Sql server dba

Key Responsibilities:

 - Responsible for all aspects of the databases and being highly focused on maintaining performance, integrity, replication and security across the Production databases environment
 - To be responsible for monitoring database activity and ensuring that index statistics, database growth/storage, replication, archiving, back-up and recovery procedures are in place and functioning correctly.
 - Monitor and manage the environment ensuring high availability is maintained at all times
 - Ensure that any issues related to HA/DR processes (Clustering, database mirroring, log shipping and transactional replication) are investigated and resolved
 - Carry out BAU work as required to meet the needs of the business
 - Assist Development and other teams with database design/code reviews, database backups/restores and other activities
 - Investigate and resolve database performance issues
 - Liaise with external vendors in the planning, implementation and support of 3rd party software solutions
 - Ensure that database security and permissions are managed according to best practices
 - Take an active role in improving the SQL Server database estate
 - Ensure that the DBA documentation set is updated and expanded where necessary
 - Perform SQL Server upgrades and migrations

Key Achievements
 - Setting TDE database encryption and configuring encrypted mirroring for databases
 - Enabling Server and Database Auditing and automation of scripts to populate audit data from audit files to Audit database and email daily audit data to Group Information Security.
 - Upgrade SQL instances from SQL 2008R2 to SQL2014 using Upgrade Advisor
 - Standardising SQL database maintenance plan across all SQL instances by setting up various SQL Alerts, Operators, Email Notifications and other SQL database maintenance jobs.

LGIM is the investment management arm of Legal & General Group and one the oldest and largest insurances companies in the world. LGIM has SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, MySQL, Cache and Exasol databases. The organization follows ITIL Best Practices to ensure delivery of quality incidents, problem and change management and manages this via Service Now.

Key Responsibilities:

 - Installation, configuration, upgrade, administration, monitoring and maintenance of databases.
 - Preparing and maintaining operational procedures and providing technical expertise and appropriate information to the management.
 - Involvement in project, infrastructure and support activities from the establishment of requirements, through to the on going support of the delivered solution.
 - Maintaining the integrity of database environment by fully investigating all problems (where possible pre-emptying) or resolving them if possible (including out of hours), otherwise liaising with software suppliers, ensuring proper implementation of solutions in accordance with agreed change management procedures.
 - Optimising database performance and planning for forecast resource needs.
 - Reviewing capacity, performance, availability and other operational metrics and take appropriate actions to ensure Service Levels are achieved.
 - Maintaining awareness of current and future installed product functionality, recommending and implementing features which could benefit the business.
 - Drafting and maintaining procedures and documentation for databases.

Key Achievements:

 - Migration of out-of-support databases (SQL7/2000/2005/2008/2008R2) to higher versions and archiving/deleting databases identified as no longer on use. I took proactive ownership of this project and I was also the Project Manager for these tasks, coordinating all activities with the business.
 - Auditing all SQL Servers worldwide, making sure they are all installed/configured to LGIM standard, changing from non-consistent configuration to a standard configuration across the globe.
 - Deployment of SQL Server 2016 on AWS EC2 and RDS instances and data migration from data centre to AWS.
 - Perform and validate DR switchover procedures alongside Server Support and Service Owners.
 - Creation of automation scripts and jobs to refresh non-prod environment with live data.

Atkins is one the wold’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies with over 17,000+ employees worldwide. Atkins has over 2500 databases globally (the largest single database is 1.3Tb) and a portfolio of a few hundred different applications (the largest group of databases for a single product is 2.4Tb).

Key Responsibilities:

 - Performing operational DBA duties in Group IS (both locally and regionally) , including installations, database upgrades, patching, environment cloning, implementing backup, recovery and monitoring procedures, capacity planning and performance tuning and site failover/switchover.
 - Design and build Microsoft SQL and Oracle databases from business requirements to planning and deploying test, user acceptance and production systems.
 - Working with almost every other team within Group IS (and with all other regions) to install/support both the database platform and the applications that run within the platform such as data issues, data feeds, upgrades, migrations, resolving performance issues.
 - Determining causes of functional degradation within applications by analysing their internal behaviour within the database (both in-house and 3rd party). Fixing these issues by tuning databases with bespoke indexes, reporting bugs to vendors, and advising developers on more optimal ways of executing SQL queries.
 - Documenting support notes for admin tasks and known errors.
Key Achievements
 - Deployment of Asset Management Systems to Sodexo (after the sale of this part of Atkins’ business to Sodexo). I was the point of contact between Atkins and Sodexo. I acted as a consultant, travelling to Sodexo site, and performed installations, configurations and migration of databases and applications. I also provided training to Sodexo’s IT team on processes and procedures.
 - Consolidation of SQL Servers by moving from a large number of stand-alone servers (200+) to a centralised data centre. Consolidation through virtualisation and implementation of an SQL farm. This involved migration and upgrade of databases and the coordination with service owners to update the applications/websites where required.
 - Auditing all SQL Servers worldwide, making sure they are all installed/configured to Atkins standard, changing from non-consistent configuration to a standard configuration across the globe.
 - Auditing all databases identifying associated applications and service owners and creating an accurate CMDB. Archiving/deleting databases identified as no longer in use.

Cision Media Intelligence (formerly known as Romeike) is a 24/7 media monitoring company providing media information and analysis to clients primarily via web based portals and printed materials. The majority of Cision’s main commercial and production systems are based on a Windows clustered platform using Oracle 9i databases. 

Key Responsibilities:

 - Maintain the day-to-day running of the company’s commercial/production databases and applications including database server software patch applications and upgrades.
 - Monitor and improve database performance where necessary.
 - Design, develop & implement backup and recovery methods for the company’s commercial/production databases.
 - Maintain and administer the ‘back-end’ flow of data in XML format from the production systems to web based portals.
 - Third line support.
 - Marketing, Production, and Financial reporting.

Key Achievements:

 - Implementing a disaster recovery and high availability solution for 24/7 production environment using Oracle DataGuard/Failsafe and Microsoft Cluster.
 - Development of a new invoice system generating over 7,000 invoices per month to facilitate the company’s complex pricing and invoicing structure.
 - Creation of procedures and scripts to automate functions, processes and repetitive reports.
 - Design, implement, upgrade and maintain the training, test and live environments.

Key Responsibilities:

 - Co-responsible for the design, creation and maintenance of a centralized database and a management tool for the Logistic Catalogue of Prices and Products service for TELEFONICA-DATA SA. The project is developed in a mixed platform environment (UNIX HP-UX-9000/Windows NT/Oracle/Informix/SQL Server/Sybase/HTML/ASP/Visual Basic/SSIS) under EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) standards

Key Responsibilities:

 - Responsible for the design and development of bespoke applications to satisfy business needs of a travel agency (VIAJES MARSANS) under a transactional environment (UNIX HP-UX-9000/AIX/Informix/4GL). 

Key Responsibilities:

 - Developer for SANTANDER de Factoring SA (UNIX HP-UX-9000/AIX/Informix/4GL).