Richard D Armstrong
Newark on Trent,Nottinghamshire
Summary
Focused, self-motivated IT Windows Infrastructure & Systems Engineer that brings excellent communication and problem-solving skills illustrated over 24+ year industry career. I have grown into a knowledgeable, adaptable and self-motivated Individual with experience in a variety of industry Sectors.
A proven track record of maintaining an effective Wintel infrastructure using tried and tested methods, creating new solutions to develop and maintain business processes. Extensive Knowledge in business systems, migration, problem solving. ability to adapt and learn on the fly. versed in monitoring, evaluating and maintaining computer systems and networks. Assists users with technical support, software and hardware installation and network access. Pragmatic problem-solver with excellent troubleshooting and resolution skills.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work history
Carer For Late Parent
04.2023 - 11.2023
Senior 3rd line Engineer
Maximus UK
02.2023 - 03.2023
- Working for a Heath and Employability service, Primary was to Audit Azure Monitoring Solution, to make recommendations for monitoring, also support the 3rd line BAU Team, Extensive use of M365 & Azure AAD, Cloud & On Prem,
- Extensive supporting, troubleshooting of in-house bespoke systems, plus Windows servers, hardening, installing applications, Extensive customer interaction at all levels, supporting all services, break/fix issues
- Resolved user problems using ICT support tools and methods.
- Azure AAD
- Azure Monitoring Consulting
- Azure Auditing - hands on
- On Prem Active Directory, DNS DHCP, GPO
- 3rd Line BAU Request/Incidents
- ServiceNow
- Server Support
- Customer Service
- Stakeholders/3rd party Support
- Cloud & On Prem Server Support
- M365 admin/M365 Exchange
Senior Systems Engineer
Davies Group
Stoke-on-Trent, Cheshire
12.2021 - 04.2022
- Working for a global Insurance services, Extensive Active directory & BAU Support in complex Windows, M365 & Azure, VMware environment
- Consulting & Coordinating stakeholders, supporting in-house bespoke systems, extensive troubleshooting, including all versions of Windows, and Microsoft Office 365
- Excellent knowledge, extensive Cloud & On Prem Server support, creating new servers, hardening, installing applications, configuring servers.
- Extensive customer interaction at all levels, supporting all services, break/fix issues.
- Worked closely with customers, internal staff and other stakeholders to determine planning, implementation and integration of system-oriented projects.
- Supporting Azure Dev and SQL operations, support with a user base of over 6,000+
- Collaborated with clients to determine need and devise appropriate software and hardware solutions.
- Built and maintained a network infrastructure consisting of Windows & virtual products.
- Reviewed and analysed security logs to determine and alleviate network threats.
- Adhered to policy, process and procedures for compliant systems engineering design and delivery.
- AD & Security Audit and Alignment
- Server migration 2003-2019
- Azure/Azure AAD-M365 admin
- Cloud & On Prem Server, Configure and Support
- M365 admin/M365 Exchange
- SQL Server Management
- Flexible/Remote Working
- Deployment, migration and maintenance
- Virtualisation: o VMware, Hyper-V
- Veeam & Veeam Cloud Connect
- Application Installation and Support
Senior 3rd line Server Engineer
South Yorkshire Police
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
01.2021 - 06.2021
- Extensive BAU Support in complex Windows server, VMware environment, plus consulting & coordinating with 3rd party suppliers & Stakeholders,
- Supporting in-house bespoke systems, keeping detail notes on progress, organising, implement resources for projects, plus other bespoke duties, creating new servers, hardening, installing applications, configuring servers, installing bespoke systems & software
- Analysed reported technical issues to diagnose, trace and correct issues.
- Supporting services via Sophos EP, SolarWinds, ICE. Duties include, support users with Direct Access or VPN issues, AD and GPO creation, Office 356,
- Patching and break/fix issues. Share & permissions creation, support with a user base of over 10,000+.
- Administered user accounts and monitored logs for proactive security management.
- Recommended new hardware and software solutions from current technologies, keeping network performance and security updated to industry standards.
- Upgraded Servers & Network hardware with new technology in line with performance and budget objectives.
- AD migration
- Server migration 2008-2019
- VMware/VCenter admin and update
- SQL Server migration
- Site merges
- Supporting Win 10/Desktop team
- Backups Support
- VPN issues
- · System Decommissions
- · File & Data moves
Senior 3rd line Engineer
Nottinghamshire NHS (NHIS)
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
10.2019 - 03.2020
- Extensive BAU Support in complex Windows, VMware & SQL Servers environment, plus consulting & coordinating, working with 3rd party suppliers & Stakeholders,
- NHS BAU of in-house bespoke systems, keeping detail notes on progress, organising, implement resources for projects, plus other bespoke duties, creating new servers, installing applications, configuring servers, installing bespoke systems & software,
- Offered technical expertise to contribute to 2nd and 3rd line of support.
