Author: Mark Whitfield

Welcome to my site! After graduating in Computing in 1990, I accepted a position as a programmer at a Runcorn based software house specialising in electronic banking software, namely sp/ARCHITECT-BANK on Tandem Computers (now HPE NonStop). This was before the internet became more prevalent and so the notion of enabling desktop access to company accounts for inter-account transfers and book keeping was still quite a cutting edge idea (and smartphones only ever hinted at in Space 1999). The company was called The Software Partnership (which was taken over by Deluxe Data in 1994). I spent 5 years in Runcorn developing code for SP/ARCHITECT for various banks like TSB, Bank of Scotland, Rabobank and Girofon (Denmark) to name but a few. I then moved onto a software house in Salford Quays for further bank facing projects. After a further 23 years in the IT industry and now a Senior IT Project Manager (both Agile and Waterfall delivery), I thought I would echo out my Career Profile in this corner of the internet for quick and easy access.

ETI-NET C-Deep real-time transaction and payment monitoring product timeline

C-Deep (formerly known as RTLX developed by Insider Technologies Limited) is an enterprise-grade, real-time transaction and payment monitoring software product. It is currently owned, maintained, and distributed globally by ETI-NET.

Product Overview & Key Features

The primary objective of C-Deep for HPE NonStop is to ensure fault tolerance, detect transactional vulnerabilities, and prevent outages within major financial ecosystems.

Target Environment: It is deployed alongside primary mission-critical payment engines, primarily operating as a high-performance add-on to ACI Worldwide’s BASE24™ solution or as a standalone tracker on HPE NonStop systems.
Architecture: The software utilizes lightweight extraction clients on the NonStop kernel to read Transaction Log Files (TLF) and POS Transaction Log Files (PTLF). It offloads data parsing to a C-Deep collector on Windows Server, keeping the primary switch’s CPU overhead at zero.
Data Retrieval: It stores and indexes historical transaction fields into annual databases for 10+ years, making it fully searchable to meet strict data regulatory compliance laws.
Granular Querying: Operators can isolate variables down to Bank Identification Numbers (BIN), detecting interchange timeouts, clearing delays, or switch drops down to the millisecond.

Detailed Timeline Breakdown by Era and Year

The technical evolution of this platform reflects the wider political and economic changes in global banking, transitioning from early bespoke mainframe logs to modern, automated cyber-resiliency environments.

🔹 The Foundational & Legacy Tandem Era (1989–2000)

This era centered around high-security, fault-tolerant mainframes built for NATO-aligned military communications and early banking networks following the end of the Cold War.

1989: Insider Technologies Limited is incorporated in the UK to manufacture specialized monitoring code for highly robust computer systems.
1990–1995: The vendor releases its foundational “Reflex” software suite for the Tandem Guardian operating system, offering real-time transaction diagnostics without interrupting physical processing operations.
1996–1999: The platform adds “MultiBatch” automation to orchestrate complex batch settlements. Engineering pivots toward critical Y2K code auditing to prove that automatic logging routines would survive the year 2000 date rollover.

🔸 The Multi-Platform & Financial Compliance Era (2000–2015)

This era mark’s the product’s rise to prominence as a core tool for transaction transparency across global clearings houses, reacting to rapid financial sector deregulation.

2001–2003: The architecture scales up from simple hardware tracking into dedicated operational security. The vendor expands the footprint into financial clearings, tracking transaction security for system-critical clearers like the Bank of England.
2004–2007: The developer releases RTLX (Real-Time Transaction Logging/Reactor), standardizing visibility from the point-of-sale terminal tap to the back-end ledger settlement. It adds cross-compatibility for Windows, Unix, and Linux systems alongside standard Tandem NSK systems.
2008–2012: Amid market volatility following the 2008 financial crash, transaction tracking rules tighten. RTLX adds specialized configuration engines to map high-volume dates (e.g., Black Friday) to proactively flag message queues and clear bottlenecks before causing outages.

