My Skills Extensive development experience of specialist applications such as point of sale/retail, financial management/reporting, content management, billing, document storage and a help desk system. Practical experience of various programming languages and databases in full-lifecycle task solving and product creation environments. Administration, monitoring and troubleshooting of a large heterogeneous network on a day to day basis both with and without a team. Deep knowledge of fundamental protocols like TCP/IP

Simon Soanes 56 Caesars Camp Road Camberley, Surrey, GU15 4EE Phone: (01276) 818679 Mobile: (07983) 588701 E-Mail: Simon@nullifynetwork.com Full UK driving license. CV Version 4.1

Overview of Experience of Systems

Development Languages: C# - Experience developing full scale applications and controls using Winforms/ADO.net and ASP.Net/WCF (Windows Communication Framework) for web services, web applications and desktop enterprise development. Some WPF and Silverlight (Windows Presentation Foundation) development. SQL and T-SQL using MS-SQL Server 2000/2005/2008 and MySQL.  Experience coping with concurrency and scalability (replication enabled software). C++ - Low level native programs/drivers without complex UI, .NET interoperability. PHP - Experience writing XML web services, content/data management websites and reporting around MySQL XML – writing XSLT’s and XSD’s. (Also known but not used recently: Java, Delphi, VB) Important Software Technologies: Microsoft .NET Framework (Desktop v1 to v3.5 and Compact Framework v1 to v3.5) Various mark-up languages (HTML, XML, XAML, etc.) Scripting languages/AJAX Operating Systems: Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Server 2008, 2008r2 and Windows 7 Embedded Linux and Windows CE 4-6 on StrongArm/Intel XScale and Windows Embedded Standard on x86 SBC’s Linux (Debian, Red Hat, SuSE, Mandrake, current to Kernel 2.6)

Database Servers: Microsoft SQL Server 2000, 2005 and 2008, including MS Reporting Services and OLAP SQL compact edition MySQL Web/Proxy Servers: Microsoft IIS Microsoft ISA Server Apache Squid Cache DNS Servers: Microsoft DNS Server Bind 8, 9 LDAP Servers: Microsoft Active Directory Novell Directory Services OpenLDAP Important Hardware Technologies: Ethernet (experience with 10/100/1000 over copper and fiber into switches/hubs/machines/routers) Power over Ethernet (48V IEEE 802.3af) Wireless (802.11b/g/a) Cisco/Mikrotik/Nortel/HP routers and switches

Biometrics

I have almost unique experience building a fingerprint recognition system for the till product I produced whilst at EasyTrace, although I used external libraries for the actual one to many comparison significant knowledge was gained in specialized image processing/cleanup, efficient hardware communications with a variety of fingerprint (and other) readers and development of a unique algorithm to speed up recognition by narrowing results prior to the more accurate third party library verifying the results.

RFID/Mifare (ISO 15693 and ISO 14443A and B)

Also whilst at EasyTrace I gained extensive knowledge of working with RFID and ISO 14443A and B proximity technologies.  Although primarily limited to the 13.56 MHz technologies (such as Philips Mifare) the knowledge expands to general radio frequency knowledge and 125 KHz RFID technologies.  This resulted in knowledge of specific industry formats such as Wiegand and work with the London Oyster card.

Interests

I’m interested in networking, troubleshooting and primarily software development and software architecture; I have strived to increase my knowledge and abilities in the fields of software development as rapidly as possible.

I’m also amused by electronics and am not scared of getting an electrical meter or oscilloscope out to work out what’s going on (assuming the situation is suitable!).  I try to keep my skill set ahead of what is needed at my job and try to have a basic understanding of everything from Direct3D to SOAP to embedded development (i.e. – Windows CE/Windows Embedded/.NET compact framework) so that should I need to specialize in an area I can quickly adjust to it.  I’ve even played with writing and debugging software for ARM microprocessors.

I try to use these skills to assist the development community and am a member of numerous mailing lists and communities.  I enjoy seeing tips and articles I have written be published (Microsoft’s WindowsForms.net and developerfusion.co.uk), and maintain an online blog that still has a reasonable number of readers even though I’ve been unable to post as much as I’d prefer recently.

