Curriculum Vitae of Christopher Michael Thompson Technical Trainer What my clients say: Chris takes what can be complex and dry subjects and explains them clearly in an entertaining way that held my interest! The best training course I have ever been on Back by popular demand Chris s vast experience in the industry and his skill as a presenter makes his training some of the best I have ever attended Page 1
Name: Christopher Michael Thompson Website: http://christopher-thompson.com Email: mailto:chris@christopher-thompson.com (This CV contains a number of technical acronyms. For your convenience, a glossary and brief explanation of these are provided in the appendix at the end of this document.) Professional Body Membership I am a member of The Institute of Telecommunications Professionals http://www.theitp.org Technology Platforms I have extensive experience working with Cisco routers and switches, Juniper, and Mikrotik routers. I also have extensive experience on Asterisk, 3CX, and TEKSIP SIP servers, Wireshark, and a variety of DNS, DHCP, Web, email, and other commonly used servers. I have also worked with Alcatel/Lucent and Ericsson DSLAM/ MSAN s. I also have some experience with Genesys VOIP contact centre systems. Career History 2005 to Present Developed and delivered in depth IPv6 training for a major ISP Developed and delivered bespoke SIP and Asterisk Training for an overseas VOIP provider Developed and delivered training on IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS. Developed and delivered IP, SDH, and DWDM training for Network Operations staff. Developed and delivered technical IPTV training courses Developed and presented in depth Wireshark network analyser training course Developed and delivered in depth technical training on IP and Ethernet backhaul, including PBB-TE, and MPLS-TP Page 2
Developed and delivered in depth technical training on SCTP for a major mobile phone manufacturer Developed a number of in depth multimedia distance learning package on VOIP, SIP, MPLS, and IP. For an example my web training, please go to: www.christopher-thompson.com/web/m2.2/index.html Provided VOIP technical training to support engineers for a major UK T-ISP Developed and presented in depth technical hands on SIP training. I have assisted software developers in testing SIP proxy/redirect servers and DNS integration. Provided technical training for the technical support and provisioning technicians of a Major UK Telco on their hosted VOIP contact centre product. I have also provided end user training for one of their customers Provided SIP training to technical support staff at the University of Nottingham I have been responsible for delivery of all the technical training for one of the first British ISP s to take advantage of large scale Local Loop Unbundling. I have provided in depth technical training, both personally, and by training other trainers. Topics including : o Overview level to tier 3 technical support level, include: o ADSL, ADSL2, ADSL2+, GSHDSL on the Lucent Stinger DSLAM Local Loop Unbundling o Wholesale Broadband o MPLS, MPLS based VPNs, and QOS techniques on Cisco and Juniper Routers o VOIP o IPv4 o Routing protocols, RIP/RIPv2, ISIS, OSPF, BGP, and MPBGP o IPv6 and associated protocols (ICMPv6, Etc) o Ethernet Over the Last Mile of Copper services based on the Actelis MetaLIGHT range of products Page 3
2002-2005 Developed a team of trainers in my company, who became responsible for delivery of all technical training for AT&T EMEA. I provided training for AT&T across Europe, in South Africa, and Canada. o This included technical training using distance learning virtual classrooms with a real time, live tutor in the UK, with courses participants scattered all over Europe. o This continued very successfully until AT&T were taken over by SBC, and the EMEA learning and development department was closed in 2005. Developed and provided a suite of MPLS, QOS, and VOIP training with different programmes aimed at different skill levels including: o Tier 3 technical support o Analysts and network designers o Customer service managers o Tier 1 and tier 2 technical support o Sales and marketing Provided director level technology briefings for a number of global network providers October 1992-2002 I was the guest speaker at major IP vendor reseller events to audiences in excess of 150. Clients included AT&T, and Nortel Networks. Developed, produced, and presented structured training programmes for major global IP network providers, this includes sales and marketing, and technical training on SDH, IP, LAN, ATM, VOIP, H323, H.225, H.245, and H.248/MEGACO technologies. Mediated director level policy making discussions for General Telecom, part of TeleWest (Now absorbed into Virgin Media) Designed and produced Network Technology Sales and Marketing Seminars for X-TANT, a subsidiary of NTL. This included SWOT analysis of all the major data and voice network technologies. Developed and provided pan European training on advanced inverse multiplexing technology, working with Larscom. Page 4