🔹 The Acquisition & Integration Era (2015–Present)

This era sees consolidation in the HPE NonStop market, transforming the legacy product into a fully modern cyber-resilient and automated tracking ecosystem.

2015–2021: Real-time transaction frameworks become critical for compliance. To expand global distribution channels, ETI-NET formalizes an agreement to acquire and absorb Insider Technologies’ core system software catalog.
2022–2023: ETI-NET rebrands the classic software stack to streamline its message. The system monitoring side (Reflex) becomes Sentinel, while the specialized payment switch transaction monitor (RTLX) is official re-launched as C-Deep for Transaction Monitoring.
2024: ETI-NET pushes C-Deep through HPE Pointnext Services, making it directly purchasable within standard Hewlett Packard Enterprise customer channels. Integrations are updated to match the NIST 2.0 Cybersecurity Framework.
2025–2026: Modern upgrades focus heavily on end-to-end data auditing, automated email/SMS alerting systems, and specialized dashboard analytics tailored for complex, multi-currency transaction paths.

ETI-NET C-Deep real-time transaction and payment monitoring product timeline

Mark Whitfield HPE NonStop Tandem Experience over three decades

Mark Whitfield is a Senior IT Project Manager with over three decades of experience, heavily rooted in HPE NonStop (formerly Tandem).

His career has transitioned from hands-on NonStop development and product management into large enterprise cloud and digital transformation projects.

Mark Whitfield’s IT project management and software engineering career spans over three decades — Mark Whitfield – Senior IT
Project Manager – SC cleared

His NonStop specific projects and career trajectory can be broken down (at a high-level) by era, location, and focus as follows:

1990–1995: Early Programming

Location: Barclays, Poole, Dorset, UK
Focus: Electronic banking programming and development on Tandem Mainframe Computers.
Projects: Wrote, developed, and maintained software like sp/ARCHITECT-BANK and associated billing software (in Poole, 1993). This involved building early electronic banking systems for desktops long before internet banking was prevalent.

1995–2013: Senior Development & Product Management

Location: Insider Technologies, Salford Quays, Manchester, UK
Focus: NonStop product management, software design, and real-time event monitoring.
Projects: Product managed software lifecycles for four monitoring products (two NonStop based). This included creating health and diagnostic tools (RTLX, Reflex 80:20, Reflex ONE24, XPERT24) for mission-critical NonStop environments. He also deployed volume testing on early HP NonStop S7000 nodes for CRESTCo in London in 1997.

Spinnaker Court, Chandlers Point, Insider Technologies, Salford Quays, Manchester, UK — Insider Technologies, Salford Quays, Manchester, UK

2013–2014: Legacy Migration & Consulting

Location: Wincor Nixdorf & ATM/POS Financial Services, UK
Focus: Modernization and migration of legacy systems.
Projects: Managed a £5M+ replacement of legacy HP NonStop software systems at a large UK retail bank, migrating functionalities to AIX-based J2EE and Oracle architectures.

Diebold Nixdorf Ltd, Cain Rd, Binfield, Bracknell, RG12 1WP — Diebold Nixdorf Ltd, Cain Rd,
Binfield, Bracknell, RG12 1WP

2016–Present: Cloud Transformation & Digital Delivery

Location: Capgemini UK, Trafford Quays / UK-Wide
Focus: Delivery of enterprise-scale middleware, digital transformation, and cloud.
Projects: Acts as an Engagement Manager and SC-Cleared Project Manager. Focus includes Agile software delivery for Air Traffic organisations (e.g., iOS applications for military and public-facing airspace tracking) and rolling out middleware solutions.

Capgemini UK, Floor 7, Venus Building, Trafford Quays, Manchester. M41 7HA — Capgemini UK, Floor 7,
Venus Building, Trafford Quays

C&CA UK's Communications & Engagement Award Winner 2022 - Cloud & Custom Applications - Capgemini UK — C&CA UK’s Communications & Engagement Award Winner 2022 – Cloud & Custom Applications – Capgemini UK

For more career detail, click here.