Although I have a specific interest in Internet technologies I also have great enjoyment from solving a problem – the harder the better.  The problem can be in any area, from network admin or hardware troubleshooting to how to do a particular process in a program or business.  I also like gadgets and their practical use in an environment.

Employment History

AA DriveTech Ltd, Basingstoke, Hampshire                   April 2010 - Present

Driver Training and Risk Management division of The AA (Acromas Group)

Contract Software Developer

• Developed FleetRiskManager on an extremely short timescale, a public facing ASP.NET MVC 2/jQuery and SQL Server 2005 risk assessment and e-learning tool for corporate driver training, risk reduction and fleet management.

Zorg Solutions Ltd, Basingstoke, Hampshire                 December 2009 - April 2010

A run-book automation specialist and bespoke software development firm

Head of Software Development (Founder)

• Software developer and designer of Zorganiser, a run-book automation and orchestration system for business that is under development
• Set up all IT services and infrastructure for the company

AMI Education, Basingstoke, Hampshire                        December 2009 – June 2010

A division of RM PLC encompassing what was EasyTrace

Technical Consultant (6 Month Contract)

• Provided technical expertise and consultancy to ease transition to a new development and support team in their new offices.
• Deployed EasyTrace system to Islington BSF to avoid significant penalty clause impact on RM PLC
• Provided hosting and services for operation of the Internet based infrastructure for the EasyTrace solution

EasyTrace, Basingstoke, Hampshire                                 July 2004 - December 2009

Now a division of RM PLC, providing smartcard and biometric based solutions for cashless and catering, access control, etc

Senior Software Developer

• Designed and worked to develop the EasyPrint product, a C++ and C# based solution to provide follow-me print services (document collection at the copier, auditing of copying and scanning at the copier).  This involved developing an embedded print console device that ran card readers and fingerprint readers using Windows Embedded to support copiers we could not run an interface on directly.  I also managed third party development contractors who developed the user interface (Java) that ran inside certain Ricoh copiers, and a contractor who worked on the original C++ components to deal with the Windows print queue.  I then subsequently took over direct maintenance of all but the Java code.
• Developed the EasyTrace SIF agent, a service complying with the Schools Interoperability Framework, a government originated standard for automated XML data exchange in schools (it creates and updates people automatically in the EasyTrace system when they were added to the schools MIS package).
• Authored automated integration processes on numerous links to third party systems, such as building management or access control systems, third party card production systems, library management systems, e-commerce payment systems and data consolidation packages like Microsoft CRM.  This involved various communications technologies from SOAP/XML Webservices, through simple CSV data to Remoting.
• Sole architect/developer of Cashless Backoffice, a multithreaded and high performance cashless catering management system with Crystal Reports/Microsoft Reporting Services reporting system that has scaled between 1 and 9000 customers (tested to handle over 30,000 customers).  This application was a plug-in host and used to manage and host UI’s for a lot of the subsequent developments by other developers but core functionality was all authored by me.
• Sole architect/developer of EasyPOS, a touch screen point of service terminal with features such as support for RFID/Mifare/Biometrics (fingerprint) and hardware auto detection.  Development was done using C# Winforms/SQL
• Sole architect/developer (and web host) of EasyTrace Online Services, a SOAP web service based service for licensing, error reporting, automatic update, electronic ordering (not payment) and report deployment.
• Architect and developer on the EasyTrace Access Control system, an ACL based physical access control system.  I designed the entire software side of the system and implemented the underlying technology such as the rules/scheduling engine and services to abstract out talking to the three types of hardware in use (proximity and two magnetic stripe based systems).  I also managed a contractor who developed the front end on top of my business libraries whilst I was doing this.
• Designed, worked with a team for the development, and then subsequently maintained EasyTrace Suite Service, a high performance, linear scalability, low overhead service for running physical equipment over TCP/IP (devices similar to ATM’s called account loaders but that receive note/coin payment and devices that charge for photocopies).  I also had to fix/help fix the firmware of the account loaders in a few situations where they were misbehaving (PIC assembly code).
• Managed all testing, versioning, differential patch compilation and deployment of all new EasyTrace software and the underlying MS SQL databases, instigating a new policy of end user/automated patching/installs rather than engineer driven installs and updates.  This was heavily client facing and involved troubleshooting issues after deployment or when engineers did not yet know how to troubleshoot something. I also provided training to engineering teams to allow them to handle support tasks.
• Project managed the technical aspects of implementation of ICT (design, procurement and configuration) in a green field site new build at Great Dunmow Primary School, Essex (small, 300 pupils).  The school was subsequently used as an example for implementation in Essex by the government.
• Sole developer on EasyHelpdesk, an internally used Winforms and MS SQL based helpdesk package with web service interface for extensibility and remote working – conforming to ISO 9001 Quality Management.

