Steph Simpson

Driven Solutions Consultant with 14 years of experience in VMware implementation and maintenance. Proven history of managing complex infrastructures and data center operations. Expert in solutions-oriented business application problem-solving and dedicated to providing best-in-class service. Skilled at troubleshooting, communication, and collaboration.

VMware Consultant 04/2023

Steph Simpson Consulting, North Bay, Ontario

• Provide technical leadership and guidance in the installation, configuration and implementation of VMware products and technologies, such as VMware Horizon, vCenter and vSphere products.
• Architecting and designing enterprise level IT architectural solutions utilizing VMware's core virtualization offerings (vSphere/vCenter, Horizon Suite)
• Plan, design, build & deliver core infrastructure solutions.
• Solving client problems for the betterment of the client and the advancements of VMware
• Contributing to the progression of the Professional Services team by advising best practices and delivering the best possible solutions
• Assisting with VMware Assessment, Analysis and Recommendations for all components within client VM environments
• VMware Migration planning and implementations
• Provide VMware Horizon sustainment opportunities:
  • Services to migrate end users from old to new environment.
  • Configure and Support VDI Pools, Published Applications, RDSH Farms
  • Troubleshoot issues.
  • Problem investigations.
  • Root Cause Analysis. 
  • Optimizing the VDI environments.
  • Document issues and solution articles.
  • Maintain inventory and current knowledge of relevant software applications. 
  • Participate and contribute to monthly platform maintenance.
  • Look for opportunities and identify improvement areas.
  • Patch Management (Gold Image, AppStack).
  • Support customers with additional VDI Components (DEM, App Volumes) where necessary.
  • Performance Management and Monitoring.
  • Log Management.
  • Knowledge Transfer to designated personnel.
  • Documentation currency (quarterly).

VMware Consultant 08/2021

• Provide technical leadership and guidance in the installation, configuration and implementation of VMware products and technologies, such as VMware Horizon, vCenter and vSphere products.
• Architecting and designing enterprise level IT architectural solutions utilizing VMware's core virtualization offerings (vSphere/vCenter, Horizon Suite)
• Plan, design, build & deliver core infrastructure solutions.
• Solving client problems for the betterment of the client and the advancements of VMware
• Contributing to the progression of the Professional Services team by advising best practices and delivering the best possible solutions
• Assisting with VMware Assessment, Analysis and Recommendations for all components within client VM environments
• VMware Migration planning and implementations

• Responsible for virtualization products including Virtual Infrastructure and vSphere products such as VMware ESX, VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) from 4.1 to 7.x
• Support vCenter and plugins; Converter and Update Manager products
• Deployment and installation of vCenter and ESXi and focus on virtualizing a wide variety of operating systems including Windows platforms.
• Resolve technical issues relating to vSphere and ESXi, networking, storage, system operations through log diagnosis, lab reproduction, troubleshooting, and root cause analysis.
• Assess and troubleshoot the integration of vSphere products such as vCenter server with associated database and the connectivity between management agents across the various virtual machines/hosts.
• Provided leveraging virtualization features such as High Availability, DRS, EVC and cluster-based features that provide for enhanced resource utilization and minimize resource contention
• Performed P2V, V2V P2P migration activities in VMWare.
• Installed, Configured and administration of VMWare Horizon environment.
• Microsoft Windows & Active Directory Services
• Participated in complete system builds, upgrades, migrations, and patch management.
• Maintain and manage the OU, user accounts and groups.
• Created and configured sites and subnets using AD Sites & Services
• Configured replication topology with connection objects and site links.
• Participated in complete system builds, upgrades, migrations, and patch management.
• Installed and managed AD Domain Services, Domain Controllers (DCs), DNS and DHCP
• Created and managed domain, sites, OUs, users, groups and assigned permissions.
• Installed, configured, and managed Terminal Services
• Installed, Manage and support Windows 2003/2008/2008R2/2012/2016 Servers and Active Directory
• Monitored Server health with monitoring tools.
• Implemented DFS (Distributed File System) and Group Policies for applications.
• Configured and monitored ADDS Replication
• Deployed Windows 7 & 10 for multiple desktops, Laptops and configured remote devices.
• Implemented and Monitor the Exchange Server 2016 Environment (DAG,CAS,Hub Transport)
• Performed troubleshooting with ICMP and SNMP, telnet and TS tools
• Managed backup Record and Recovery tasks using Dell Rapid Recovery
• Deploy, Configuring ADS, Server Roles, IIS, RDP, Terminal Services
• Installed, configured, and approved updates for various client machines by using WSUS in a network environment.
• Worked with Dell desktops and servers and storage.
• Configure and monitor usage on the Storage Area Network (EMC Unity and Dell Compellent 8200)
• Create New Volumes and RAID groups.
• Day to day File server storage and archive monitoring.

Canadore College, North Bay, ON

Diploma, Computer Systems Technology

Certifications

• ITIL Foundation Certified
• VMware vSphere 6.7 Foundations (VCP)
• VMware Certified Professional - Data Center Virtualization 2023 (VCP-DCV 2023)
• VMware Certified Professional - Desktop Management 2021 (VCP-DTM)
• VMware Certified Professional - Desktop Management 2023 (VCP-DTM)