Wimbledon Championships, 139th edition from Monday 29 June to Sunday 12 July 2026

The 139th edition of the Wimbledon Championships takes place from Monday 29 June to Sunday 12 July 2026 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.

The main draw begins tomorrow morning, bringing significant tournament structural overhauls, massive financial updates, and major player storylines.

📅 Full Tournament Schedule

Wimbledon continues its 14-day schedule without the traditional Middle Sunday rest period.

🏆 Key Player Storylines & Field Status

🧔 Men’s Draw

The Favorites: Defending champion Jannik Sinner enters as the top target, opening play on Centre Court on Day 1. He is heavily pressured by seven-time champion Novak Djokovic—still chasing an elusive 25th Major—and Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev.
The Major Absence: Two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the tournament due to an ongoing wrist injury (tenosynovitis).
The Coaching Box: British legend Andy Murray returns to SW19, transitioning into a coaching role for British No. 1 Jack Draper.

👩 Women’s Draw

Serena’s Shock Comeback: At 44 years old, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams returns to singles action on a wildcard. She faces teenager Maya Joint in the first round and is also playing doubles with her sister, Venus Williams.
The Title Contenders: Defending champion Iga Świątek and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka headline the field alongside 2022 champion Elena Rybakina and rising French Open champion Mirra Andreeva.

💰 Record-Breaking Prize Money

Total prize money rises 20% to a record £64.2 million, making it the largest year-on-year financial bump in tournament history.

Singles Champions: £3,600,000
Singles Runners-Up: £1,800,000
First-Round Losers: £80,000

⚙️ Historical and On-Site Innovations

Electronic Video Review: For the first time in Wimbledon history, electronic video reviews are active for chair-umpire line calls (such as ‘not-up’ or ‘foul shot’) on Centre Court, No. 1 Court, and courts 2, 3, 12, and 18.
Scoreboard Transparency: Following spectator feedback, electronic court scoreboards will now explicitly flag “Out” and “Fault” calls visually.
Climate Accommodations: Following forecasts of record-breaking high temperatures, organizers expanded shade and shelter infrastructure around the Tea Lawn and The Hill.

📺 Broadcast Information

United Kingdom: Extended coverage is hosted on the BBC, which secured free-to-air rights through 2033.
United States: Live matches stream on ESPN and the Tennis Channel.

Wimbledon Championships, 139th edition from Monday 29 June to Sunday 12 July 2026

In Jira Software, an Agile workflow is the sequential path a work item follows

In Jira Software, an Agile workflow is the sequential path a work item follows from creation to completion. It maps out your team’s real-world processes onto a digital Jira Board, ensuring full transparency, accountability, and tracking during iterative cycles.

Whether your team uses the structured Scrum framework or the continuous delivery of Kanban, the core workflow engine runs on the same underlying components.

Core Components of a Jira Workflow

Every workflow in Jira is built using three essential pillars:

Status: This indicates exactly where a task sits in the process cycle (e.g., “To Do”, “In Progress”, “In Review”).
Transition: The one-way link or action taken to move an issue from one status to another (e.g., clicking “Start Progress” or dragging a card).
Resolution: The ultimate reason why a task is closed (e.g., “Done”, “Fixed”, “Duplicate”, “Won’t Do”).

The Standard Agile Workflow Stages

By default, Jira uses a simplified three-step framework, but high-performing Agile teams usually build out custom statuses to mirror their cross-functional pipelines. A comprehensive Agile software workflow typically looks like this:

1. The Backlog

The master list where the Product Owner documents all upcoming feature requests, bugs, and requirements. Work here is represented as Epics (large bodies of work) and User Stories (smaller, user-focused features). Items sit here until they are prioritized and pulled into active development.

2. To Do (Selected for Development)

Issues committed to the current active iteration—like a 2-week Sprint in Scrum. These items are assigned to specific team members, estimation points are locked in, and they sit in the queue waiting for a developer to pick them up.