Residential Parking Solutions Ltd                                      May 2006

A start-up in the facilities management sector I provided development for

Software Developer

• Designed and implemented an enterprise smart client (C# Winforms) for tracking owners, cars and permits.  It also enabled printing bar-coded permits.
• Implemented (to a UI design by a non developer) a compact framework application for a Symbol (also compatible with Psion) PDA to scan permits through a car windshield and connect over GPRS to automatically initiate processes on the server depending on whether the permit was allowed.

Imagination, Camberley, Surrey                                       June 2004/April 2007

Web and graphic design firm

Consultant

• Provided consulting regarding Implementation, Business Logic and Web Services to provide Java interoperability using XML Webservices (SOAP) with an existing PHP code base for a multi-platform, web and GUI based development centred on a point of sale and full management information system.
• Provided maintenance services for an existing ASP (Visual Basic) and MySQL based e-commerce site.
• (April 2007) Provided maintenance for an ASP.NET based questionnaire/training site.
• Provided consultancy on the architecture of a Webservices and smart client management tool for a site.

M3i, Feltham, Middlesex                                                     June 2004

New media specialists

Independent Developer

• Designed, built, implemented and hosted the “Seeboard Energy local business awards” site (ASP.NET and MS SQL).  This included development of the database, back end, signup, nomination, voting, and administration system including the fully-fledged custom built content management system.

Collingwood College, Camberley, Surrey                       January 2001 – June 2004

One of the UK’s largest technology colleges

Senior ICT Technician

• Developed a dynamic, database driven PHP based helpdesk/asset management/contact management system to manage workload and provide extensive, integrated and referential reporting.
• Maintenance of the network, carrying out tasks varying from advanced troubleshooting and cabling to server reinstalls where necessary.  Managed/installed equipment for the 2400 users; 600 PC's, 15 servers and 50 managed switches/routers with a changing team (for six months as the sole technician and purchaser for necessary equipment).
• Technical management of several software packages such as PARS, SIMS and Sage Line 100.  This included learning and using SQL extensively whilst working with Capita to solve problems with SIMS.
• Planned for and finally migrated a Windows NT 4.0 based Domain system to Active Directory over a three day period with no affects on users; migrated the remaining Netware NDS tree to Active Directory a year later using Services for Netware and many manual techniques, again with no user visible downtime.
• Installed and managed services ranging from Apache/IIS to ISA Server (and Squid) and SQL Server 2000.
• Implementation of a robust WINS/DNS/DHCP infrastructure with multiple points of service.  Also implemented multi-homed internet access via routed BT and NTL leased lines.

KAMSolutions Ltd, London                                                 August 2000

Web Design and Development Company

Independent Developer

• Built a Java based web game 'click-the-bucket'
• Made modifications to a database driven billing system and interface to a merchant account.

Education

Collingwood College Camberley, Surrey                                                1994-2001

• Nine, grade A*-C GCSE passes in all subjects including IT and Electronics.
• Computing and Physics A-Levels.

I am considering an Open University course in Computer Science at some point in the future.

References

Direct Manager:- Tim Haynes Development Director EasyTrace/AMI Education Ltd (RM PLC subsidiary) New Mill House 183 Milton Park, Abingdon Oxfordshire OX14 4SE	Character References:- Tim Baker Ex-Managing Director of EasyTrace Larkford House Church Hill Lover Wiltshire SP5 2PL
Adrian Burt Managing Director EasyTrace/AMI Education Ltd (RM PLC subsidiary) New Mill House 183 Milton Park, Abingdon Oxfordshire OX14 4SE	Jerry Oddie Principal Collingwood College Kingston Road Camberley Surrey GU154AE