Online CV

Full Name

 James Antony Leach PDF Version

Email

 jim@jimleach.co.uk
Summary
A network systems test engineer specializing in Cisco datacenter platforms and architectures, looking to move into production datacenter engineering and design.
Works as a highly capable engineer carrying out implementation and troubleshooting, whilst maintaining professional relationships with customers and interacting with both the sales and development functions of Cisco.  Has a keen interest in driving team development and initiatives designed to improve work processes and practices.
Has particular interest in virtualization technologies and pursues this by working alongside relevant Technical Marketing Engineers (TMEs), engaging in self-study activities and supporting external technical demonstrations. Has previouslygiven a number of presentations and training days to both internal Cisco and external customer engineers, covering UCS configuration and Nexus 1000v implementation.
Technical Competence
Cisco Nexus 7000 and 5000 switching platforms – over 9-months configuring and testing Nexus platforms. Capable of implementing and troubleshooting Overlay Transport Protocol (OTV), Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD – N7K implementation) and Virtual Port-Channels (vPC), with specific experience covering multicast in vPC environments.
Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) – hands-on experience configuring and implementing over the past year
Cisco Nexus 1000v – practical experience implementing alongside UCS and VMWare vSphere.
Cisco Catalyst 6500 switching platform – four years configuring and testing, including some experience with the FWSM, SSLSM and CSM/SLB service modules.
Cisco Secure Access Control Server (ACS) version 5.x – configuration and troubleshooting. Was part of the pre-release internal solution testing of ACS 5.0 against 802.1x and NAC-RADIUS.
VMWare vSphere 4.0, vCentre and Upgrade Manager – daily interaction with and management of both network and host virtualized infrastructure.
Ixia IxNetwork and IxLoad – over two years experience using IxNetwork for end-to-end traffic generation and network performance testing.
Fundamental understanding of SAN technologies and Fibre-Channel configuration using Cisco Fabric Manager and EMC Symmetrics storage array – gained in implementing Cisco UCS with VMWare. Additional experience in configuring FCoE on the Nexus 5000 platform.
Installation and administration skills for Windows Server, Active Directory, Red Hat and Debian Linux distributions.
Some experience in programming with the Tool Command Language (TCL) and FanFare iTest, specifically in the automation of testing against Cisco IOS devices.  I have also spent time working with PHP and MySQL.
Training – I have presented and given hands-on training on UCS, the Nexus 1000v and their integration with VMWare vSphere to both internal Cisco engineers and external customer engineers.
Education & Qualifications

September 2010

 Cisco Certified Network Associate – SecurityFoundational certification in understanding network security concepts, intrusion detection and prevention, and host protection mechanisms.  Includes configuration of authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) methods for both user and network using 802.1x, RADIUS, TACACS+, ACLs and Zone-Based Firewalls.

July 2010

 VMWare 4.0 – Install, Configure and MaintainOne-week training course covering VMWare vSphere 4.0 installation, configuration and management of ESX(i), vCenter and Upgrade Manager. Also included host virtualization theory and implementation of high-availability features such as HA-Clustering, VMotion, DRS and Fault Tolerance.

June 2009

 Cisco Unified Computing Systems (UCS) – BootcampWeek-long intensive systems engineering course on Project California architecture and datacenter implementation.

January 2009

 Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert – Routing and Switching -No. 23,333

Expert-level theory and configuration certification covering core Layer-2 and Layer-3 technologies and protocols, including; 802.1q, 802.1(d/s/w) STP, VTP, DTP and Frame Relay. OSPF, RIP, EIGRP and BGP using both IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 Multicast including PIM and Auto-RP. Quality of service using legacy methods and MQC (modular quality-of-service CLI).Studied over a period of 14-months in my own time and examined through a 2-hour computer-based written assessment and an 8-hour hands-on practical lab.

September 2007

 Cisco Certified Network ProfessionalProfessional level theory certification on Layer-2, Layer-3 and Layer-4 technologies and protocols – superseded by CCIE R&S.

July 2005

 Microsoft Windows Server – Install, Configure and MaintainOne-week course covering Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory, including group-policy management, network services (DNS, DHCP and WINS) and Windows Deployment Services.

