage, Laptops and Mobile devices (Apple, Blackberry, Android, Activesync - all the way back to Windows CE).
• 10 years of global enterprise software support experience - my actively used skills cover all versions of Microsoft Windows since NT4, Apple OSX/IOS, Blackberry, Android, Novell and linux in great depth. Also supported a large number of internal business applications across a wide range of corporates including several instances of SAP, Document Management systems (Trim, Documentum), Novell and IBM iSeries. I have supported both travelling and native users all over the world including CSL offices across China where I have successfully mitigated and restored workstation operation following a viral outbreak.
• At home I run a switched network with debian linux and Windows servers running Apache, MySQL and PHP. Being very active in the online gaming scene, I am the root administrator of a collection of hosted linux servers around the world. I am considered a "go-to" in this scene, where my advanced linux skills are used on a regular basis managing servers and their associated databases (my databases and systems still have all our data online, going back to formation in 2003). Also a primary beta tester on a very popular open world game modification that makes a single player game multiplayer.

Hobbies and Interests

Downhill skiing, origami, writing electronic music, development of modifications for PC games, reading, dance & meditation.

Referees

Mohammed Faroukhi

Service Desk Team Leader, CSL (currently my manager)

(03) 9389 2147

0438 459 272

Jason Comeau

Global Service Desk Manager, CSL (now left the company - previously my senior manager)

0403 295 434

Steve King

Applications Team Lead, Royal District Nursing Service (now left the company - previously my senior, then my equal colleague at CSL)

(03) 9536 5295

0417 925 813

Employment history

2006 - Current

Full time work with CSL LTD

Initially IT Service Desk Agent, promoted to IT Support Specialist (PC & Mac) including role as Software Tester

• IT Consultant to business clients where myself and colleagues are responsible for all IT issues from outset to resolution. My skills cover linux, Apple OSX/IOS, Android, Novell and Windows (NT 4 thru 7) in great depth.
• Software Testing & Documentation, including regulatory compliance, VMware ESX server management, qualification & separation of software for PC and Mac office & laboratory environments. As the only software tester at CSL, I am responsible for the design, maintenance and management of the regulatory process in what is a heavily regulated environment that must comply to GAMP 5 & ITIL methodologies. As the pioneer and administrator of the software testing process, I have developed a workflow encompassing management and quality teams, then implemented & maintained the requests (smoothly) for over a year.
• Web development, administration and design for the internal intranet. In the absence of a web person here at CSL, my resources were called upon to fill the gap. I also developed and published the IT intranet and all it's content in hand with IT management.
• Server and network management - In the course of my role here I have been required to set up new ADSL networks, cascade switches into server racks and manage users/services on Active Directory, SCCM, Exchange, RSA, VMware, SAP, AS/400, ARCserve and many other servers.
• ADSL/Cable/Wireless/iPass/VPN/3G hardware testing & implementation (3/4G<>Direct login to CSL network for sales force), installation, documentation, configuration, remote access support and training.
• Desk side technical support of a wide variety of IT issues including building new PCS and repairing old ones.
• Rollout Manager: In this capacity I successfully managed a team of engineers imaging PCs and setting up applications, leveraging Microsoft SCCM for deployments and user state capture. I was able to meet the required targets even in the face of challenges (eg. no network, so worked around it using CDs and got the job done). Also managing the Apple operating system patching & OS update/image migration from OSX 10.6.8 <> 10.7.x.
• Considered a technical lead in the group - coach the team and assist colleagues with troubleshooting and advanced support techniques, while also resolving escalations on the service desk, taking calls and generating reports on progress of software testing.
• Following a universal plea from the scientists & staff to the CIO, for 12 months I was the only agent assigned to research division located at the Bio21 facility, who get 1 day of support a week. With Macs, PCs, lab computers and a heavily secured network sharing cabinets with Melbourne University, this site truly gives my diverse experience a thorough workout. Since then I have been assisting in knowledge transfer & support to another agent who attends the site, such that there are no single points of failure.

