Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Generic

James S. Kastner

Crestview,FL

Summary

Systems administrator with deep expertise in AIX management and hybrid cloud implementations. Adept at automating system processes and enhancing system reliability through innovative solutions. Committed to fostering collaboration across teams while ensuring the seamless integration of advanced technologies into user environments.

Overview

31
31
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Rectitude369
05.2022 - Current
  • Administered AIX systems, ensuring optimal performance and reliability
  • Provided comprehensive support for hardware, software, and OS on IBM Power systems and HMC
  • Managed OS support tasks including upgrades, patching, configuration, tuning, backups, and log management
  • Implemented hybrid cloud solutions for infrastructure enhancement
  • Storage Engineer for Infrastructure Team

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Protek Consulting - GDT
07.2021 - 04.2022
  • Managed AIX systems administration tasks
  • Supported hardware, software, and OS for IBM Power systems and HMC, ensuring operational integrity and reliability
  • Managed OS support tasks including upgrades, patching, configuration, tuning backups, and log management to maintain system performance
  • Executed hybrid cloud implementation strategies to enhance system scalability and flexibility
  • Storage Engineer for Infrastructure Team

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Eliassen - T Rowe Price
07.2018 - 06.2021
  • Solaris 10/11 Systems Administration
  • Patch Solaris using Oracle Enterprise Ops Center. Develop and maintain scripts that integrate ksh and Ops Center Command Line Interface (OCCLI) to ensure standardization and automated deployment;
  • Provide Solaris 10/11 vulnerability remediation /management;
  • Manage services on Solaris 10/11 and Linux;
  • Facilitate data migration projects on SAN and NFS filesystems;
  • Document complex procedures clearly for technical and non-technical audiences;
  • Troubleshoot errors using Oracle to open and manage support tickets;
  • Maintain scripts to implement Disaster Recovery Exercises;
  • Linux Systems Administration
  • Adjust systems configuration using VSphere
  • Oversaw startup and shutdown processes for systems to ensure optimal performance.
  • Oversee storage migration from EMC to Dell Isilon
  • Spectrum Monitoring (CA/Broadcom) SME
  • Managed highly customized Spectrum systems, including creation of Perl scripts and EventDisp files.
  • Maintain email alerts for SNMP traps;
  • Coordinate with other members of the Spectrum team to assure a robust and reliable alert monitoring system;
  • Troubleshoot errors and open / manage support tickets with CA/Broadcom;
  • Systems Security
  • Utilize Tenable and SNOW to manage system vulnerabilities;

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Infozen/ManTech - SPEDI Contract for DHS USCIS - SPEDI Project
11.2016 - 06.2018
  • Oversaw Solaris 10/11 environments, enhancing system stability and reliability.
  • Executed updates and patches to operating systems, maintaining high performance levels.
  • Managed system resources, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.
  • Collaborated with DBA's for migration, builds, and patching;
  • Established automation of system admin activities.
  • Built and maintained LDOM/CDOM and global/local zones;
  • Assisted DBAs with Oracle database RAC configuration to maximize availability and enable horizontal scalability;
  • Automated system monitoring via New Relic and Splunk;
  • Facilitated flexible and reliable IT services utilizing RHES Vmware vSphere;

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Five 9 Group, Inc. - Contractor for SAIC DHS USCIS - Transformation Project
12.2011 - 11.2016
  • Leveraged all aspects of AIX management including LPAR, VIOS and HMC design, installation, tuning, configuration and maintenance;
  • Enabled installation, configuration, maintenance, and tuning of Power HA to ensure high availability;
  • Established automation through NIM and SUMA;
  • Analyzed system logs and identified potential system issues;
  • Applied operating system updates, patches, and configuration enhancements;
  • Ensured parity between dev, test and production environments;
  • Managed user account information and provided troubleshooting assistance to users as requested;
  • Ensured system security and maintained up-to-date system configuration documentation for operational integrity;
  • Coordinated with networking and DBA teams to enhance system availability and optimize performance tuning;

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Evolver, Inc. - Contractor for IBM DHS USCIS - Transformation Project
08.2010 - 12.2011
  • Managed Unix servers in diverse environments, including p780's with lpars in power 6 compatibility mode, facilitating COTS compatibility;
  • Automated installation and configuration of COTs on AIX platform, streamlining deployment of Informatica, OBIEE, and Oracle DBS;
  • Provided tier 3 support across multiple environments, ensuring system reliability and performance;
  • Collaborated with system administrators to implement best practices in server management.

