VMware VCenter
Muhammad Sadique
Sr. Infrastructure Engineer
Peshawar
Summary
Experienced Infrastructure Engineer and Network Architect with a passion for engineering design and leadership. Demonstrated ability to lead and network effectively. Hardworking, resourceful, and competitive. Over 11 years of experience managing countrywide Data Centers.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
16
16
years of post-secondary education
8
8
Certifications
2
2
Languages
Work History
Sr. Infrastructure Engineer Virtualization
National Logistic Cell (NLC)
5 2022 - Current
- Company Overview: Data Center, Peshawar, Pakistan
- Virtualization (vSphere, vSAN, vCenter, NSX, Nutanix AHV, Prism, Nutanix Unified Storage)
- Successfully deployed and managed VMware ESXi 6.7/7.0 hypervisors
- Integrated ESXi hosts with vCenter Server and configured essential cluster services: High Availability (HA), Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), and vSAN
- Implemented a centralized management environment by integrating multiple vCenter instances into a single SSO domain
- Enhanced storage capacity by mounting traditional SAN storage LUNs onto ESXi hosts
- Configured Active Directory (AD) and DNS, assigned user roles and permissions, and mapped users in vCenter and ESXi to enable centralized user management
- Integrated AD with ESXi hosts and vCenter to streamline authentication and user management processes
- Secured the virtual environment with East-West distributed firewalling, micro-segmentation, and North-South gateway firewalling
- Implemented essential gateway services on Service Routers (SRs), including load balancing, VPN, DHCP, NAT, and routing
- Facilitated a smooth migration from traditional VLANs to NSX VXLAN segments by configuring L2 bridges
- Ensured data protection by maintaining regular backups and snapshots of VMs, vCenter, and NSX Manager
- Monitored and responded to security events within the NSX-T environment to safeguard the virtual infrastructure
- Led a successful migration of critical workloads from VMware to Nutanix, leveraging AHV, Prism, Volumes, Files, and Object storage to improve performance and scalability
- Implemented a robust PKI solution to enhance system security and compliance by ensuring secure SSL certificate issuance and renewal for VMware vCenter and ESXi hosts
- Demonstrated expertise in vSAN administration, including capacity planning, storage policy design, performance optimization, and troubleshooting complex issues
- Optimized storage utilization by implementing new vSAN storage policies tailored to workload requirements, resulting in a 33% reduction in storage capacity
- Managed vSAN clusters effectively to ensure optimal performance and reliability through proactive monitoring and maintenance
- Implemented high availability for file servers by configuring Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC)
- Facilitated workload migration by performing RDM to VMDK conversion for workloads transitioning from physical SAN to vSAN storage
- Optimized I/O performance by configuring Multipath I/O for VMs with traditional SAN storage and ESXi hosts
- Networking (CISCO, Juniper, Huawei)
- Resolved network outages within 24 hours for Access, Aggregate, and Core networks, demonstrating rapid response and effective troubleshooting skills
- Successfully upgraded and configured more than 200 network devices, ensuring optimal performance and security
- Provisioned and extended L2/L3 networks to 40 new sites, supporting business growth and expansion
- Collaborated effectively with ISPs to resolve inter-data center network issues, reducing downtime and improving network reliability
- Designed, implemented, and maintained a robust network infrastructure, including LANs and WANs, to support critical business operations
- Proactively monitored network performance and availability, resolving technical issues within 1-2 hours to minimize disruptions
- Developed and maintained comprehensive network documentation, including HLD/LLD diagrams, configuration procedures, and change management processes, to ensure efficient operations and compliance
- Stayed up-to-date with the latest network technologies and recommended innovative solutions to improve network performance and efficiency
- Demonstrated a deep understanding of network protocols, including TCP/IP, DNS, and DHCP, to ensure optimal network operation
- Implemented and configured routing protocols (OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, and BGP) across remote sites to facilitate efficient data routing
- Enhanced network convergence and reliability by implementing BFD, reducing MTBF by 90%
- Troubleshot and resolved complex BGP peering issues, ensuring seamless inter-network connectivity
- Designed and implemented high availability systems using FHRP, GLBP, HSRP, VRRP, and VC protocols to minimize downtime and ensure business continuity
- Implemented a robust defense-in-depth security approach by following a zone security model and configuring Juniper access lists to mitigate security risks
- Enforced layer-2 security measures (DHCP snooping, ARP inspection, URPF, IP source guard) to prevent spoofing attacks and protect the network
- Established centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) using TACACS+ or RADIUS servers and implemented NTP throughout the network for time synchronization
- Demonstrated expertise in network security and access control systems, including firewalls (SRX series, Huawei etc), VPNs, and access controls, to protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access
- Configured essential network services (Site-to-Site VPN, Remote access VPN, DMVPN, GRE Tunneling, NHRP, VLAN, VXLAN, GENEVE, BGP, MPLS-VPN, Firewall policies, NAT/PAT/Port-Forwarding) to support various network requirements
- SOC/ SIEM (IBM QRadar)
- Resolved 40-50 incident response (IR) tickets related to information security in the data center within 5-6 hours, demonstrating rapid response and effective problem-solving skills
- Configured and optimized rule sets to detect and respond to security threats, reducing false positives by 60%
- Collaborated effectively with other IT administrators to investigate and resolve complex security incidents, ensuring timely containment and remediation
- Maintained regular backups and configuration updates for IBM QRadar to ensure data integrity and business continuity