2005 - 2007

SELF EMPLOYED WITH ABN (Eagerly searching for stable full time work)

Freelance IT Consultant

• IT Consultant to small business clients where myself and allied consultants are responsible for all IT services.
• Web Development and administration/design for the many clients using my Apache web server and others as host - my skills cover both linux and windows in great depth.
• Server and network management - I am often required to set up new ADSL networks, cascade switches into server racks and manage users/services on Active Directory/Exchange servers at the sites I share responsibility with other consultants at.
• ADSL/Cable/Wireless installation and configuration.
• Onsite technical support of a wide variety of IT issues including hardware and software management of linux and Microsoft Windows workstations

March 2005 - April 2005

Fixed term short contract with HUDSON onsite at THE AGE

MS Office/Antivirus/Application Upgrade Rollout Engineer

• Identification of machines suggested suitable for update.
• Manual updating using installers across the network.
• Support with users after importing data back to applications to ensure accuracy.

October 2004 - December 2004

Fixed term short contract with BYTECRAFT onsite at TATTERSALLS outlets (Victoria wide)

New Tattslotto System Rollout Engineer

• Feeding of cables through shopfit and rerouting of existing live lotto equipment.
• Hardware, software and network configuration of new PC/touchscreen based equipment.
• Repairing touchscreens, PCs, scanners and thermal printers in the workshop on a circuit-board level.

September 2004 - October 2004

Fixed term short contract with KAZ onsite at Connex (Stations and head office)

Windows XP Rollout Engineer

• Connex staff interviews & PC inspection to confirm what software and data required backup.
• Moving data from systems to scripted export areas and extracting data files referenced in software.
• Identification of machines suggested not suitable for reimage.
• Reimaging using Ghost then restoring configuration of printers, cameras & other software.
• Support with users after importing data back to applications to ensure accuracy.

In this capacity I was, thankfully, not responsible for reimaging a critical rostering PC used by train drivers. The IT Manager was elated to receive my warning of the machine, given the author was on leave and it being changed in any way would have been catastrophic.

July 2004 - August 2004

Fixed term short contract with GECITS onsite at REPCO (2 sites)

Windows XP/Lotus Notes Rollout Engineer

• Repco staff interviews & PC inspection to confirm what software and data required backup.
• Moving data from systems to scripted export areas and extracting data files referenced in software.
• Capturing Lotus Notes configuration in order to restore databases following reimage.
• Reimaging then restoring configuration of IBM AS/400 clients, Lotus Notes & other software.
• Assist users post-migration with importing data back to applications.

In this capacity I was responsible for restoring a key critical proprietary database that had no in-house support, and had all staff online within an hour.

June 2004 - July 2004

Fixed term short contract with OBSIDIAN CONSULTING GROUP

XHTML/CSS Coder

• Manual conversion of http://www.pc.gov.au from loose HTML to strict XHTML/CSS using vi (text editor) to carry out all editing.Debugging and cleaning up of any pages originally written in error.
• Debugging and cleaning up of any pages originally written in error.
• Validation of all pages through http://validator.w3.org
• Visual confirmation/testing of the successful conversion.

March 2004 - May 2004

Full time work at POWERNET COMPUTER CONSULTANTS

IT Engineer

• IT Consultant to Vogue, Tommy Hilfiger and many other clients where PowerNet were responsible for all IT services.
• Web Development and administration/design for the many clients using PowerNet as host.
• Server and network management - I was often required to cascade new switches into server racks and manage users/services on Active Directory/Exchange servers at the many sites.
• ADSL/Cable/Wireless installation and configuration.
• Onsite technical support of a wide variety of IT issues, while managing networks for clients like Barry Plant Real Estate (statewide).