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Nannatek - Contractor for IBM - US Census Project
05.2009 - 08.2010
  • Focus Technology Consulting contract expired in a contract to perm role. Brought on with Nannatek - same duties / responsibilities as listed below.
  • Administer Unix systems to ensure optimal performance and stability.
  • Manage user accounts and access controls for security compliance.
  • Monitor system logs to identify and resolve potential issues promptly.

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Focus Technology Consulting - Contractor for IBM - US Census Project
05.2008 - 05.2009
  • Designed, implemented, and maintained a server environment using firstboot and jython scripts, enabling rapid, reliable, and repeatable deployments from an updatable golden image across Nim, http, WebSphere stack, and database servers from bare metal;
  • Executed systems administration functions for p5-570s managed by HMC, ensuring optimal performance and availability;
  • Designed, documented, implemented, tested and maintained the SAN storage DS4700;
  • Led WebSphere administration and DBA infrastructure tasks, enhancing operational effectiveness within the team;
  • Fulfilled Operations team lead;

Systems Architect

Convergenz - Contractor for Unisys, Reston, VA
01.2008 - 05.2008
  • Designed and built suspense tracking system to email reminders to assignees about deliverable tasks, notifying management of deadline failures and maintaining performance review history. Built on Perl and CGI for compatibility between IIS and Linux/Apache, ensuring rapid deployment and replication.
  • Enhanced syslog functionality for SBInet project by collaborating with team members to identify and implement improvements.
  • Consolidated servers as part of IPV6 initiative at HHS by relocating them to updated network equipment, removing unused equipment from datacenter, and migrating applications to more reliable servers.
  • Developed plan for effective test environment to validate IPV6 traffic traversal through HHS core network.
  • Worked with the team to install load balancers onto the ITSC Portal.

Sr. Systems Administrator

First Place - Contractor for Wachovia Bank, Baltimore, MD
12.2006 - 12.2007
  • Provided system admin duties for over 350 unix systems including AIX, Solaris, HP-UX and Linux.
  • Designed and implemented the roll-out of several updates including migrating all TSM traffic to a dedicated subnet, updating Java across the board to comply with the DST change requirements and the installation of Tivoli Endpoints;
  • Participated in on-call pager rotation, troubleshot issues and executed corrective actions;
  • Conducted root cause analyses to identify underlying issues.
  • Implemented servers for SS LOB initiatives, documenting infrastructure recovery plans and operations procedures.
  • Updated managers/team leaders on progress and issues; collaborated with team members and business partners to ensure alignment;
  • Worked with Powerpath, TSM, Autosys, HMCs, NIM, Oracle, WebSphere, Reveleus;

Sr. Systems Administrator

G1440 - Contractor for Legg Mason, Owings Mills, MD
12.2005 - 12.2006
  • Maintained 150+ production, failover, QA, and development servers, adhering to strict change management processes.
  • Engaged daily with users and stakeholders, utilizing solid systems engineering best practices for the deployment of complete, scalable business systems.
  • Designed and implemented systems by researching user needs and delivering the server to production and the support team.
  • Maintained over 150 production, failover, QA, and development servers while adhering to a strict change management process.
  • Deployed and customized 68 Sunfire v490 servers using jumpstart and flash archive to expedite and standardize the build process, ensuring all servers were built to Solaris 9.
  • Rapidly deployed and customized numerous AIX servers using NIM.
  • Upgraded AIX servers using an alternate disk migration technique to enhance reliability and simplify failback.
  • Installed and configured TSM backup client for UNIX servers.
  • Maintained and configured Autosys client and performed job maintenance.
  • Developed and maintained scripts to automate processes using ksh, csh, bash, sh and Perl.
  • Worked closely with developers and project management to build out an effective Business Objects environment on AIX.
  • Supported the Technology Support Center with tier 3 UNIX support.
  • Worked with teams of developers and users to identify problems and engineer solid reliable solutions.
  • Prepared and delivered project proposals.
  • Maintained comprehensive documentation of new and refined procedures through use of an internal wiki site.
  • Mentored junior administrators.
  • Maintained configuration and maintenance of partitioned systems (p570) including dynamic resource maintenance and HMC maintenance;