September 2001 – July 2005

 BSc (Hons)Internet Technology – 2:1 Second Class Honours (Upper Division)University of Portsmouth– Department for Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE)
Units studied covered fundamentals of operating system and processor architecture, the OSI 7-Layer Model, distributed systems, network security and multimedia networks. Also included practical installation and management of Linux-based operating systems in virtual environments using VMWare Server. Introduced basic programming methodologies and exercises with PHP and mySQL as well as providing practical experience configuring internet-applications such as Apache HTTP server, Bind9 domain naming and Zebra OSPF routing daemons.
Current Employment

October 2006 – Present

 Enhanced Customer-Aligned Testing Services (ECATS), Cisco SystemsNetwork Systems Test Engineer– Testing network architecture solutions for Cisco’s Global Enterprise Accounts.

ECATS 2009 – Present

 ECATS provides network system interoperability, pre-deployment and risk-mitigating test services for Cisco’s top global enterprise customers. Testing ranges between new feature and technology validation, to proving the scalability, performance and availability of full-scale datacenter designs. It is a test-engineer’s responsibility to;

·Work directly with the customer and their account team to define the requirements of testing

·Develop a detailed test plan, working with the customer in defining use-cases, and the platform engineers for troubleshooting or defect-fix verification for regression testing

·Build-up test network topology and configure as per customer’s configuration or develop configuration according to the design requirements

·Verify test bed stability and performance using Ixia or other test tools – configure end-to-end stateless (L3 only or multicast) or application specific (L7 and stateful) traffic in order to emulate customers’ traffic profile

·Execute the detailed test plan and report back on project status to internal and customer teams

·Liaise with development engineers in order to identify, analyze and resolve software defects and make design or configuration recommendations

·Follow-up post-project activities including any regression testing after defect fixes, and the progress of software or topology deployment

Recent customer engagements include;

·Royal Bank of Scotland – Pre-deployment testing and configuration verification for a mixed Nexus 7000 and Catalyst 6500 datacenter.  This testing specifically looked at multicast in the DC and convergence times during failure events.

·Nomura Securities – Post-deployment regression testing for an entirely Nexus-based DC. Specifically looking at performance in a multi-VDC, vPC and multicast-heavy environment with some defect-fix verification.

·Lloyds TSB – Proof of concept and hands-on lab engagement to allow Lloyds engineers to see VMotion working over OTV and also Nexus 1000v integration with vSphere.

·British Petroleum – Service module regression and performance testing – identifying the performance of the CSM and FWSM service modules in the Catalyst 6500.

Additional roles

 I’m always happy to take on additional roles and responsibilities outside of being a test engineer.  I involve myself in operation efficiency initiatives that aim to develop the processes we use both during the documentation and testing phases of a customer engagement.  I also play a key role in bringing in undergraduate interns each year – this includes visiting universities to present our engineering role to students, organising and carrying out telephone interviews and assessment days, as well as liaising with HR for the on-boarding process.

NPF – 2007-09

 The Network Privilege Framework is a marketing and technical solution for software quality assurance encompassing four technologies; 802.1x port authentication, Network Access Control (NAC), Cisco TrustSec (Trusted Security) and Cisco’s Access Control Server (ACS) version 5.0.  I was specifically involved in the configuration and feature testing of IOS 802.1x implementation and NAC.  This included deploying the solution in a lab environment, configuration and testing customer use-case scenarios.

DCAP – 2006-07

 The Datacenter Assurance Program was part of Cisco’s Safeharbor initiative.  DCAP itself was a testing program aimed at enterprise customers who required assurances of Cisco’s IOS software when placed in a complete solution. DCAP testing included the Catalyst 6500 multi-layer switch, incorporating service modules such as the Secure Sockets Layer (SSLSM), Content Services Gateway (SLB) and Firewall Services Module (FWSM).  DCAP tested the interaction of different DC technologies as well as the implementation of failovers and redundancies.  The results from testing are compiled to produce a Cisco Validated Design that includes both the recommended DC architecture as well as the tested configurations.