Tom Malaher, MASc

Calgary, Alberta, Canada
+1 (403) 701-1024
email me

Work Experience

 

2003-Present

TELUS Communications Co.

Calgary Alberta
Information Technology Outsourcing

Sr. Technology Consultant

Data Center Shared Services, Event Management Group
  • Integrated AWS CloudWatch monitoring with on-premises BMC TrueSight platform
  • Integrated Google Cloud Monitoring (a.k.a. StackDriver) with on-premisis BMC TrueSight platform
  • Developed Puppet module for installing the BMC Patrol Agent
  • Developed user-friendly control panel for a self-service interface to a Pay-as-you-go Infrastructure-as-a-Service product offering (VMWare VCenter Orchestrator, VMWare vCloud Director, Appian, Oracle, WebLogic)
  • Developed event processing rules in MRL for BMC BEM (a.k.a. BPPM/TrueSight). This includes a custom integration from BEM to BMC Remedy ARS.
  • Installed and configured BMC Atrium Orchestrator (BAO), BMC IT Data Analytics (ITDA), and other BMC products
  • Developed custom data display for BMC Performance Manager Portal in Java/JSP using Apache Tomcat web server.
  • Managed departmental intranet web site implemented in Perl with Mason templating library and with Java J2EE technologies (JSP, Servlets, Taglibs).
  • Implemented automated processes for configuring, managing and tracking a large number of servers with BMC Patrol monitoring software installed.
  • Installed and configured Subversion software for managing changes to source code.
  • Created self service web pages where system administrators and other internal teams can query and update information about servers being monitored
  • Implemented Key Performance Indicator Dashboard to allow at-a-glance view of important metrics showing the volume of activity and quality of work of the group. (Perl, Java, Oracle DB, Sybase, XML, XSLT)
  • Installed and Configured BugZilla software for tracking bugs in internal and third-party software. Transitioned to Atlassian Jira.
  • Installed and configured Subversion software for managing changes to source code.
  • Installed BMC Atrium Orchestrator (BAO, previously known as RealOps Automation Management Platform (AMP) and used it to develop workflows to integrate with Appian BPM, BMC Remedy, HP OpenView, VMWare VCenter, and BMC ITSM.
  • Implemented multiple back-end integrations required to ensure data consistency between legacy systems.
Managed WorkPlace
  • Developed automated build process for custom developed software (in Java) using Ant and Eclipse.
  • Re-implemented existing data display software to improve performance (Java Data Models, SQL Queries)
  • Implemented display of current status of Wireless LAN using Cisco WLSE (Wi-Fi base station management appliance) using Web Services (XML, XSLT, SOAP, WSDL, Apache Axis)
  • Refined and extended software to bridge from HP OpenView to BMC Remedy and BMC Patrol
  • Installed and Configured BugZilla software for tracking bugs
  • Installed and configured CVS software for managing changes to source code.

Senior Software Architect / Developer

1996-2003

Seurat Co. (formerly XOR Inc.)

Boulder, Colorado
Internet Application Development

 