Developed and presented the Build It Right technology training and sales promotion road show seminars for Nortel Networks (formerly Bay Networks), running throughout Europe and South Africa. I was one of the guest independent consultant lecturers for the Nortel Networks (formerly Bay Networks) Spring 96 Seminars in Athens, Bucharest, and Milan. Audiences for some of these events exceeded 150 delegates. I was the main guest speaker for a seminar in Jakarta, Indonesia covering the migration from X.25 to Frame Relay and ATM. This was to coincide with the launch of the IndoSat frame relay service. Provided training and consultancy for the implementation of the first private X.25 network in Saudi Arabia Tutored the Asia Pacific Wide Area Network 95 Seminars in Singapore and Malaysia. These were hosted by Datacraft Asia Pacific. Partnered with Iminus, (acquired bytelewest now Virgin Media) in training their staff on WAN and LAN technologies. This was a significant contribution to that company s success as national provider of managed network and Internet services. Trained the majority of Cable and Wireless (then Mercury Communications) engineering field staff in a variety of WAN technologies over a period of 18 months. Project managed the development and delivery of an ongoing Voice Network Technology training programme for AT&T. Developed bespoke high level authoring language. This enabled people who only possess a low level of computer user skills to produce of multimedia training packages. Multimedia production includes courses for Viatel, Unisys, Barclaycard, AT&T, and Abbey National Plc. Clients for whom I have provided training, either directly, or as a 3 rd party trainer since leaving BT includes: Alcatel; Aselsan, Turkey; AT&T; Automobile Association; Barclay Card; Bank of Ireland; Bay Networks; British Army; British Telecom; BSkyB,; Cable & Wireless; Civil Aviation Authority; Datacraft, Asia Pacific; ECI Telecom; Eire Telecom; Easynet;; GEIS, NL; General Motors; Greenwoods Telecommunications; KCCOM (formerly Kingston Telecommunications), Lever Technology Plc.; IBM; Interoute, Czech Republic; MCI; Modern Electronics, SA; NCR; Nortel Networks; QA-IQ; RAM Mobile Data; Reuters; Riyadh Bank; Royal Air Force; Saudi & Cairo Bank; Sussex Police; T-Mobile; Unisys; University of Nottingham; Virgin Media; X-Tant (NTL) Page 5
April 1992 to September 1992 My family and I were seconded to BT Australasia, where I project managed the implementation for support of the ICI Global Corporate Packet Switched Network throughout Australia and New Zealand. In September 1992 I accepted a voluntary severance package as part of BT s release 92 scheme, and returned to the UK. December 1988 to March 1992 I fulfilled the role as BT s International Product Training manager for their X.25 WAN products. In this capacity I provided both on and off site training in the UK, Europe, and Japan. May 1985 to November 1988 I worked as instructor at BT s Technical Training College in Stone, Staffordshire. There I presented and developed hands-on training on all aspects of WAN technology September 1973 to April 1985 I completed my 3 year apprentice training and served the GPO, and later, BT, in a variety of technician s roles. Relevant Academic Qualifications City and Guilds full technological certificate in telecommunications (HNC level). Other Relevant Interests I am currently learning to speak French for the purpose of delivering training courses in that language. Page 6
Appendix A Glossary Of Technical Acronyms Used In This CV 2G, 3G, 4G These refer to successive Generations of mobile phone technology. From 2G, being the older, to 4G which the most recent, and is not yet fully deployed in the UK. ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line This is the method commonly used to provide broadband over telephone lines. The term asymmetric is because the data rates are different in each direction of transmission ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode This was a network technology that could carry voice, video, and data simultaneously over the same physical network. It is still widely used, but is largely being displaced such as MPLS enhanced IP Backhaul A means of bulk transferring data between multiple users back to the POP site. This is typically used for ISP s who have performed local loop unbundling, and mobile phone operators who need to exchange data for all the mobiles on a base station back to the core network. BGP Border Gateway Protocol. A means by which IP routers in different networks update each other s routing tables DNS Domain Name Service The technology used to allow names such as chris.thompson@idtnet.com