Systems Administrator

Lockheed Martin - Contractor for USDA, Greenbelt, MD
06.2005 - 12.2005
  • Administration of AIX on IBM hardware includes installing, configuring, monitoring, troubleshooting and maintenance of all servers running the AIX Operating System to ensure optimal operation of servers and installed applications.
  • Ensured optimal performance of all servers by proactively conducting ongoing performance monitoring and tuning as necessary.
  • Hardened OS on all AIX servers by implementing best practices for system security and performance.
  • Maintained all servers by performing maintenance patching and application upgrades.
  • Enhanced functionality of system by developing and modifying UNIX scripts to automate system processes.
  • Ensured applications are effectively set-up on the server by installing the application and by conducting application availability testing.
  • Developed optimal server infrastructure for new applications by researching and recommending appropriate hardware/software technologies.
  • Reviewed and implemented server policies to ensure security integrity across all systems.

Systems Administrator

National Welders Supply Co., Inc., Charlotte, NC
03.2000 - 06.2005

Network Administrator

Bay Technologies, Inc., Mobile, AL
01.2000 - 02.2000

Systems Administrator

The Finch Companies, Inc., Mobile, AL
02.1995 - 01.2000

Education

B.S. - Computer Information Science

University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL
08-1994

Skills

  • AIX administration
  • IBM Power systems
  • Red Hat management
  • Solaris support
  • High availability solutions
  • HACMP solutions
  • Veritas clustering
  • SAN administration
  • Cross-platform integration
  • LPAR configurations
  • LDOM/CDOM virtualization
  • Zones management
  • vSphere virtualization
  • KornShell scripting
  • Bash scripting
  • C shell scripting
  • Python programming

Certification

• Nvidia NCA-AIIO
• AIX System Administration I, II -- IBM
• AIX System Administration III, IV -- Right Source
• AIX Security I Host-Based -- Right Source
• AIX Security II Network-Based -- Right Source
• AIX Korn Shell Programming -- Right Source
• AIX Perl Programming -- Right Source
• Red Hat Systems Administration -- Right Source

Timeline

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Rectitude369
05.2022 - Current

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Protek Consulting - GDT
07.2021 - 04.2022

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Eliassen - T Rowe Price
07.2018 - 06.2021

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Infozen/ManTech - SPEDI Contract for DHS USCIS - SPEDI Project
11.2016 - 06.2018

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Five 9 Group, Inc. - Contractor for SAIC DHS USCIS - Transformation Project
12.2011 - 11.2016

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Evolver, Inc. - Contractor for IBM DHS USCIS - Transformation Project
08.2010 - 12.2011

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Nannatek - Contractor for IBM - US Census Project
05.2009 - 08.2010

Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator

Focus Technology Consulting - Contractor for IBM - US Census Project
05.2008 - 05.2009

Systems Architect

Convergenz - Contractor for Unisys, Reston, VA
01.2008 - 05.2008

Sr. Systems Administrator

First Place - Contractor for Wachovia Bank, Baltimore, MD
12.2006 - 12.2007

Sr. Systems Administrator

G1440 - Contractor for Legg Mason, Owings Mills, MD
12.2005 - 12.2006

Systems Administrator

Lockheed Martin - Contractor for USDA, Greenbelt, MD
06.2005 - 12.2005

Systems Administrator

National Welders Supply Co., Inc., Charlotte, NC
03.2000 - 06.2005

Network Administrator

Bay Technologies, Inc., Mobile, AL
01.2000 - 02.2000

Systems Administrator

The Finch Companies, Inc., Mobile, AL
02.1995 - 01.2000

B.S. - Computer Information Science

University of South Alabama

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James S. Kastner