- Data Center, Peshawar, Pakistan
Sr. Facility & Network Engineer
National Logistic Cell (NLC)
04.2019 - 05.2022
- Company Overview: Data Center, Gujranwala, Pakistan
- Data Center Infrastructure Management
- Managed and maintained critical data center infrastructure components, including power, cooling, fire suppression, and video surveillance systems
- Ensured 24/7 data center uptime through proactive monitoring and maintenance
- Planned and implemented redundant power and cooling systems to minimize downtime and ensure business continuity
- Conducted scheduled maintenance activities without disrupting critical operations
- Collaborated with external vendors and consultants to coordinate major repair and maintenance activities, adhering to service level agreements (SLAs)
- Network Management
- Troubleshot network issues related to Access, Aggregate, and Core networks
- Performed software upgrades and configuration backups for network devices to ensure optimal performance and security
- Provisioned and extended network services to new sites, supporting business growth and expansion
- Collaborated with ISPs to diagnose and resolve inter-data center network issues
- Designed, implemented, and maintained local and wide area networks (LANs and WANs)
- Monitored network performance and availability using NMS tools (e.g., PRTG) and resolved technical issues promptly
- Developed and maintained comprehensive network documentation to facilitate efficient operations and troubleshooting
- Stayed informed about the latest network technologies and recommended improvements to enhance network performance and security
- Data Center, Gujranwala, Pakistan
SQL Database Query Officer
Headquarter National Logistic Cell (NLC)
12.2016 - 04.2019
- HR Data Analysis
- Provided valuable insights to HR decision-makers by generating comprehensive reports based on SQL queries
- Demonstrated a strong understanding of relational database management systems (RDBMS) and their application in HR analytics
- Conducted in-depth data analysis of employee profiles, courses, and employment data to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement
- Developed and implemented ETL processes to extract, transform, and load data from various sources into a data warehouse for analysis
- Designed and built informative Power BI dashboards and KPIs to visualize HR data and facilitate data-driven decision-making
Facility Manager
National Logistic Cell (NLC)
01.2014 - 12.2016
- Company Overview: Data Center, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Data Center Infrastructure Management
- Managed and maintained critical data center infrastructure components, including power, cooling, fire suppression, and video surveillance systems
- Ensured 24/7 data center uptime through proactive monitoring and maintenance
- Planned and implemented redundant power and cooling systems to minimize downtime and ensure business continuity
- Conducted scheduled maintenance activities without disrupting critical operations
- Collaborated with external vendors and consultants to coordinate major repair and maintenance activities, adhering to service level agreements (SLAs)
- Data Center, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
Education
Bachelor of Engineering (BE) - Electrical Power
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology
Diploma in Associate Engineering (DAE) - Electrical Technology
Government College of Technology
Skills
Infrastructure Management
Certification
Member of Pakistan Engineering Council, Elect/37628
Accomplishments
- Identified and eliminated power anomaly in power infrastructure of Data Center , saving company PKR 5.4 Millions per year.
- Optimized storage utilization by implementing new vSAN storage policies tailored to workload requirements, resulting in a 33%reduction in storage capacity.
Gym, Fitness, Book reading, Snooker
I'm a fitness enthusiast who goes to gym at least 4-5 days a week. I've read books including novels, tech books and history. 21 lessons for the 21st century by Yuval Noah harari is one of my favorite book which provide deep insights regarding impact of technological advancements like AI and machine learning on the times to come. I play snooker whenever i get time.
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
swipe to browse
Affiliations
- Muhammad (zazi) Rizwan
- Aamir Saeed
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimePart TimeContract WorkGig WorkWork Location
RemoteHybridOn-SiteImportant To Me
Career advancementWork-life balanceFlexible work hoursHealthcare benefitsWork from home optionPaid time offTeam Building / Company Retreats401k match4-day work weekStock Options / Equity / Profit SharingSoftware
Power BI Desktop
Microsoft Office
Nutanix Prism
Languages
English
Upper intermediate (B2)
Urdu
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Interests
IT
Data Visualization
Virtualization
Networking
Cloud
Timeline
Sr. Facility & Network Engineer
National Logistic Cell (NLC)
04.2019 - 05.2022
SQL Database Query Officer
Headquarter National Logistic Cell (NLC)
12.2016 - 04.2019
Facility Manager
National Logistic Cell (NLC)
01.2014 - 12.2016
Diploma in Associate Engineering (DAE) - Electrical Technology
Government College of Technology
Member of Pakistan Engineering Council, Elect/37628
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), CSCO14404135
VMware Certified Professional - Network Virtualization 2024 (VCP-NV 2024)
Nutanix Certified Profession – Multi Cloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI)
Nutanix Certified Professional - Unified Storage (NCP-US 6.5)
Nutanix Certified Administrator - (NCA-6.5)
Data Center Certified Associate, Schneider Electric Energy University
IBM Certified Administrator - Security QRadar SIEM V7.5
Sr. Infrastructure Engineer Virtualization
National Logistic Cell (NLC)
5 2022 - Current
Bachelor of Engineering (BE) - Electrical Power
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology
Similar Profiles
MUHAMMAD MAAZ SYEDMUHAMMAD MAAZ SYED
MANAGEMENT TRAINEE ENGINEER at National Logistics Cell NLCMANAGEMENT TRAINEE ENGINEER at National Logistics Cell NLC
Ahmed AliAhmed Ali
PLC & Automation Supervisor at National Logistic CellPLC & Automation Supervisor at National Logistic Cell
Muhammad WaqasMuhammad Waqas
Site Engineer at NLCSite Engineer at NLC