John Steele
Summary of Qualifications
John Steele is a retired Information Technology Specialist who has
in-depth skills across the IT industry. This has knowledge has been
acquired through working for over 50 years in the industry.
Recent work has been mainly in the defence sector where his broad
knowledge base enables a unique insight into security issues, especially
at the network and security layers. He has experience in both hardware
and software design and implementation as well as working with security
accreditors to achieve an accreditable design in systems that carry a
high protective marking.
The level of detail about projects and clients below is constrained by
confidentiality considerations due to the nature of the work undertaken.
Professional Qualifications
| Current Certifications |
Year |
| BSc Hons Electrical Engineering |
1963 |
| Member of British Computer Society (MBCS) |
1991 |
| Chartered Engineer (CEng) |
1998 |
| Chartered IT Professional (CITP) |
2003 |
Technical Expertise
| Area |
Years |
| Hardware design |
25 |
| Operating system kernel design/implementation |
5 |
| Network Architecture/implementation |
40+ |
| Software design and implementation |
40+ |
| System Architectures |
20+ |
| Computer manufacturer |
14 |
| Financial market (Trading room) system architecture |
7 |
| Defence Sector systems design |
20 |
| Software/systems/security consultancy |
20+ |
Education
| Where |
When |
| Manchester Grammar School |
1954 to 1960 |
| Manchester University |
1960 to 1963 |
Specific Technical Skills
| Area |
Years |
| Familiar with the Cabinet office Security Policy Framework and
particularly with the related topic of Auditing and Protective
Monitoring |
10 |
| Expertise with TEMPEST threats and related protective measures |
20 |
| Networking, including secure design for LAN, WAN, and satellite
communications for commercial and military applications, and
problem investigation |
40+ |
| Visualisation of both Server and Desktop using mainly VMWare |
8 |
| Automation of VMWare environment deployment using PowerShell |
3 |
| Windows Operating Systems from Windows 1 onward |
30 |
| Software development tools e.g. Visual Studio |
20 |
| Familiarity with most of the current programming languages
including C, C++, C#, Python, Java etc. |
25 |
| Knowledge of XML/XLST technology |
10 |
-
| Relevant Project Expertise |
Years |
| Large Defence system project delivery |
20 |
| Finance sector project delivery |
10 |
-
| Relevant Industry Expertise |
Years |
| Computer manufacturer |
15 |
| Special hardware and software design |
10 |
| Defence contracts |
20 |
| Finance sector |
7 |
Relevant Project Experience
Contract with HP from June 2014 to retirement at end of 2018
Role = Network/Security Architect
The system was operated as a managed service to the government
department. The design contract was via a managed service provider.
- The role was to work with the existing system operation team to
design and manage the implementation of the network enhancements for
an existing IL4 system which is being expanded to a further 30 sites
and extended to access additional external services over the xGSi.
This a follow on to the previous contract.
- The objective was to facilitate migration to a Tier 2 system under
the new protective marking scheme which has now been implemented.
- The WAN bearer was be capable of using ADSL as a low cost solution
where this level of availability can be accepted by the local business
community. Some sites will use conventional leased circuits where the
business needs the higher level of assured availability.
- The documentation set was updated to incorporate this and some
earlier changes in preparation for accreditation and testing prior to
acceptance.
- The role included working with the CLAS consultant to update the
RMADS
- The design was successfully presented to the end customer and to
their accreditor for their approval prior to entering live service
Contract with HP from Jan 2014 to Feb 2014
Role = Network/Security Architect
Network design enhancement for a proposed major expansion to a current
IL4 Government system
- The task was to consider and compare system and network options for
adding a new group of users to an existing important IL4 system and to
address the conflicting needs for minimal cost, fast deployment, and
system availability while maintaining appropriate levels of
confidentiality within the existing system.
- The options were presented as a change proposal to the existing and
new stakeholders by the managed service provider
- The design concept was developed and then discussed with the end
user stakeholders and agreement with the approach obtained in
principle before the options were finalised
- The system high level designs were updated to be ready for
deployment once approval has been given
- The system design was prepared in conjunction with, and accepted by,
the project's CLAS consultant
HP internal project from Sep 2012 to Oct 2013
Role = Technical/Security Architect
Technical consultancy on Security for an internal IT IL3 system
accredited for connection to government networks
- Provide advice on system design to meet project security objectives
to the design team as required
- Provide detailed technical review of design documents as part of the
Security Approval process
- Contribute to the security documentation prepared for accreditation
- Design of Protective monitoring solution (ArcSight) together with HP
SME
- Documentation of existing Lenel building access system design and to
design remedial action to mitigate certain security risks with current
installation identified during this process
HP for government contract from Oct 2011 to Aug 2012
Role = Technical/Security Architect
Thin client/VDI Desktop system for a sensitive government system
- Network design and consultancy including major review and update of
the network design documentation identifying a number of security
issues that need to be addressed especially in the network management
area
- General security consultancy to project on VDI, Windows and general
architecture issues
HP for government contract from Feb 2011 to Oct 2011
Role = Technical/System implementation
Automation of AppV sequencing for applications that support “silent
install” using a standard installer. This process also requires
programmatic interaction with VMWare ESX to control virtual machines and
was implemented using PowerShell.
