Digit Consulting Limited (NZ)Solution Architecture consultancy at competitive contract rates |
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How can Digit help your project's IT Solution Architecture?
Digit is an Auckland-based IT Architecture Consultancy established in 1992. Principal Consultant Simon Shanahan has experience with a wide range of Information Technology solutions having successfully delivered solutions in a variety of sectors including Start-up, Mobile Apps, SaaS, ISP/ASP, Finance, Telecommunications, Banking, Utilities and Education. Primarily a consulting vehicle for Simon (Architecture), Digit is also able to provide experienced project management and business analysis resource.
Do you need to develop and sell a concept?
With mature communication skills, Simon can present to customers, your Board, executive teams, technical teams or work as a one-on-one mentor. We have developed and communicated ideas from a coffee-stained napkin concept to formal presentations and design documentation thru to multi-million dollar delivered solutions with national profile. (e.g. EFTPOS backbone). We can assist in pre-sales, developing a sales proposal or RFP response and by developing concepts into technical designs.
Are you looking to leverage the Cloud?
Recently Simon worked with a Start-up to define and launch V1 (MVP) of their application, get to revenue, establish a view of the roadmap forward. We also developed an API architecture with integration patterns that enable partner platforms in the Finance sector to leverage the app in their own SaaS applications. With zero office infrastructure, all the start-up's business support applications (e.g. GitHub, JIRA, Trello, SmartSheet, InfusionSoft, Google Apps, Runscope, Postman) were SaaS-based. The application platform was hosted on both AWS (Web servers, EC2, S3, SES etc) and Oracle Cloud (API, middleware and database) platforms, providing great insight into the flexibility of these current cloud providers and their applicability to a modern business model.
Do you need to address your existing applications and networking?
Previously Digit has worked in Telco Service Provider environments designing and delivering Internet and Cloud solutions in both platform-based and customer-specific models. An example project is the "Network for Learning" where, as the End-to-End Architect, we delivered a national education network built on the UFB core that provides ISP-like services targeted to the sector with cloud-delivered security and filtering services. Working with the consultancy TechSpace, Simon was involved in strategic data centre reviews assisting large organisations (banking, utilities) plan for migration from distributed to centralised hosted models and dealing with issues related to virtualisation, PaaS and IaaS, sovereignty, very high availability, security, critical infrastructure and system performance.
How do you get the most value out of your tech teams?
With a technical background in programming, analysis, DBA, software development management, project management, security, network architecture, infrastructure and the Cloud, Digit Consulting has a broad perspective across the technology landscape, with the ability to deep-dive into any area.
Are you on the right track?
Digit Consulting Limited has an excellent understanding of how to develop, communicate and implement a technology strategy for maximum business benefit.
Digit provides a range of Architecture, Internet, Infrastructure, Network and Application consultancy services. Our current focus is "the Cloud", developing SaaS, IaaS and PaaS solutions, but our work in the telecommunications and other sectors has covered Cloud, Internet, SOA, Enterprise, WAN, LAN and Desktop solutions. These solutions include most standard technologies for applications, databases, middleware, infrastructure, networking, directories, identity, security and payments systems.