Seurat was a Precision Marketing/Customer Relationship Management, Outsourcing and Web development firm which hosted and developed web sites for many large, well-known clients across the United States.
  • Interact with clients to define needs for web-based applications
  • Design, implement, document and test applications using HTML, JavaScript, Perl, CGI, SQL Databases, and Java to provide interaction, customization and database access
  • Developed tools to assist in the management of web sites
  • Developed tools to allow clients to update their own web sites without needing to know HTML
  • Developed libraries of useful routines for use on multiple sites including automated faxing and membership self-registration
  • Developed a simple way to add full-text searching to a web site
Data Warehouse Project
  • As part of a 2-4 person team, re-implemented a system using Java and Oracle to import customer data into a data warehouse, for use by precision marketing/customer relationship management systems, mailing lists, and marketing campaign analysis tools. Task included system design, data and object modeling, implementation, testing and documentation.
hach.com
  • Requirements definition, architecture design, software design for a re-implementation of Hach's e-commerce web site. Re-implementation to be done with IBM's WebSphere Commerce Suite 5.4 with DB2. Development with VisualAge for Java. Back-end integration to be done with MQ Everyplace. (Project placed on hold due to client re-prioritization)
newstreets.net
  • Designed, implemented, coordinated and supervised the construction of a large portal web site. Implemented using Perl, Java, iPlanet Portal Server, and Oracle 8i on Solaris. Did extensive performance and load testing in order to determine capability of site to respond to potentially large numbers of users. (Access to site requires username and password). Extensive use was made of Alteon load balancing hardware to distribute load across multiple instances of iPlanet Portal Server. However, in the course of implementing the load-balancing solution, bugs (or undocumented behavior) in the Alteon session-awareness algorithms caused difficulties which required substantial changes to the login sequence of the portal.
agbridge.com
  • Designed, implemented, coordinated and supervised the construction of a large e-commerce web site. Implemented using Java, ATG Dynamo and Oracle 8i on Solaris. (Access to site requires username and password)
VisionPort project
  • Designed and implemented a system in Perl and Java to collect performance, financial and other data from web servers, databases and other sources and present it in a user-friendly summarized fashion.
  • Concept was eventually patented as US Patent 7188169
E-commerce Site
  • Designed, implemented, coordinated and supervised the construction of an e-commerce web site. Implemented using Java Server Pages (JSP), JSP Tag Extension Libraries, Enterprise JavaBeans, BEA Weblogic and Oracle 8i on Windows NT, Linux and Solaris. (Project cancelled due to client re-prioritization)
Vitamins.com
  • Designed, implemented, coordinated and supervised the construction of a large e-commerce web site. Implemented using Perl and Oracle 8i on Linux
  • Designed processes for export and import of data to and from other back-end systems, including product data import and order data export to fulfillment system.
Wholefoods Market
  • Implemented a Perl extension module in C to interface with the Taxware libraries, to allow the shopping cart software to calculate sales taxes correctly in each state
  • Created page templates in StoryServer's TCL dialect  to generate pages on the site
HealthSmart Vitamins / Bioenergy Nutrients (Amrion)
  • Implemented a system in Perl to take spreadsheets representing the product catalog data and create a set of web-based catalog pages
  • Modified XOR's standard Perl-based shopping cart software to implement various complex discounting schemes to be applied to the contents of a user's cart
Illinois Capacitor
  • Created a process to convert Access database of individual capacitors into a set of web pages and index pages
  • Created search engine that searches for partial part numbers
  • Created "wish list" that allows a user to ask for samples of specific capacitors
California Almond Board

Public relations web site implemented in Perl on BSD/OS

  • Created on-line questionnaire to personalize a fitness regimen, delivered step by step by the web site
  • Created systems to allow Almond Board personnel to create recipes and press releases, using CGI forms to prompt for structured information which is inserted into templates for delivery to web site users
  • Enabled searching the Trade&Handler database, created a process to update this database via the uploading of an Access database to the web site through a password-protected web page.
JetPlane, MedPlanet, MedSales
  • Designed and implemented classified ad (for sale/wanted) and on-line auction e-commerce systems using Perl, CyberCash (real-time credit card payments) and mSQL/mySQL
Consumer's Car Club
  • Customized the generic Perl-based membership registration process developed for XOR to meet the client's specific needs
  • Used Netscape Commerce server for secure transmission of loan application information
  • Wrote Perl scripts to present two different views of the same content, depending upon the source of the request, for each Web site page and CGI script
  • Developed system in Perl to log and transfer registration information to client's systems for insertion into their databases
Express (Clothing Store)
  • Wrote Perl script to create coupons with unique ID numbers, and log demographic data about requestors
  • Wrote Perl script to allow users to enter an essay writing contest
  • Wrote Perl scripts to allow users to send electronic postcards via email; allows the postcard to be sent up to a week after the request is entered. Information on each request is logged for demographic analysis and client billing
Globus & Cosmos (Travel)
  • Customized Perl scripts for membership registration process
  • Developed Perl scripts to process requests from a Travel Brochure request form; request is faxed or FTP'd to client; the list of available brochures is generated from an easily-maintained flat file
LifeCareNet (Employee Health Services)
  • Wrote Perl scripts to present customized content depending upon source of request; content visible to each user is customizable by the client, based on what the user has paid to see
  • Customized full-text searching scripts to allow finer control over documents searched
Summit Online
  • Developed Perl scripts to allow complex HTML pages to be created by simply filling out forms; pages are automatically linked into various indices and into "next/previous" links on each page
Rocky Mountain Materials Exchange
  • Customized Perl scripts for membership registration process
The Sporting News
  • Implemented the Beat the Bracket contest in Perl to allow players to guess the winners of the 1997 NCAA Basketball playoffs. Modified and re-installed the game for 1998, and 1999
  • Implemented numerous other polls, questionnaires, and contests
Times Mirror Magazines
  • Developed Resort Profiler script for Golf Magazine
  • Developed GearFinder 97 script and ski conditions reporting for Ski/Skiing Magazines
  • Developed APS Camera Finder script for Popular Science
  • Developed Best of What's New 96 poll/contest entry scripts for PopSci. Modified and re-installed the system for 1997 and 1998
  • Implemented weather reports for multiple magazine sites
  • Implemented polls, contests and classified ads systems for multiple magazine sites
Ultimate Electronics
  • Developed Perl scripts for a coupon request form, which also presented maps of the locations of the closest stores