HP as consultant to government client from Dec 2009 to Feb 2011
Role = Technical/Security Architect
Prototype/proof of concept of a design using thin client solution to
deliver streaming video/web access from remote resources with varying
security/reputation challenges across a common network
EDS/ATLAS consortium at Reading and then Hook from Dec 2008 to Dec
2009
Role: System and Network Architect
Responsibilities
- Delivery of classified system design overview document
- Design/delivery of in-house system to support classified Office
Automation plus Development and Integration support.
- Member of Central Engineering team supporting delivery teams
EDS member of bid team to government department from Dec 2007 to May
2008
Role: network/security lead
Responsibilities
- Design of visualization solution, infrastructure, implementation of
demonstrations
- Proposal material for above
EDS - Delivery of urgent operational requirement for MoD from Nov 2006
to May 2008
Role: Technical Architect
Responsibilities
- Liaise with NATO on technical solution to ensure accreditation
including documentation of solution
- Technical direction of implementation team to deliver working
solution in short time
- Implementation of virtual network for reference system including
simulated encrypted SATCOM communications
- Design of visualised reference rig used for development in support
of team on-site in "Theatre"
- Provide remote technical support to our volunteer installation team
working in several potentially dangerous operational areas
Operational system comprising initially three resilient interconnected
sites supporting initially 700 rugged workstations and fully integrated
into the NATO HQ was fully installed in "Theatre" in under 5 months and
received commendation from UK government department as an "exemplar
project"
Prior to EDS
BT Syntegra From 1992 to 2005 (2003-2005 as contractor)
Bid for SCOPE project
Role: Technical Leadership
Responibilities
- Audit and accounting
- Network Architecture
- Windows Security (working with other consortia members)
Bid and Implementation for Land Systems Reference Centre at Blandford
Role: Technical Leadership
Responsibilities
- Design of TEMPEST infrastructure
- Design of specialised monitoring tools
- working with subcontractors assisting with their implementation
- Required detailed knowledge of military versions of protocols
Soroban Systems Ltd From 1990 to 1992 and 2003 to 2005
Role: Principal Consultant
Consultancy services to a number of clients including BT, DrumGrange, Berkshire County Council including security
documentation, implementation of software for a prototype for a bid etc.
Data Logic From 1976 to 1990
Role: Chief Engineer of Engineering division, consultant to sales team for delaing room nids to financial
institutions and then Resident Technical
Support Manager based in Tokyo
Responsibilities
- Design of coommunicatons device to relaibly communicate with remote dairt sites for Express Dairy
- Design of a portable computer to be used for stocktaking by Allied Breweries in manages public houses
-
Design of a bar code scanner as a low cost alternative for small linraries using a BBC Micro as the platform
- Initially detailed hardware and software design of dealing room system
and then for the continued development to a networked solution delivering data to dealers in real time. This
went from an initial project delivering 70 dealing positions to become a £40m Per Annum Business. Finally
providing the Technical interface to Japanese business partner in Tokyo
>Computer Technology from 1970 to 1976
Role: Initially joined as a hardware desing engineer but became Team Lead and design authority for the Operating
System Kernel team
Responsibilities
- Design of their Magnetic tape controllor for the Modular One range of CTL computers
- Joined their E4 Operating System kernel team to implement Disk drive supprt and then add paging capablity to
their OS
-
Became leader of the E4 team and took the E4 operating system through several revisions and enhancements to a
stable product supporting in one case up to 70 concurrent interactive users with a maximum memory caoacity of
224 KILO bytes (text only of course)
- Designed and implemented an Index Sequential Filing System to support an emerging transaction processing
market
Ferranti from 1963 to 1970
Role: Initially a junior engineer (first job) then a more senior engineer with responsibilty for most standard
peripherals (printers, punches, card and paper tape readers and the Magnetic Tape controller. Our division in
Ferranti provided Industrial Process Control computers building on their success in the Bloodhound military system
Responsibilities
- Argus 400 logic design - one of the worlds first integrated circuit computers and my first ever logic design
- Evaluated and selected all peripheral devices used for the Argus range (Argus 400, 500, 600 and intial Argus
700 computers) up until 1970 and designed the controller to interface these to the standard interface bus -
Interface A
- With a colleague, designed an IBM comatible Magnetic Tape Controller
-
Provided last escalation path for service calls from sites. Ferranti provided a fast escalation path for
problems on site that culd bring a process plant to a halt.
A servce engineer would visit site, if they could not identify the cause in 2 hours their supervisor went to
site. If the problem was not fixed in a further 4 hours the design authority went to site. In most cases that
was me! I went to site three times. In two cases there had been a last minute extension to the system and the
installation rules had not been followed. I was able to implement a suitable properly engineered solution. In
the third case I deputised for another group and found a flaw in their design. I implemented a workaround on the
customer site leaving a working system but the backplane on the equipment needed to be redesigned.