LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alan-spiteri-0098304
Current Home Location: Malta
Current Home Location: Malta
Career Profile
With 20 years experience an accomplished IP Network Test, Integrate, Support and Design Engineer looking to join an exciting business in Malta. Seeking opportunities to apply a rounded background from, various Network Engineering roles within a leading UK Digital Fixed and Mobile Telecommunications company, with focus on the user experience of over 25 million customers, all the while delivering IP based connectivity solutions.
Employment History
Company: VirginMedia O2 / O2 UK Telefonica / mmO2 / BT Cellnet / Cellnet
Single Tenure Employment: Jan1998-Dec2021
Role: Principal IP Test and Support Engineer - Company: O2 – Jul2007-Dec2021
A Principal Tester for O2’s Transport Test team specialised in IP Testing & problem solving using excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills on complex problems, encompassing in depth knowledge of Cisco, Alcatel & Huawei IP equipment. Testing of any change from patches and upgrades to h/w and s/w.
Analysing detailed technical documentation in order to derive Test Strategy and produce associated Test Plans/Test Criteria (test cases), that match the scope and level of risk agreed with customers.
Test Exit Reporting to make Risk Assessments based on test cycle experience to record and communicate key Risk and Impact levels, on IP transport and transmission solutions as they move to production networks.
Progressing from Waterfall deliveries to learning and guiding others towards Agile's delivery of networks - early stages but benefits realised of fast feedback with smaller iterations worked into last organisation's delivery evolution.
Key Responsibilities:
IP Testing, Support & Ownership of TestBed Environments, Test Project Management, recommending Best Practices for solutions moving through test to deployment, validating Method of Procedure documentation through static and dynamic testing, driving to keep projects on track to meet milestones on quality and time, reporting to stakeholders with influence to remove blockers and liaise with vendors to gain support and further knowledge/expertise to assist project delivery.
Skills:
Understanding of Project Management as a project led engineer with excellent verbal and written communication abilities, acknowledging listening is key. A team player comfortable in leading or following as tasks and team dynamics require. Providing consultation to contribute to the success of others. Test and Integration experience of 2.5G, 3G, 4G and 5G mobile phone systems from an access transport perspective. Ability to work independently and providing guidance to colleagues on test practice governance or technical knowledge. Test Tooling: Spirent Test Centre, IXIA network and load. Knowledge and experience of: Cisco, Juniper and Alcatel routers, Switches, Huawei Eudemon, IP routing protocols inc. BGP, LAN/WAN/MAN networks, MPLS/VPNs & IP Security/IPSec VPN technologies, Unix/Linux/MS server system administration & ISTQB qualified to Advanced Test Analyst level.
Achievements:
Test technical authority for 4G/5G Security Gateway Platform including training of CCIE colleague to take over this platform for its migration from legacy vendor to new. 2G/3G/4G/5G Radio Access Network transport backhaul test lead for many new access technologies over many years. The latest challenge recently included migration of a legacy vendor MPLS access to a new vendor based MPLS access network.
Role: IP Networks & Data Access Designer - Company: O2 - 2005 – Jul2007
IP service designer for O2’s IP networks and O2 Online design team: Interpreting project requirements for IP service connectivity into production O2 UK networks. Producing designs to capture and agree the expected flow rate and IP connectivity between security domains.
Design highlights: Early IMS Trial environment, IPSec VPN solutions for 3rd Party support vendors, defined proof of concept of a Network of remote GPRS network monitors(Argo), Defined & deployed a tactical production network performance benchmark tool (FTP Bastion servers). Performed test acceptance for new Nortel Application Switch (Alteon “Load Balancer”) and SSL upgrade. Data Centre expansion (inc. new Cisco h/w - CatOS/IOS Testing), RIPE Public IP administration.
Role: IP Design and Integration Engineer – Company: O2 - 2001 – 2005
IP Network Design Engineer for O2’s Mobile Application Integration and Demonstration Facility, where running Router, Switch, Firewall, VPN, LAN extensions, web access and WAN designs and implementations. Design, Integration & Support of Mobile service systems such as a GGSN(Gi side), MMS, WAP, SMS, Presence, PoC, content transformation and Mobile Location Centre for trials and demonstrations to internal business areas such as Marketing and Technology. Delivering solutions to integration challenges, always ensuring appropriate network security is designed in from inception and maintained during operation and development. Provide varying levels of documentation depending on requirements. Made presentations to internal teams regarding the technical capabilities of the demonstration facility.
Role: Test Environment IP Architect - Company: mmO2 - 2000 – 2001
Support of Test & Integration programmes in the understanding the impact of new technologies entering the business.
Adapt and apply production network designs to a fully featured test and integration network, to support multiple testing efforts, from high level designs of technology networks: GSM, GPRS, UMTS, SMS, VAS, IP Access, MMS.
Define & Implement test networks in support of “proof of concept” activities (such as a Mobile Data Service Demonstrator)
Role: Model Manager - Company: mmO2 - 1999 – 2000
Test & Integrate GSM Radio and GPRS Operation, Administration & Maintenance Systems
System Administration of afore mentioned OAM platforms
Role: System Administrator - Company: BTCellnet - 1999
Application administration of Fault and Change Management system (software product Vantive)
System administration of NT based OAM platform for an echo canceller network.
UNIX (Solaris & HPUX) System Administration, maintenance and deployment of scripts and log output.
Managing vendor’s implementations of network management systems for GPRS Motorola and Ericsson transmission.
Role: Change Management Analyst - Company: Cellnet – 1998
Trends analysis of network changes against faults.
Highlighting concerns where parallel work cause network failures.
Change Management procedure development & departmental website production/authoring.
Role: Technical Support Desk Analyst - Company: Cellnet – 1998
First line support and assistance to all BTCellnet (O2) desktop IT users, resolving Microsoft NT desktop issues. Managing Customer Fault Tickets to resolution through; Support team liaison, consideration of business impact and prioritisation criteria with appropriate use of escalation.
Role: Field Service Engineer - Company: Central Business Machines, London – 1997
Servicing the field base of Sharp & Brother photocopy & fax machines. PC support engineer basic software, hardware and network
Role: Field Service Engineer - Company: Portland Office Services, London - 1994 - 1997
Servicing the field base of Ricoh & Canon photocopy & fax machines. Special Project: Planned and implemented on-site fax machine support department for a new financial corporate client contract.
Role: Service Engineer - Company: Seal Services Group, Slough – 1993-1994
Install and de-commission of heavy plant pumps, 3 phase motors, Testing re-conditioned pumps for pressure performance.
Qualifications, Training & Certification
ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst - 2015 in Software Testing
CCNP Parts: BCMSN 2009-2012, BCRAN 2006-2009, BSCI 2003-2009
CCNA: 2001-2012
ISEB Testing Foundation – 2009
Motorola Training: Intro to Datacoms and GPRS - 2000
Motorola Training: Microsoft NT System Admin - 1999
Wray Castle Telecommunications Training: TCP/IP - 2000
HP: HPUX (UNIX) Fundamentals and System/Network Admin - 1999
Professional IT Helpdesk Operator - 1999
BTEC Nation Diploma in Electro-Mechanical Engineering with Distinctions - 1991
GCSE: Maths (B), Physics (B), Design & Technology (B), English Lang (C), English Lit (C) - 1989
References
Available upon request.
Interests
Music, Snowboarding, Mountain Biking, Photography & family wide IT support ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Learning to speak, read and write Maltese
Planning to start Kayaking and Paddle Boarding when settled in Malta
Learning Python and Ansible, Linux as my Desktop, Home Automation Platform
Esxi(VMWare) for network simulator with Eve-NG