Ralf Hack, Dipl.Ing.(FH)

Objective

Professional activities

06/2001 - now: Application Engineer

Tiscali

London,UK

Project engineer, architectural support engineer, 4th line support and development.

Analysis, definition, design, construction, testing, installation and modification of systems used for ADSL services and provisioning based on the principles object orientation.

• Service provider migrations using BT Wholesale EMP platform
  Adapting the order management system to place and accept migration and PSTN cease messages from the BT EMP platform.
  Implementing order processing hooks to handle the new interface.
  Implement the procedures to create XML requests creating, processing and sending a migrate away order (DBIx::Class).
  Testing, rollout and monitoring of the new function.
• Order management system development
  Enhancements, maintenance and upgrade of order processing system for 1.4 million customers. Maintenance and further integration of the order management application with billing, provisioning and monitoring systems.
  Reverse engineered the legacy code; upgraded, performance tuned and clustered applications.
  Provide 4th line/ongoing support (Remedy ticket based).
  Investigate ongoing problems; improved backlog monitoring and handling processes (Netcool probes, text based logging).
  Enhancement, maintenance and trouble shooting the bespoke interface to MIS, Siebel.
  Enhancement, maintenance and trouble shooting of the customer facing GUI front-end (Apache, Perl, SSL)
  Query performance tuning (hints, indexes and query rewriting, Oracle 8-9).
  Upgraded application to integrate changes in the BT Wholesale eCo Gateway XML interface (BBCR, BBCT).
  Implemented the BT eCo Gateway service provider migration interfaces. Also emulated this interface for reseller to reseller migration between Tiscali reseller.
  Moved to a software maintenance using structured rollout process (via CVS).
  Maintenance of BRAS and VISP provisioning interface (Radius,Telnet)
  Monitored and guided offshore teams for integration of bespoke software, ongoing support.
• Reseller facing XML interface
  Specification and design of the 3rd party XML interface for order processing and operational functions for 10 resellers/VISPs; future proof for upcoming BT Wholesale and BT Openreach interface systems.
  Designed, developed and implemented the reseller facing XML order processing and status tracking interface. The system is complemented by a sand box version for integration testing as well as a development version. Provide a version based generic framework to enable enhancement of the API functionality with minimal customer impact.
  Designed a simple to use XML specification for placing cease, provide, regrade, modify, service provider migrations orders; targeting SMEs as well as wholesale customers.
  Integrated operational interfaces and line prequalification systems (SOAP, bespoke XML/ HTTP POST).
  Implemented a fully modular code base that supporting multiple concurrent versions of the XML specification to allow for fast growth of functionality for numerous 3rd parties.
  Implemented a stand alone sandbox system for multiple reseller to integrate 3rd party CRM systems.
  Implemented a stand alone sandbox system for multiple development teams (onshore/offshore) to develop on.
  Designed and implemented the order status presentation that was forward looking towards the new EMP platform of BT Wholesale.
• BT Wholesales Max product provisioning
  Implemented provisioning logic for the BT maximum line rate adaptive ADSL service as well as the BT report (BBCR) polling.
  Enabled the order management system to process ``Max'' products. Provided line historical and statistical data base on the ``Max'' product BBCR reports
  Enabled the BT product selection for Max product subject to business rules and capacity.
  Enabled internal Reseller migrations for Max
  Created a polling interface to capture BT line data
  Created XML services to allow support systems to poll Max data in Perl (Catalyst, Class::DBI)
  Provided a prototype solution using Flash to plot the line data (actionscript,mtasc).
• LLU unbundeling order processing
  Developed and implemented the LLU unbundeling process based on BT Wholesale LiSA.
  Designed the SMPF product ordering system using tactical BT Wholesale interface based on the previously existing bulk migration order flow, network configuration and bulk migration interface.
  Developed interface to a bespoke network management infrastructure (NIM) SOAP interface in Perl (Class::DBIx, Soap::Simple).
  Designed, developed and integrated a database configurable BT product selector ( IPStream, DataStream and SMPF) (Perl, Oracle) based on object oriented principles.
  Designed, developed and supported the non bulk procurement of SMPF lines with BT LiSA.
  Provide full operational support during initial rollout phase of 3 months.
• Offline bill printing system
  Changing the bill printing system to convert xml to pdf more efficient.
  Created plugin for the bespoke billing system to streamline the conversion to deal with large lists of itemisations of call records without parsing the complete file.
  Established a new bill template.
  Created an XML to HTML conversion for this template using a purpose build XML parser.
  Applied htmldoc to convert from HTML to PDF; adapted htmldoc to allow for multiple images (ANSI C).
• Online quotation system
  Create an online quotation system for VPN solution of resellers
  The online quotation system allows for budgetary quotes to be created automatically with approval facilities and creates ready to use orders. Implemented a supplemental audit system based on Java junit derived acceptance testing framework.
  Designed, developed and implemented a hierarchical product database including cost, margins and offer prices subject to the reseller and other criteria on MySQL,Perl,DBIx::SearchBuilder,Template Toolkit.
  Designed, developed and implemented simple tracking system for progressing the order.
  Developed a validation process driven by audited spreadsheets based on Java.
  Created and applied acceptance test framework (Fitnesse, based on junit) for result validation; developed necessary Java based plugins for HTTP requests, spread sheet test conversion, result validation and test harness.
  Complete source code documentation using Perl POD.
• B2B web service clustering
  Migrated existing web service into a clustered environment
  The existing solution was a single web service system running Zeus on FreeBSD using a Netapp backend for customer data. Migration of 1200+ web sites with numerous custom CGI scripts based on Microsoft Frontpage, perl and/or php4 into a chroot environment for security.

