Appleton Comprehensive

Database Manager at News UK

News UK

Database Manager

As a database administrator / engineer for News International I was tasked with providing 3rd line support to  Digital Operations , Editorial , Circulation & analytics with database related issues ie performance, adhoc reports, environment refreshes and reviewing database server estate. This incorporated Oracle (9i/10g/11g) ,  MS Sql Server (2000/2005/2008), Mysql & nosql (mongodb, SimpleDB). Performance tuning of the data model and / or database parameters resulted in significant improvements.Within the 3rd line support remit I would work with the out sourcing provider to resolve issues or implement change requests.  I worked on improving the processes to refresh test and development environments from production utilizing Python based scripts to wrap around Oracle Data Pump utilities. Accelerated the roll out of Oracle Data Grid to end user operations teams to monitor performance of departmental servers.  For “Cloud” based MySQL 5.2 for which I provided DBA 3rd line support to outsourced administration service. MySQL databases ranging from small micro-sites to larger iPad support CMS, ie Administration of user accounts, backups and restores, performance, tuning of reports and application queries. The results of the review of Oracle licensing, a RAC based online database resulted in consolidation into a single Oracle database.  This equated to a significant saving of support costs for Oracle databases. This was carried out alongside an on going project to virtualize using VMware.  Big data has become an increasingly important form of data storage and retrieval utilizing such technologies as Hadoop with Hive providing an SQL based interface for analytics processing.  Assisted with a review into Mongo db and Oracle NoSQL as possible alternative storage mechanisms. Data then used in conjunction with ProClarity & Informatica.

Database Admin / Engineer

As a Senior DBA I was a member of world wide dba resource for production , test & development environments. Database technologies included Oracle 9ï/10g/11gR1/2, Microsoft Sql server 2000/2005/2008 & Sybase 12.5. All production databases had a DR component. In the case of Oracle production databases,     both single server , clustered RAC / Exadata Servers, would have an  Oracle DataGuard physical standby. Whilst Microsoft SQL Server had a  bespoke solution incorporating full, differential and transaction log backups and restores to standby databases.  Database server  platforms  would be  running  on Red Hat Linux, Solaris, Microsoft Windows 2003 or virtual machines.  All Oracle databases have their DATA  and FRA files served via SAN presented raw files managed by ASM. With RMAN being used for Oracle backups and  Quest LightSpeed for Microsoft SQL Server and a combination of Oracle Grid Control, Idera and bespoke scripts for database monitoring. As well as standard DBA tasks involvement in the  installation and configuration of  third party applications  notably Informatica and diagnosing performance issues with standard Sql, Oracle PL/Sql and Sql Server T-SQL.

MF Global

Senior Database Administrator

Contracted for migration of MySQL database to Oracle for major banking client. Further the existing data model re-engineered to improve performance.

Columba Systems

Data Architect

This is very much a hands on SQL 2005 & Oracle 9i/10g DBA role key to the operations of the business. As well as a key responsibility for 10 24*7 production database's and their Data Guard / SAN standby environments, there also 30+ UAT, system test and development environments.  Having built additional iTheon Oracle monitoring scripts as well as advising on improved Oracle RMAN backups. Automated data refreshes from production into non-production environments  as well as releases of code from CVS/Eclipse and oracle database upgrades.As a develepment DBA  my performance tuning & scripting (SQL,PL/SQL,KSH) skills came to the fore as well as knowledge of 0racle architecture and tools. Enabling me to improve both programming techniques & application performance. Reverse engineering the production schema allowed me to document database, adding  application based constraints into MS Visio  diagram. The middle / web tier featured complex  Solaris based Java application servers (Tomcat/Resin/Forte/Jrun), which I was required to configure & implement. My Solaris SA duties general user & resource allocation ( useradd,zfsadmin,sudo,zoning) duties as well as Solaris 9 & 10 OS patching.

Geoff Duff

Geoff Duff