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Welcome to B & M Bulletin, produced specifically for IT specialists. In this issue:
• Pre-employment screening
• Tech View – IBM security standards
• Specialist profile - Senior Systems Test Analyst, Jamie Cameron
• B & M staff member profile - Ed Hopper
• Ready to work?
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Pre-employment screening
B & M HR Manager Melanie Thompson advises on the importance of being prepared for investigations into your identity and status when seeking an IT contract
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"…you are who you say you are…"
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In the UK, everyone wants to know who you are. In the past, it was mainly the government and financial institutions that needed detailed information on the identity, individual rights to work and status of any prospective IT contractor to comply with government stipulations. Today, however, many other organisations ask for IT contractors to be screened and vetted prior to starting an assignment as part of the conditions of engagement.
The purpose of vetting and verifying a candidate is obvious: IT contractors often have access to business-critical systems - and thus to sensitive data that could be viewed or manipulated. Therefore organisations demand that we can verify that you are who you say you are before you can set foot on their premises.
The most common form of verification that we are asked for is proof of your legal right to work in the UK in the form of a copy of your passport, birth certificate, visa or work permit, and your proof of current residency - a recent utility bill or a formal document containing your home address. In addition to this, financial organisations frequently require written employment references for the last two years, along with verification of any gaps in employment that exceed three months. They also ask for a credit check to ensure that you have no financial sanctions in place that would put the client and their customers at risk from activities such as money laundering or any other forms of fraud.
Where pre-employment screening is a requirement, the start date of an assignment can be subject to the completion and passing of the screening process. Therefore it is in your interests to have the vetting process start as soon as possible to avoid any unnecessary delays. You can help speed up the process by keeping up-to-date copies of the documents listed above to hand. It is also advisable to keep correspondence such as emails, letters, travel documents etc. that prove what you were doing in the event of a gap in your employment of over three months.
If you require any further information about pre-employment screening, please contact people@bmeurope.com.
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IBM Security Standards
B & M's Technical Manager Paul Smith looks at the implications of IBM's security standards for large organisations
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The huge rise of e-business has ensured that Internet security and cryptography in IBM environments have received a much needed review. But why are they so important? Estimates of the total amount of business data held on z/OS systems vary, but authoritative commentators including Yahoo, Xcalia and IBM's own marketing department agree that IBM mainframe systems hold about 70% of data worldwide. That’s a lot of sensitive information!
IBM has kept pace with security requirements decreed by leading international organisations including ITSEC, ICSA, NIST and ANSI over the years. zSeries was tested and certified at Evaluation Assurance Levels (EAL) 4 and 5 in 2003 and 2004 respectively. The system's cryptographic modules have been rated at a high level (level 4) within the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) developed by the US government. Software that is commonly run on z/OS systems has also been rated, including:
- WebSphere at EAL2-4+
- DB2 at EAL4
- z/OS 1.7 at EAL4
- z/VM at EAL3
- AIX at EAL4+.
As encryption has become a key security tool, standards are being set at high levels. For example, the US Government requires FIPS 140-1 level 4 for its security and German digital certificate law requires E4 certification.
These levels of certification are designed to give businesses confidence that their encryption keys cannot be captured by a hacker - or indeed a rogue internal systems programmer. However it is important that organisations secure all gateways to their systems - using the support of IT security professionals. As we have noted in previous articles, there is no point in implementing all these secured platforms if you (metaphorically) leave the front door open. For opportunities in IBM security, contact people@bmeurope.com.
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Specialist profile: Senior Systems Test Analyst, Jamie Cameron
Jamie Cameron relishes being free from catching the ferry to the continent
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Jamie Cameron has been working as a principal quality assurance engineer for a European non-governmental organisation since the summer, following a four year contract working on a major credit referencing product for a US-based financial services company.
Jamie now lives and works in The Hague, where his current role involves performing user acceptance testing of mainly back-end mainframe/Java systems. These access and update a database containing hundreds of millions of records on the organisation's multi-platform document management system. He believes that his technical skills, coupled with his experience as a test analyst and analyst programmer working in a variety of sectors, mean that he brings a new and objective view for his current client.
Jamie moved from permanent employment to contracting in 2001 because, he says, "Contract work is better paid and allows me greater flexibility in selecting potential roles. As a contractor, you are removed from the politics that used to irritate me as a 'permie'".
From a professional point of view, Jamie prefers being able to work in a multi-national environment and - on a personal level - enjoys living in The Netherlands with his wife and two year-old daughter. But doesn't he miss the UK? "Not really. My wife, who's half Italian, was especially keen on moving here. I think her Italian heritage was pulling her back to the continent!"
Obviously having a young child means that Jamie and his wife don't enjoy the local restaurants and pubs as much as they would like, but when they want to explore Europe, Jamie explained, "We don't need to book on P&O now!"
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Real Skills. Real People - B & M's Ed Hopper
In this issue, we profile Sales Manager Ed Hopper
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Ed Hopper joined B & M after graduating from Durham University in 1997, since when he has developed wide-ranging expertise in the provision of technical support services and consultancy. His particular specialisation is in providing specialists for projects within the banking and insurance markets, where his knowledge has been instrumental in providing highly experienced specialists for a variety of projects with customers such as the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Abbey (formerly Abbey National), Lloyds TSB and Norwich Union.
Ed is also responsible for helping to develop new business markets for B & M, growing our business to ensure that the company builds on its 14 years' experience and continues to provide services that are relevant to customers in the UK and Europe. Ed has led the development of B & M's business in France - notably with SNCF; in Luxembourg - with Credit Agricole and in the Republic of Ireland where we have worked with organisations such as Allied Irish Banks and the Bank of Ireland. In the UK, Ed manages the accounts for five of the UK's 'big six' high street banks and some of the country's largest insurance and retail organisations.
In his leisure time, Ed spends his time freestyle kayaking and represented Great Britain at the 2003 Freestyle World Championships in Graz, Austria. He has also retained a link with his alma mater, providing advice and helping to fundraise for the Durham University Canoe Club.
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B & M currently has opportunities throughout the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium and France. Please send us an up-to-date copy of your CV to people@bmeurope.com for more information.
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B & M has specialised in delivering skilled ICT specialists to meet the needs of leading organisations throughout Europe since 1992. We focus exclusively on providing consultancy, technical services and support for z/OS, UNIX and Linux enterprise systems, including third-party systems software, open systems and networking connectivity. We add real value for HR and IT professionals by taking the time to understand their needs and applying best practice methods to deliver results. To find out more about our approach to providing the best skills for each business, go to www.bmeurope.com B & M Europe Limited
www.bmeurope.com
+44 (0)118 981 1880
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