Director

1994-Present

NetStart Consulting Ltd.

Calgary, Alberta
Internet Consulting, Software Development

System Administrator / Developer

1996-1998

Banff Centre for the Arts

Banff, Alberta
Media and Visual Arts Department

 

  • Worked with artists to create various web-based installations requiring the use of HTML, Perl, CGI, Java, JavaScript, C, and VRML
  • Assisted with technical setup and tear down for various courses and conferences at the Banff Centre
  • Assisted with the teaching of a VRML Course

Internet Consultant / Developer

1996-2003

Brent Friedenberg Associates

(now GLJ Publications) Calgary, Alberta
Energy Economists

 

Brent Friedenberg Associates/GLJ publish newsletters about the oil and gas industry

  • Selected Internet Provider, configured Macintosh and Windows connectivity, registered domain name, configured web server, installed initial web site content
  • Implemented subscriber access using DBM database and web server security features
  • Implemented subscriber-only access to a CGI-based database query of BFA's historical economic data using HTML forms and Perl 5.0. Output format can be selected: graph, table or spreadsheet-compatible text file.
  • Developed process for creation and uploading of newsletters in Adobe PDF format
  • Trained staff in HTML authoring, Adobe Acrobat, Fetch (FTP), Eudora (E-Mail), and subscriber database update
  • Migrated web site to a new Internet Provider
  • Interacted with Graphic Designer to create new look for site, and integrate look into both static and dynamic content, for a consistent look and feel.

Internet Consultant

1995-1998

Logical Solutions

Calgary, Alberta
Large Calgary-based bulletin board system

 

  • Unix setup: installed NetBSD, Sendmail, Perl on Intel Hardware
  • Internet setup: registered domain name, configured router, installed NCSA httpd web server and a Usenet news feed using INN
  • Developed Mail and News gateway software to allow two-way transfer of mail and articles between the BBS system and the Internet
  • Internet training: developed course materials and provided instruction to subscribers for an introduction to Telnet, FTP, Gopher, Lynx, and Mosaic

Internet Consultant

1998

Logical Link

Calgary, Alberta
Internet Service Provider

 

  • Provided technical consulting on starting an ISP business
  • Assisted in setup of Web site: server configuration, navigation plan, content development

Instructor

Fall 1997

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

Calgary, Alberta
Information Technologies Department

 

  • Developed and delivered an introductory Java course for experienced programmers as part of the Continuing Education program.

Web/Database Developer

1997

NORTEL (formerly Northern Telecom)

Calgary, Alberta
Change Management Group

 

  • Worked with Nortel employees to create a Perl-based Intranet Web site for managing and reporting on the product change management process. This included creating a secure extranet connection to a supplier, to allow them to query a subset of the information

 

1993-1996

NORTEL

Calgary, Alberta
Wireless Development Centre

Network System Administrator / Design Environment Support Engineer

  • Support of a heterogeneous network of 80 HP, Sun and Apollo Workstations, as well as assorted Macintosh, PC and other systems
  • Configured large network to use NIS and NFS
  • Installed NCSA httpd Web server
  • Designed and authored, and coordinated internal Web site
  • Provided recommendations regarding Web tools e.g. editing, document conversion
  • Installed and maintained HyperNews discussion groups
  • Installed and maintained Web front-ends to databases and real-time network monitoring applications
  • Designed, wrote and maintained numerous small applications, written in C, Perl, and TCL/TK
  • Installed and customized many software packages including commercial CAD software and freeware from the Internet
  • Supported 200 users, including account management, disk space allocation, backup/recovery, security
  • Installation of third-party applications (CAD, Simulation, Software Development support, etc.)
  • Installation of workstations, network hardware (hubs and bridges), cabling
  • Management of network topology, performance and addresses
  • System and network health monitoring

Developer

  • Development of custom-written applications in C, Perl and TCL to support and enhance third-party applications, translate data formats, and automate common tasks.
  • Developed data translation processes to assist the integration of Bill of Material data resulting from the purchase of a smaller company.