to be translated into numeric IP addresses. DSLAM Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer This is the device, usually located in the telephone exchange that provides broadband services over telephone lines. DVB Digital Video Broadcasting. The technology used to provide digital broadcast television over digital medium, such as satellite, optical fibre, and radio. EMEA Often used in business to represent the geographical regions of Europe, Middle East, and Africa. GPRS Generalised Packet Radio Service A means of getting data services over 2G mobile phones GSHDSL Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line. The technology used to provide symmetrical broadband (same speed on both directions) over telephone lines. The G at the beginning means that it has been standardised, and is defined in the ITU G series of standards. H.225 Based on ISDN, is an early but widely deployed means of setting up VOIP calls H.245 Widely used with H.225, H.245 provided additional services required with VOIP H.248 A joint venture between the ITU (the European telecoms standards body) and IETF (the moderators of technical development of the internet and associated technologies) for controlling VOIP signalling and media Gateways. H.248 is the ITU name for this protocol H.323 is now an umbrella standard for voice, video, and multimedia over IP, and cross references within it to other standards including H.225 and H.245. Now being replaced by SIP. ICMP Internet Control Message Protocol A means of providing diagnostic and supporting messaging services to IP. ICMPv6 is a greatly expanded form specifically designed for use with IPv6 IMS IP Multimedia Subsystem. The core technology needed to converge mobile and fixed network services IP Internet Protocol The technology on which the Internet and private networks are built. IPv4 IP version 4, the version most commonly used to date IPv6 IP version 6, an improved and extended form of IP, that is beginning to be deployed around the world. ISIS Intermediate System to Intermediate System LAN Local Area Network MEGACO The IETF name for H.248 MPLS Multi Protocol Label Switching A protocol that can work with IP (or other technologies such as Ethernet) to greatly enhance the way they operate particularly when delay sensitive data such as voice on the same IP network as normal data applications such as file download, and web browsing MPLS-TP Multi Protocol Label Switching Traffic Protocol. A method of providing backhaul using an enhanced form of MPLS Routing Protocol A means by which network devices, including IP routers, can update their routing tables MSAN Multi Service Access Node Similar in role and location to the DSLAM, but is capable of providing many services over broadband, such as telephone, television, Internet, etc. (Sometimes marketed as Triple Play services) MPBGP Multi Protocol Border Gateway Protocol An extended form of BGP originally designed for use with IPv6, but also widely used to implement IPv4 VPN s over MPLS OSPF Open Shortest Path First A sophisticated protocol that allows routers within the same network to update their routing tables PBB-TE Provider Backbone transport Traffic engineered. A method of providing backhaul QOS Quality of Service. A generic term encompassing a number of technologies that prioritise time sensitive data such as voice and video over that of classical computer data such as file downloads. RIP Routing Information Protocol A simple protocol that allows IPv4routers within the same network to update their routing tables. RIPv2 Routing Information Protocol version 2. An improved form of RIP RIPv6 Routing Information Protocol version 6. A new version of RIP to work with IPv6 SDH Synchronous Digital Hierarchy A method widely used to multiplex slower data channels over a single high speed fibre channel SIP Session Initiation Protocol. SIP is rapidly becoming the most popular and widely used method of setting up VOIP and multimedia sessions (or calls) over IP networks Page 7
Appendix A Glossary Of Technical Acronyms Used In This CV UC Unified Communications. UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. Widely used to implement 3G mobile phone networks VOIP Voice Over IP VPN Virtual Private Network VSAT Very Small Aperture Terminal Communications satellite technology widely used over a range of applications, DVB being one of the most common. Wi-fi Wireless LAN WiMAX Sometimes referred to as the Wireless Copper Loop it offers wireless data services (typically to the Internet) over long distance (some claim up to 40km,) though it is much more versatile, can be used in many different ways. It is still a relatively new technology. X.25 A technology, which in its time (before the wide acceptance of the public Internet) was hugely popular, and was widely used for public and private packet data networks (Circa 1974-1994) Page 8