3. In Progress

The work is actively being executed. In software teams, moving a card to “In Progress” frequently triggers background Atlassian Automations, such as linking the Jira task to a live branch in a code repository like Bitbucket.

4. In Review / QA

The work is complete but requires validation. This stage is critical for peer code reviews, automated builds, and quality assurance testing. If a bug is caught, a transition can send the issue back to “In Progress”.

5. Done

The work successfully meets the team’s shared “Definition of Done” and is ready for release. Moving a card to this final column automatically strikes through the issue key, triggering a status of “Resolved”.

Structuring Work Across Frameworks

Scrum Workflows: Heavily time-boxed. Issues move sequentially from a groomed backlog into active sprints. Progress and performance metrics are measured via built-in Jira Agile Reports like Burndown Charts and Velocity tracking.

Kanban Workflows: Focused on continuous, fluid delivery. Instead of sprints, teams place Work in Progress (WIP) limits on individual columns. This visually exposes system bottlenecks immediately if too many tasks stack up in a column like “In Review”.

Workflow Best Practices for Teams

Keep it Simple Early On: Start with minimal statuses (To Do, In Progress, Done). Only introduce custom steps like “Design” or “UAT” when your team physically hits a communication gap.
Leverage Transitions Wisely: Define whether an issue can transition “From Any Status” or must follow a strict, linear progression.
Automate Repetitive Steps: Set up rules to auto-assign tasks when they change hands, or auto-close parent User Stories once all child subtasks hit “Done”.

In Jira Software, an Agile workflow is the sequential path a work item follows from creation to completion

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a global security framework

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a globally recognized set of security guidelines designed to ensure businesses that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment to protect cardholder data.

Who Needs It

If your business takes payments online, over the phone, or in-store, PCI DSS applies to you. It is mandatory for all merchants, financial institutions, and service providers handling card data, regardless of the company’s size or transaction volume.

The 12 Core Requirements

The standard consists of 12 fundamental requirements organized into 6 main control objectives:

Network Security: Install and maintain network security controls (e.g., firewalls) to protect cardholder data.
Secure Defaults: Never use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters.
Protect Stored Data: Safeguard stored account data via encryption, hashing, or truncation.
Encrypt Transmissions: Strongly encrypt cardholder data across open, public networks.
Malware Protection: Protect all systems and networks against malicious software.
Maintain Secure Systems: Regularly update software, apply security patches, and develop secure systems.
Restrict Access: Restrict system and cardholder data access on a strict “need to know” basis.
Authenticate Users: Identify users and authenticate access to system components.
Restrict Physical Access: Control and restrict physical access to cardholder data and hardware.
Log and Monitor: Log and continuously monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data.
Regular Testing: Regularly test security systems and network processes for vulnerabilities.
Information Security: Maintain formal policies that address information security for all personnel.

Why Compliance Matters

Achieving compliance—often demonstrated through a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) or a Report on Compliance (RoC)—protects your customers and your business from data breaches. Non-compliance can result in devastating penalties, forensic investigation costs, loss of merchant processing privileges, and heavy brand damage.

For more specific details, requirements, and self-assessment tools tailored to your business, refer to the official PCI Security Standards Council website.

Agile Scrum Story Points Matrix

RACI Matrix, Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed

A RACI matrix is a project management tool used to clarify roles and responsibilities for tasks and deliverables. It prevents confusion and bottlenecks by assigning one of four roles to each stakeholder: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.

The 4 RACI Roles

R – Responsible: The person (or team) who does the actual work to complete the task. They are the hands-on doers who ensure the work gets done.
A – Accountable: The person who ultimately owns the success or failure of the task. They sign off on the final work and are answerable for it. Note: There should always be exactly one Accountable person per task.
C – Consulted: Stakeholders whose feedback or expertise is required before the task can be completed or a decision is made. This is typically a two-way communication flow.
I – Informed: People who are kept up to date on the progress or completion of a task, but who do not directly work on it or need to provide input. This is a one-way communication flow.

RACI Matrix, Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed

Agile, Scrum and SAFe – How the Principles Connect

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