Mark has over 30 years of experience in ICT across various sectors, with over 17 years experience working with Microsoft SQL Server. He currently works as a Senior SQL Solution Architect for Dimension Data, where he is responsible for ensuring high quality professional services and managed services for database clients. Mark has extensive expertise in areas like SQL architecture and design, high availability and disaster recovery, business intelligence, performance, security, and more. He has worked on many large and complex projects as a technical lead and consultant.

1. Dimension Data
Database Services Resume
Mark Read
Senior SQL Solution Architect
Mark has 30 years ICT experience across private and
public sectors (government, banking, insurance, finance,
telecommunications, medical, aviation, media/broadcasting,
entertainment, travel/hospitality & manufacturing), with more
than 17 years with Microsoft SQL Server as a senior solution
architect, consultant, DBA, developer & evangelist.
Mark’s SQL experience covers SQL architecture & design,
High Availability & Disaster Recovery (HADR) including
AlwaysOn, Business Intelligence (BI), performance
management, security and compliance, business governance,
SQL Server licensing consolidation & strategies,
infrastructure and virtualisation.
Mark currently operates as Senior SQL Solution Architect
for Dimension Data nationally and is responsible for ensuring
the provision of the highest standard of professional services
and/or managed services solutions to our APAC database
clients during the pre-sales, sales, consulting, delivery and
maintenance phases of all database engagements. Mark’s
most recent focus has been in the technical consulting space
where he has been the architect and technical delivery lead
for several large national projects. Mark is also a Technical
Account Manager for some 20 Dimension Data SQL clients,
providing technical and thought leadership.
Technical & Academic Qualifications
 Masters Business Administration (Adelaide University)
 Bachelor Mech Engineering (Launceston University)
 Microsoft Data Platform Sales Specialist
 Microsoft Business Intelligence Sales Specialist
 Government/Defence Security Clearance (NV1)
Employment Summary
Organisation Term Role
Dimension Data 2013-Now Senior SQL Architect
Global IT 2002-2012
Business Development
Senior SQL Consultant
Dept Defence 2010-2012 Senior SQL Architect
Thompson Reuters 2007-2009 Senior SQL DBA
Weather 21 1999-2001 SQL Solution Architect
AEI 1996-1998 SQL DBA
Colonial Mutual 1992-1995 SQL Developer
Westpac Bank 1986-1991 SQL Developer
Skills & Experience
Solution Architect,
Pre-Sales &
Technical
Consulting
Over 20 years of consulting experience. Broad
coverage of pre-sales and SQL designs across
a multitude of horizontal markets since the 90’s.
Mark has been a SQL technical & delivery lead
for many large and complex projects for clients
across Australia & abroad. These projects have
incorporated the usage of a variety of varying
hardware and software technologies related to
SQL Server and Windows.
SQL Server High
Availability &
Disaster Recovery
In-depth experience across a variety of
technologies relating to both SQL Server and
Windows infrastructures catering for HA and
DR. These include AlwaysOn, geo, metro &
local clustering, replication, mirroring, log
shipping and SAN block synching and snap-shot
technologies, and VMware SRM/ vMotion.
SQL Server BI
Services
Solid experience in the design, development,
implementation and administration
/management of SQL BI and DW platforms.
SQL Server
Auditing &
Compliance
Experienced in establishing and implementing
auditing rules for security, compliance and
governance. NV1 security clearance level.
SQL Server Data
Analysis /
Management
Solid understanding of data analysis techniques
and tools within SQL Server. Solid practical
knowledge of data distribution techniques such
as DTS, SSIS, BCP, Replication, Mirroring &
Log Shipping.
SQL Server
Administration
Experienced with all aspects of SQL Server
database administration across all SQL versions
and editions since 1.0, and SQL best practice
environment management techniques.
SQL Server
Performance
Tuning
Solid SQL Server query and performance
analysis and tuning experience using a variety
of SQL Server and Windows system
performance tools.
SQL Server
Development
Extensive exposure to all aspects of database
architecture and design, SQL coding (multiple
languages), tuning and development in
response to business requirements.
Recent Consulting Clients
CBA Direct
Banking / Direct
Lending
SQL 2012: Project lead. Design, build,
deployment of a large scaled-out F5 load
balanced SQL Reporting Services & Data
Warehouse platform to support the loading and
processing of 5.3M records from Genesys Call
Centre every 30 minutes (SSRS/SSIS). Based
on AlwaysOn AG across multiple Data Centres.
VMware.
Woolworths GFS,
CBA Commsec
SQL 2012: Project lead. Design, build and
deployment of a large AlwaysOn HADR platform
across multiple Data Centres for high volume
financial transactions. VMware.
Perth Children’s
Hospital
SQL 2012: Project lead. Design, build and
deployment of a large AlwaysOn AG & FCI
HADR for mission critical neurological platform
across multiple Data Centres. VMware.
Transport for
NSW, SAI Global
SQL licensing review & consolidation across
hundreds of servers.
New Horizons
SQL Server Targeted Health Checks and
reviews in preparation for cloud migration.
Department Health
SQL 2008 R2: Database migration, metro
cluster, security gap audit.
Transport for NSW
SQL 2012: 12 SQL Server instance
Active/Active/Active FCI cluster build.
Credit Corp, Direct
Group
SQL 2012: VMware. AlwaysOn AG HADR
design and build. Inc scaled-out SSRS DW
platform.
Major Achievements
1. Solution Architect, Project & Technical Lead for the
successful engagement, design & delivery of SQL
platforms & solutions for: Perth Children’s Hospital (clinical
& health), CBA Commsec high volume Wholesale trading
platform, CBA’s Direct Banking Step Ahead reporting
services project, and Woolworth’s Group Financial
Services national high volume EFTPOS platform.
2. Senior SQL Consultant and Team Lead for the
consolidation and license review of several hundred SQL
servers for SAI Global and Transport for NSW, saving client
significant $
3. Presented at Tech’spresso Melb (new features in SQL
Server 2014, inc Hekaton, backup encryption, Power BI).
4. Project managed, architected, built and deployed a
significant Terminology Database for the Whole of Defence.
Solution selected by NATO and US Defence as best-of-
breed.
5. Won in open tender and was the lead consultant for ATO’s
eTax platform.