Web Administrator

  • Installation and configuration of Web server software
  • Creation of an intranet "Home Page" for the Development Centre.
  • Creation of custom CGI scripts to provide access to various databases and interactive Web applications.
  • Creation of custom Web forms.

 

1988-1993

Northern Telecom Canada Ltd.

Calgary, Alberta
Digital Switching Division Manufacturing Plant

Computer Integrated Manufacturing Engineer / Developer

  • Developed computer applications to simplify or replace manual operations involved in preparing manufacturing/assembly process instructions and other documentation for the production floor. This involved integration of database queries, graphical output and integration with CAD/CAM on a variety of platforms from networked microcomputers to IBM mainframes.
  • Developed applications for Unix using X Windows and Ingres Database.

System Administrator

  • Supported office automation tools and a Novell network.
  • Installed and Administered SCO Open Desktop (Unix System V) software on 386 and 486 hardware.
  • Administered a network of Apollo Workstations running CAD software.

System Integrator

  • Installed and Integrated third-party applications and computer systems.

Developer

Summer 1985

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba
Under Dr. O. Hawaleshka, worked as part of a Research and Programming team for a chemical spill simulation package for the IBM PC. Team analysis and programming, user interface design, and graphics routines were emphasized.

Post-Secondary Education

MASc in Mechanical Engineering

1985-1988

University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario

Specialization: Robotics and CAD/CAM, with strong emphasis on Dynamics.

Thesis: Application of AI techniques to path planning for robots or automated guided vehicles.

Thesis title: A Heuristic Algorithm for Path Planning in Uncertain Environments Based on an Artificial Potential Field.

Additional Activities: As part of the thesis work, developed a simulator in C under Unix to demonstrate the algorithm developed.

Assisted with system administration of Motorola microcomputer running Unix System V.

Developed graphics support libraries for Matrox graphics board.

Course Marks: All in 80% or 90% range.

Scholarships:

Faculty of Engineering Scholarships awarded for high marks.

NSERC Scholarships (PGS 1 and 2) awarded for graduate studies.

BSc in Mechanical Engineering

1981-1985

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Elective courses: included advanced heat transfer and Industrial Engineering.

Course Marks: Grade Point Average 3.8 out of 4. Dean's Honour List. Scholarships: E.P. Fetherstonhaugh scholarship.

Awards: Mechanical Engineering Faculty Gold Medalist

Publications and Patents

Workshop Presentation

May 9, 1999

World Wide Web Conference 8 (WWW8)

Toronto, Ontario
Web Engineering Workshop
Characteristics of Real World Web Development Environments

Patent

March 6, 2007

System and method for monitoring key performance indicators in a business

Outgrowth of XOR VisionPort project to allow the display of real-time status of e-Commerce web sites via the web, email or on a cell phone.

US Patent 7188169

Professional Development and Certification

Training

2019

AWS Monitoring Strategies

O'Reilly/Pearson - On-Line

The services and features involved with monitoring applications and infrastructure in AWS. The cost tradeoffs for different monitoring choices. Implementation patterns for logfile aggregation, monitoring, storage, and retention.

Certification

2006

ITIL - Information Technology Infrastructure Library

Calgary - EXIM

ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management

ITIL Practitioner's Certificate in IT Service Management/Configuration Management

Certification

2018-2021

AWS

Calgary - Prometrics

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (Certificate)

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (Certificate)

AWS Certified Certified Developer - Associate (Certificate)

Symposiums, Tutorials

2005 - 2017

No Fluff Just Stuff

Calgary, AB and Denver, CO

Western Canada Software Symposium 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Rocky Mountain Software Symposium 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017