12/1999 - 06/2001: Advanced Project Manager

Pipex Communications

London,UK

Project Manager, Software Developer and Application Engineer.

Initially employed as application engineer for Unix services, moved via a advanced application engineer and project manager role into the role of systems architect. Main function was third line support for Unix hosting architectures, SLA and CIR issues on the hosting LAN with 180 customers, GNU/Linux applications and kernel problems. Also provide 4th line support (ticket based)

• Upgrade and integration of ticket system (Request Tracker - RT)
  Development and Administration.
  Providing perl programs to propagate provisioning information off Remedy (running on Solaris/Oracle) to the ticket system (running Solaris/Postgres).
  Reverse engineering the bespoke legacy ticket system.
  Integration with provisioning system and various configuration databases (Oracle, Postgres, MySQL).
  Using Perl DBI to extract provisioning information and update the ticket system database.
• Secure jumphost development.
  Developer and Administrator of a secure access portal to the company LAN.
  Design, development and testing of pam modules based on OPIE, openldap, PAM LDAP and nsswitch, Perl CGI administrative interfaces on FreeBSD and GNU/Linux. Designed a client server architecture to allow for privilege separation between the PAM modules, slapd and Apache. Implemented nsswitch emulation for FreeBSD 4.7
  Adapted OTP system OPIE to authenticate using LDAP services.
  Design and implementation of the web based administration interface.
  Design and implementation of a nsswitch layer emulation on FreeBSD 4.7 to allow for PAM LDAP based accounts.
• Proprietary QoS bandwidth management system based on GNU/Linux, RedHat 6.2
  Project manager and technological lead for managing the core infrastructure system.
  A linux kernel 2.2 based system that has been enhanced with bidirectional queueing and bursting capabilities to provision the bandwidth per VLAN. I upgraded the hardware and software. The system also distinguishes headroom traffic (national traffic) using a BGP feed. I wrote a replacement of the GNU/Linux routing subsystem for large routing tables and near line rate. Also, I am maintaining the MySQL and Perl based provisioning systems configuring the routers.
  Enhanced, testing, configure, manage and document system to route and rate limiting network traffic according to the committed information rate purchased, hosting about 200 hosting customers. It is a customised GNU/Linux 2.2 kernel on Compaq hardware with bespoke extensions for VLAN, VRRP and bandwidth quota support. Testing tool is the IXIA 400 traffic generator.
  Enhancements are bug fixes to various use space tools, performance bottlenecks, hardening against DoS attacks.
  Build prototype routing code that will replace IP layer FIB with a simple Patricia Tree structure to improve routing performance by several orders of magnitude.
  Maintainer and developer of the administration interface based on Perl and Apache.
  3rd line support and security role to manage the impact of worms, viruses and (D)DoS.
• Evaluation ADSL appliances
  Performance and reliability testing of ADSL router/appliances.
  I evaluated several ADSL router and appliances for use with the BT wires-only ADSL product. Internal and external tests were conducted according to my test specifications. I also provided the load testing infrastructure for BIND, VPN, HTTP, POP3, SMTP, throughput and firewall testing.
  Designing and documenting the test specifications.
  Testing and selecting appliances for ADSL CPE ( Interjak, Inty, D-Link, Zyxel, Arescom ).
  Establishing a test network to compare ADSL appliances.
• Shared hosting environment
  Lead project, design and development
  Architectural study for shared hosting environment (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, POP3, DNS, SQL server) with customisable storage, network bandwidth and CPU provision.
  Proposed and evaluated two off-the-shelf products, Zeus Web-hosting and Ensim virtual server, for scalability and redundancy.
  Compared commercial applications against in-house solution of the US parent company at the time (XO Hosting).
  Design and architecture development to interface with infrastructure: online signup, fully automatic provisioning.
  Dedicated customer database, authentication services and online service upgrades.
  The design requires high availability as well as scalability.
  Designed for European rollout with language and currency independence.
• RedHat GNU/Linux or Solaris provisioning server
  Technical lead, developing and testing.
  Configuration and rollout of a provisioning system that automatically installs product specific software, system specific security updates. I created a repository of dozens of specific packaged GNU tools for both RedHat GNU/Linux and Sun Solaris. Also packaged various commercial applications for automatic rollout within the package framework.
  Kickstart server for RedHat (6.2,7.3) via NFS and postinstall hardening, securing and configuration.
  Jumpstart server for Solaris (7,8,9) via NFS and postinstall hardening, securing and configuration.
  Rollout of production and customer systems.
  Creation and rollout of custom packages from proprietary (binaries only) software.
  Rollout of open-source programs with the aim of version tracking and hands off rebuild and testing.
  Hands off security patches and packages tracking.
  Automatic configuration, hardening and security patching during hands-off rollout.
• Added value for Unix dedicated serves.
  Upgrade and update the existing dedicated server product.
  Evaluate, testing and rollout of new hardware and software.
  Evaluation, bundling and testing of Coldfusion, Intershop, Oracle (8.0) and Actinic.
  Testing and rollout of Sun Enterprise E420, E220 and Netra T1 with Solaris 7.
• File integrity checker evaluation
  Host security management.
  Evaluation, testing and recommending of an open source file integrity checker for Unix hosts.
• Training: Sun Certified System Administrator, Solaris 7