- Supporting services via AirWatch, Splunk, Sophos EP, MacAfee Enterprise, SolarWinds, ICE. Duties include, support users with VPN issues via BMS, AD and GPO creation, Office 356/NHS.net mail,
- Investigated and resolved escalated incidents, collaborating with 1st/2nd Line Support to enhance issue resolution efficiency.
- Advised on equipment failures and potential repairs to restore functionality.
- Patching and break/fix issues. Share & permissions creation, support Hospital’s, CCG’s and GP’s with a user base of over 20,000+.
- AD migration
- Server migration 2008-2019
- VMware/VCenter admin and update
- SQL Server migration
- Supporting Win 10/Desktop team
- Backups Support
- VPN issues
- System Decommissions
- File & Data moves
Senior Infrastructure Consultant
Drax Power Selby
06.2019 - 06.2019
- Hands on project advisory role for integration of multiple sites solution for automated rollout a VMware 6.5 hosts, part of this was to educate the site VMware team.
Senior Systems Engineer/Project Co-ordinator
Nottinghamshire NHS, HIS) Foundation Trust
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
02.2019 - 05.2019
- Project Migrate, as part of a small time of 6, hands on migration Windows & SQL servers to Windows 2016 and in certain cases Windows 2019,
- Mixture of Project & BAU work, consulting & coordinating multiple end to end projects, working with 3rd party suppliers, Stakeholders, in-house bespoke systems, keeping detail notes on progress,
- Working with dev team, setting schedules, Multitasking and Management of smaller projects, organise 3rd party vendors, organising, implement resources for projects, plus other bespoke duties, as part of the BAU requirement the decommissioning old servers from the VMWare 6.5 infrastructure,
- decommissioning of the VM5.5 environment,
- creating new servers and migrating servers
- installing applications, configuring servers, installing bespoke systems & software, upgrade to latest OS versions, testing, then go live
- Multiple project management including a major project working with a Cherwell ITSM specialist to implement an updated version of Cherwell ITSM,
- working towards a full ITIL environment, setting SLA targets, redesigning the GUI for all IT teams, creating workflows and cleaning up old systems, patching to latest version.
Senior Wintel Infrastructure Engineer
CAPULA Nuclear
Stone, Staffordshire
07.2018 - 10.2018
- Completed a 4-month contract, within Cupula Nuclear Division and a 3rd party, building an end to end data-centre from ground up on a HP Blade and Dell Unity backbone,
- Installing Windows OS and 3rd party software & hardware, extensive UAT,
- document creation and testing, extensive VMware 6.5 use and administration
- Cluster and server creation, plus other associated tasks
- Quality-assured work during and after completion to deliver defect and snag-free projects.
- Consulting, advice, team supervision, training and mentoring juniors
- Fostered positive and performance-oriented environment by implementing successful systems.
- I am limited on what I tell you about this role due to the sensitivity nature
- Mentoring Junior's and Interns
- Tested sites and materials to assess strength and vulnerability.
- VMware 6.5
- Enterprise Domain, AD & GPO Administration
- Windows Server 2012 - 2016 (physical & Virtual)
- Trend
- MacAfee
- NTP & KMS
- VRealise vROps & vRLis install and config
- Enterprise Build and Config
Senior 3rd line Support Engineer
Derby NHS Arden GEM CSU
Ilkeston
03.2018 - 04.2018
- Plan and Complete a five-week contract installing and configuring McAfee EPO 5.9 enterprise and migrating services from EPO 5.1 for a user and server estate of 20,000 devices
- Creating documentation, handing over
Senior 3rd line Infrastructure Support Engineer
Essentra UK
Nottingham
10.2017 - 11.2017
- Working the global support desk clearing down old outstanding tickets on a week-by-week basis for BAU, from desktops to server issues, extensive AD, GPO, O365 account migrations, to ordering laptops to deploy globally.
Senior Wintel Infrastructure Systems Engineer
Nott's County Council
Nottingham
08.2017 - 09.2017
- Working with the Instructure System team within NCC
- General Service Desk, BAU and project work
- AD 2008/2012/Exchange 2010/2016/Office365 Account, Creation/Administration
- Extensive use of AD/ADFS/SEC groups, GPO config, administering
- Windows mobile phone integration to AD
- Tablet Integration
- Skype for Business 2015, Plus UC Server maintenance
- Citrix Get Connected & Apps administration via XenApps
- Extensive use of PowerShell includes basic script creation for AD
- Working the SOC desk one day a week, advices on incidents & problems, supporting & mentoring juniors.