Feb 1999 - Feb 2004

Full time work at HEWLETT PACKARD, AUSTRALIA

3 years Corporate/Govt/Edu/Reseller (Commercial) Hardware Support:

• Technical Support and problem solving in an enterprise environment on: Netservers, Hubs, Switches, RAID systems, Managed PCs (specifically Visualize Workstations - Linux & Microsoft) & NCs, Optical/Magnetic Storage, Laptops and Palmtops (RAS & ActiveSync). Modem specialist for the Intel HomePC Program. In this role I prevented the accidental shipment/import of modems that were not yet Austel approved, saving HP a lot of time and money.

2 years Support & Administration for HP Managed Services:

• Incident management through to closure/confirmation of resolution. 1st Level problem isolation on all products/services. Problem resolution on Tier 1 in-scope products, services and processes.
• User administration using Active Directory, NWadmin, ConsoleOne, Citrix Metaframe, PC Anywhere, XP remote assist, MS Terminal Services, IBM AS/400, HP UX and several managed package deployment tools.
• Raising cases from email, fax, pager and phone reports on issues involving SAP, Networking, Server Outage Administration and assignment to relevant specialists, while maintaining management of the case and being responsible for resolution and most user administration procedures.

Sept. 1997 - Oct. 1998

Full time work at EDGE INTERNET SERVICES, AUSTRALIA

7 months Help Desk:

• Average of 60 calls per person per day, averaging 8 minutes per call, with successful solutions on almost every TCP/IP application expected. Many positive letters have been mailed by clients regarding my service.
• One of initially 2 helpdesk operators for a 15,000 strong customer base.
• Creation of documentation in HTML for clients, adapting to regular server alterations.
• Training of new helpdesk staff.
• This position greatly developed my high paced technical problem solving skills and exercised my existing ability to pick things up very quickly while working in a team, under pressure.

6 months Sales:

• Sales, Billing & Account Administration (suspensions, plan adjustments and other access modifications).
• Solely responsible for dealer/reseller Technical Support & Wholesale Sales.
• Shipping of stock to dealers/resellers.

Feb. 1997 - Sept. 1997

Full time work at PACIFIC MICROLAB COMPUTER CENTRE, SOUTHLAND

Sales Assistant

• Sales to the general public, with a high volume of sales & education devoted to first computer buyers.
• Telephone Reception.
• Over the phone technical/after sales support.
• Connection of internet accounts with many ISPs.
• Backup Technician (installing CPUs, CDROMs etc.)
• Design of advertising material.
• Preparation of computers for clients, including internet setup, connection and occasional training of end users.

Jan. 1995 - Feb. 1997

Full time work at DIAMOND COMPUTERS & COMMUNICATIONS

Sales Manager

• Maintenance of corporate accounts supplying printer consumables.
• Telephone Reception & Office Administration.
• Fielding retail sales from phone enquiries.
• Sales of mobile phones & related contracts.
• Computer product research, development & sourcing.
• Marketing and design of advertising material.
• Computer sales, including after sales support.
• Preparation of computers for clients, including internet setup & connection.
• Personal Assistant to the Directors.

Jan. 1995 - Feb. 1997

Part time work at SUBURBIA GLOBAL INTERNET SERVICES (interesting note - this was Julian Assange's system - really I just included these last two because they're interesting)

Online Helpdesk (unix/freeBSD)

• Answering Email from clients having trouble online.
• Answering paged (from within unix shell) requests for assistance from online users
• Logging in via Telnet/Rlogin as helpdesk whenever online to provide support to users online.
• Technical Support of basic UNIX skills & internet usage.

June 1995 - Jan. 1996

Part time work/paid fun at PSYCHIC HARMONY (produced by Psy Harmonics)

Internet Demonstrator

• Setting up a UNIX network within about 1 hour, once per week.
• Teaching the general public how to use various internet packages, eg. Unix based IRC, Lynx & Talk, and good OLD Mosaic.
• Explaining to people what the internet is in general terms, as this was in the day when most people had not even heard more than hype about it.

Further work history available upon request, but in summary, I spent 3 years after year 12 exploring a career in retail sales of whitegoods and consumer electronics, as I have a natural flair for it with my whole family working in the field.

After this time I felt I was more suited to a career in IT.