12/1998 - 12/1999: European Application Engineer

Datacube (UK), Ltd.

Farnham,UK

Designing inspection systems based on parallel real-time image processing hardware.

Responsible for European support. Created technical specifications with customers on- and offsite. Installed and maintained inspection equipment. Tested and evaluated new systems and upgrades for the web inspection products.

• Sheet-glas inspection systems
  Design and project
  Proposed inspection system for non-stop production of glass at Pilkington based on Windows NT, MaxPCI hardware and VC++/VB. Client/Server configuration with remote (dial-up) clients for monitoring off-site.
• Defect classifier
  Presales support
  Evaluation and test an in-house classifier engine to evaluate production quality and defect type with rule based, nearest neighbour or neural net engines. Installing and training the classifier at customer site of a Hoogovens, Germany.
• Sheet metal inspection system
  Pre- and post sales
  Support for sheet metal surface inspection systems Black Widow. The system is based VME and Datacube hardware and designed as an off-the-shelf camera and other sensor hardware. Supported customers on site in the US, Germany and the UK.
• Development support
  Pre- and post sales support
  Graphical programming environment Datacube WIT, running on Windows NT. Alpha and beta testing the product and performance evaluation
• Training: Imageflow language introduction and advanced course.

04/1998 - 12/1998: Software Developer

University of Wales, Cardiff

Cardiff,UK

GUI design and development

• Prototyping the WWW based GUI for electronic document delivery system.
  Lead engineer for GUI development
  Design and development of web based GUI to the underlying library and request management database systems.
  Tcl/Tk,C on GNU/Linux and Apache for administration and user management.
  SMTP based order processing infrastructure.
  Custom build database backend.

07/1994 - 12/1994: Research Assistant

Fachhochschule fuer Technik und Wirtschaft

Reutlingen,Germany

Systems supervisor, technical assistant.

07/1988 - 09/1989: Security and communication officer

Bundeswehr Luftwaffe

Pfullendorf,Germany

Mandatory military service

02/1988 - 06/1988: Quality control technician

Wandel und Goltermann

Eningen, u.A.,Germany

Quality control inspector, responsible for the final inspection before shipping

Tested measurement sets for technical and production faults according to test plans provided. Processed measurement sets through standard test, such as functional test and temperature stress tests.

Educational activities

01/1995 - 03/1998:

University of Wales

Cardiff,UK

Design, development and publishing PIP

PIP is an image-processing library accessible through various programming languages, initially designed for Prolog.

Computing Science Department

• Prolog image processing (PIP)
  Design and implementation of image processing predicates.
  Using MacOS Component technology, I created a fully operational image processing subsystem that can be used with standard MacOS system calls.
  Design, development and publishing PIP, an image-processing library accessible through various programming languages but designed for MacProlog.
• Flexible Inspection Cell (FIC)
  Development of a flexible inspection cell with various lighting, camera and positioning options remotely controlled using RS232.
  Install a RS232 DTE controlling the camera selection, positioning, X/Y table positioning, design remote controllable brightness control, designed and implemented the necessary software in C/Prolog to control DTE.
  Interfacing and integrating external hardware and lighting system to the image processing system using RS232 protocol and an external custom built Intel 8086 based controller unit.
  Designing an expert system to select illumination setup for a given object.

10/1989 - 06/1995:

Fachhochschule fuer Technik und Wirtschaft

Reutlingen,Germany

Automation Technology at Polytechnic Reutlingen

Training: 1/3 computer science, 1/3 electronics, 1/3 other; supplemental subjects: image processing and production technology.

• Training seminar in teamwork and presentation.
• Consultancy: 3M Germany product unit for inspection application
  Sampling and algorithm prototyping
  Counting and classification of bacteria growth
• Thesis: Set-up of a work-cell and implementation of image processing algorithms
  Placement at University of Cardiff. Research into applied machine vision.
  Designed, developed and implemented a gantry robot program assisted by a camera to play Domino interactively in Prolog, ANSI C.
• Course work: Analogue sun position tracker using a 4 quadrant diode
• Industry placement: Sensor interfacing for soil humidity control in green houses.

07/1985 - 01/1988:

Wandel und Goltermann

Eningen, u.A.,Germany

Wandel und Goltermann GmbH Co, Germany.

Apprenticeship training