Services and Sectors
Services
- Solution Architecture and Consulting
- IT Strategic Planning
- Leveraging the Cloud
- Systems Architecture
- Project management
- Infrastructure design/build
- Systems management
- Systems development
- Implementation
- Service Level Management
Sectors
- Start-ups and Mobile
- Internet & e-Commerce
- Agri-Tech
- Utilities
- Tele-communications
- Banking
- Finance
- Education
Projects
Here is a sample of the projects Digit, and/or Simon, has either led or had a key role in:
| Project | Summary |
|---|---|
| Startup MVP | Took the app's technical concept/prototype to MVP and revenue by wrapping trial, subscription, identity, fulfil and payment services around the core application and migrating the environments to cloud providers AWS and Oracle. All business support (BSS) and operational support (OSS) is cloud hosted. Established a roadmap and process for technical product development and built out the API (JSON/REST) and identity system (OpenID/OAuth) to support integration with other cloud platforms. |
| Network for Learning | N4L is a government-owned commercial entity created to enable the effective use of technology in NZ schools. Spark contracted Digit to act as end-to-end architect to refine, design and deliver the Spark "Managed Network" solution that forms a key component of the N4L service. This project delivered fibre to NZ schools - with an overlaid a set of cloud-delivered Internet services - in an aggressive roll-out plan. |
| CSP/ASP: Due Diligence | Part of a small team to perform technical due diligence on a leading NZ Cloud Services and Hosting Provider. Ultimately resulted in a successful acquisition by Spark NZ. |
| Trading Bank Data Centre Strategy | With TechScape, Simon facilitated the Bank's internal team to develop, distribute and evaluate a RFP to renew the contract for Data Centre Services to host the bank's IT systems. This process took into account technical TIA standard compliance, commercial or operational objectives. Designed, conducted and collated the evaluation process resulting in a recommendation to the CIO. |
| Utility Data Centre Strategy | With TechScape, Simon undertook an application architecture review as input to a strategic plan to categorise and rationalise a utility's application hosting into critical data centres to support the national power grid. Application categories ranged from simple office support (e.g. email) to time-critical process control systems for national power load management. |
| Financial Markets | A consultancy project to develop a strategic plan to upgrade the market authority's CRM and Case Management systems. Developed the solution concept from requirements, prepared the RFP, evaluated vendor responses, and recommended the solution approach. |
| Retail Ecommerce store and web site | Digit worked for an agency to develop a proposal for a chain of pet-supply stores. With over 20,000 SKU, the recommended solution involved upgrading to Magento (Store/Cart) with integrated CMS (content) and backend integration to Inventory, Accounting, Shipping and reporting systems. |
| Education supply portal | Designed the "TELA" portal to supply ministry-subsidised IT equipment to Schools. Built over an existing Spark web service platform it allowed quick delivery of a solution that integrates with supply chain and financing systems. |
| Service Delivery Platform | Architecture lead for a service provider platform providing cloud services to corporate and business customers by providing a "super-DMZ" between their private WANs and the Internet. Developed the Application, SOA and Data architecture to support extensibility and cost-effective addition of new services. Examples of services running on this platform include:
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| EFTPOS: Internet service and backbone network | Digit has been involved in key phases of the national EFTPOS backbone. As Service Architect responsible for establishing the EFTPOS services (replacing legacy x.25 TTS with TCP/IP) that are provided by Spark (Gen-i/Telecom) to the two main EFTPOS networks in NZ. These include a nationwide Dial-up service (IPDTS); the secure transaction backbone (IPTS); the Gen-i transaction switch/gateway application farm; leased-line replacement service (RetailZone); “direct” IP-based EFTPOS solutions for corporate merchants; and the Internet gateway and self-service portal that enables EFTPOS terminals to connect directly to the Banks via broadband with automated certificate provisioning (PKI). |
| Privileged Access Management System | After evaluating available products, designed a Privileged Access Management system to provide audited elevated access for Operators into multiple discrete secure network environments (RDP & ssh). This solution leveraged sunk investment and uses Citrix Application servers, session recording to video, credential encryption, PKI and two-factor SMS authentication systems. |
| CBA Internet Banking | With Gen-i, spent several years regularly engaged with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). Initially the role was pre-sales, involving regular trips to Sydney to present technical strategies and options to the Bank. After successfully winning this major bid in Australia, led the Gen-i design team (for a 6-month on-site assignment) to design a secure Internet Perimeter and online banking framework. For the time (~2005), this was a leading edge solution that was subject to close scrutiny by major Australian (i.e. competing) IT suppliers and vendors. |
These are just a few sample projects selected from the many we have been involved in.
Contact us:
Simon Shanahan
Principal Consultant
36 Williamson Avenue
Devonport
New Zealand
ph: +64 9 445 1032
mob: +64 27 473 2672
email: info@digit.co.nz
web: www.digit.co.nz
(c) Digit Consulting Ltd 2016