Wintel Technical Consultant
Civica
Leeds, North Yorkshire
01.2017 - 02.2017
- Working with the projects team within Civica
- Designing and implementation of Exchange 2003/2010/Office365 migration, extensive use of ADFS, AD, Configuration of email accounts to Office 365 Cloud,
- Advising and problem solving working with tech team to resolve issues, plus server migration to 2012r2 for exchange, assisting and consulting on other projects as they come up
- Offered technical helpdesk support to customers on printers, PCs and laptops and mobile devices.
- Executed and implemented solutions on time and within budget constraints while ensuring high levels of service throughout process.
- Troubleshot operating systems, hardware and software problems to identify root causes.
- Delivered complete set-up assistance for networking systems, IP phone equiment and related IT gear.
Wintel Technical Consultant
Netsolutions
Newark, Nottinghamshire
10.2016 - 01.2017
- Hands on working for small MSP, reporting directly to MD, with offices in London and Newark, managing 2 Data Centres, Internal & client IT infrastructure., primary work is designing and implementing new Backup and DR continuity solution,
- Advising clients on migration and refresh requirements, hands on VMware/VSphere implementation and upgrades to VMware 6.
- Implement Office 365 and related technologies, Exchange Online, On-premise Exchange, migration to Cloud, Exchange Server support, Skype for Business Online
- Active Directory and Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS), Directory Synchronization, SharePoint, OneDrive for Business,
- Backup solutions & DR for cloud., also design office moves and windows 7/10 desktop implementations, and migrations.
- Designed and implemented complex technical solutions for clients in diverse industries.
- Analysed client workflows and processes to identify opportunities for automation.
- Troubleshot operating systems, hardware and software problems to identify root causes.
Education
Build/Installs; Windows Servers Hardware -
Self
VMware - v Sphere v4.2 - v7 - VMware - v Sphere
self
ITIL Foundation - ITIL
Self
Newark on Trent, NottinghamshireSkills
- Active Directory
- Vmware
- Office 365
- Local workstations
- Hardware upgrades
- Technical documents comprehension
- Customer support needs assessment
- Hardware diagnosis
- Windows Server 2003 - 2019
- Network troubleshooting
- MS Exchange
- Backup tools
- Remote access technology
- Switching protocols
- Customer communication
- Network configuration
- Firewalls and endpoint security
- Process development
- Data network technology
- High-value project management
- Automation tools and scripting
- Technical infrastructure migration
- Infrastructure planning and design
- Hardware inventory management
- Printer setup
- Problem solving
Accomplishments
- (please remove before submission)
- Actively seeking UK Only
- Looking for PERM, but will look at short term contracts
- Perm roles UK wide - Remote working,
- hybrid - East Midlands,
- Prefer Remote Working - limited Hybrid
- Commute up to 70mins
Hobbies & Interests
A keen caravan enthusiast, I like to Sea fish, I build & support computers for friends,I build and fly RC aero models and volunteer at LMA events. Active member of a local model flying club, Play Golf, leaning to play Guitar for fun
Timeline
Carer For Late Parent
04.2023 - 11.2023
Senior 3rd line Engineer
Maximus UK
02.2023 - 03.2023
Senior Systems Engineer
Davies Group
12.2021 - 04.2022
Senior 3rd line Server Engineer
South Yorkshire Police
01.2021 - 06.2021
Senior 3rd line Engineer
Nottinghamshire NHS (NHIS)
10.2019 - 03.2020
Senior Infrastructure Consultant
Drax Power Selby
06.2019 - 06.2019
Senior Systems Engineer/Project Co-ordinator
Nottinghamshire NHS, HIS) Foundation Trust
02.2019 - 05.2019
Senior Wintel Infrastructure Engineer
CAPULA Nuclear
07.2018 - 10.2018
Senior 3rd line Support Engineer
Derby NHS Arden GEM CSU
03.2018 - 04.2018
Senior 3rd line Infrastructure Support Engineer
Essentra UK
10.2017 - 11.2017
Senior Wintel Infrastructure Systems Engineer
Nott's County Council
08.2017 - 09.2017
Wintel Technical Consultant
Civica
01.2017 - 02.2017
Wintel Technical Consultant
Netsolutions
10.2016 - 01.2017
Build/Installs; Windows Servers Hardware -
Self
VMware - v Sphere v4.2 - v7 - VMware - v Sphere
self
ITIL Foundation - ITIL
Self