Conference, Tutorial

2012

Amazon re:Invent

Las Vegas, NV

RedHat OpenShift hands-on tutorial

Multiple keynotes, presentations and vendor trade booths

Course

2006

BMC Remedy Training Centre

Pleasanton, California

BMC Atrium CMDB (Configuration Management Database): Administering

BMC Atrium CMDB: Best Practices Workshop

Course

2005

Sun Certified Training Centre

Calgary

Solaris 10 for Experienced System Administrators

Course

2001

On Site

Boulder

BEA WebLogic Training

Conference / Workshop

1999

8th World Wide Web Conference (WWW8)

Toronto

Presented a paper at the Web Engineering Workshop

Course

1999

IBM Training Center

Toronto

Net.Commerce customization

Course

1999

Sun Training Center

Chicago

IBM DB2/UDB installation and configuration

Course

1999

IBM Training Center

New York

Net.Commerce installation and configuration

Workshops

1997

The Banff Centre For The Arts

Banff

Java Authoring; Introduction to VRML.

Conference / Tutorials

1996

System Administration, Networking And Security 96

Washington

Tutorials: System Administration, Large Scale Web Site Design, System and Network Performance Tuning, Java

Conference

1995

NETCOM 95

Ottawa

NT/BNR internal conference on networking and system administration

Conference / Tutorials

1994

Usenix Summer

Boston

Tutorial: System Administration given by Trent Hein and Evi Nemeth

Tutorial: Unix System Programming given by Richard Stevens

Course

1992

Data General Training Facility

Calgary

X Windows And Motif Programming

Conference / Tutorial

1991

Interop

San Jose

Tutorial: Application of Bridges & Routers: Network Design & Product Survey given by Scott Bradner

Computer Skills

Languages

Proficiency: Java, JavaScript (including Node.JS), C, HTML, SQL, Perl, Unix Shell, TCL/Tk, FORTRAN, Pascal, BASIC

Familiarity: C++, Groovy, PowerShell, Python, Go, Ruby, PHP, VRML, REXX, Lisp, Prolog, APL, COBOL, various assemblers

Support Libraries

Perl-CGI, Native Code Perl Exensions, X Windowing System, Motif Libraries, Taxware, UIM/X (aka. HP Architect), Ingres Embedded SQL, Btrieve, termcap/curses

Development Environments

NetBeans, Eclipse, WebSphere Commerce Suite, Together/J, JBuilder, Forte/Sun ONE Studio, VisualAge for Java

Java Technologies

Applications (Text and GUI with AWT and Swing), Java3D, Java2D, Applets, J2EE Servlets/JSP/TagLibs/EJB, Java Web Start, JNDI, JMX, JMS, J2ME/MIDP/CLDC

Application Servers

WebLogic, Apache Tomcat, Apache httpd (including custom native module development), iPlanet Web, Directory and Portal Server, ATG Dynamo (v5), NCSA httpd, MS IIS, Net.Commerce (v3), Cold Fusion, StoryServer

Encryption

SSL, Blowfish, DES, PGP/GPG, IDEA, SAFER, AES

Other

CGI, HTTP, XML, XSLT, SMTP, Sendmail, FastCGI, mod_perl, Cybercash, Load Balancers

Databases

Oracle, MySQL, Embedded Java (HSQLDB, Derby, Pointbase), DB2, LDAP

CAD/CAM

Familiar with Pro/Engineer, AutoCAD, CADAM, UniCAD (formerly Northern Telecom's CBDS - Circuit Board Design System)

Miscellaneous Applications

MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Visio), Paradox, dBase, dia, FrameMaker, PaintShop Pro

Operating Systems

Unix (Linux, NetBSD, Apollo, HP, SunOS/Solaris, Motorola, Digital, IBM, BSDI), Macintosh, MS-DOS, Windows, Novell Netware, TSO and CMS (IBM Mainframe), VMS, NOS (Control Data Mainframe).

Monitoring, Alerting, Trouble Ticketing

BMC BPPM/BEM/TrueSight, HP OpenView, BMC Patrol, BMC Remedy/ITSM

Software Lifecycle

Jira, BugZilla, CVS, Subversion, Git

Other Activities and Interests

 

Downhill and XC skiing, biking, hiking, kayaking/canoeing, camping. Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, General Science and Science Fiction. Regional science fair judge for grades 9-12. Judge/Referee for Western Canada Robot Games.

References

 

Available upon request
AWS Certified

Google Cloud