Cloud Infrastructure & Network Security Engineer

DASTAGIR AHMED

Cloud Infrastructure & Network Security Engineer

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia +966-**-***-**** ******.*******@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/dastagir-ahmed-a0967b95 PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Cloud Infrastructure & Network Security Engineer with 13+ years of experience across enterprise networking, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), firewall administration, and vulnerability management. Proven track record managing Fortinet, Palo Alto, and Cisco environments, leading OCI cloud migrations, and running end-to-end vulnerability management programs using Qualys and Nessus. Skilled at delivering secure, highly available infrastructure for government and enterprise clients while driving cost optimization and compliance.

CORE COMPETENCIES

OCI (Compute, VCN, IAM, OKE, Terraform) Fortinet FortiGate & FortiAnalyzer Palo Alto Firewalls Cisco Switching & Routing IPSec/SSL VPN Qualys & Nessus Vulnerability Management ACLs, NAT, Security Policies PRTG / Site24x7 Monitoring Linux & Windows Server Administration ITIL Change & Incident Management Cloud Cost Optimization Disaster Recovery & Backup

CERTIFICATIONS

● Qualys Certified Specialist – Qualys TruRisk™ Eliminate (2026)

● Oracle Cloud Infrastructure 2023 Certified Architect Associate

● Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Foundations Associate

● Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)

● Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

TRAINING CERTIFICATES

● Cyber Threat Management – Cisco

● Endpoint Security – Cisco

● Ethical Hacker – Cisco

● Introduction to Cybersecurity – Cisco

● Project Management Professional (PMP) – STC Academy PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Cloud Infrastructure & Network Security Engineer Feb 2022 – Present Machinestalk Company (IoT Squared), STC Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Key Clients: Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), Border Guard (FCS), Royal Protocol, Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture

(MEWA), Bujairi Terrace – Diriyah

Firewall & Network Security

● Administered Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls across enterprise environments, managing firewall policies, NAT, address/service objects, and security profiles

● Configured IPSec Site-to-Site and SSL VPNs for secure remote connectivity; monitored firewall HA, CPU, memory, and session health to ensure optimal uptime

● Investigated and resolved security incidents using FortiAnalyzer logs and traffic analysis; managed IPS, antivirus, web filtering, and SSL inspection

● Performed FortiOS firmware upgrades, configuration backups, and disaster recovery activities under ITIL change management processes

Cloud Infrastructure (OCI, Alibaba Cloud, STC Cloud)

● Served as primary OCI Cloud Engineer for enterprise customer MEWA, managing the cloud environment end-to-end, including VCNs, subnets, DRGs, and load balancers

● Automated infrastructure provisioning using Terraform and OCI Resource Manager, ensuring consistent, compliant deployments

● Deployed and supported OCI Kubernetes Engine (OKE) clusters and containerized applications in production

● Managed OCI IAM governance (compartments, policies, security zones) to enforce least-privilege access and compliance

● Implemented backup, disaster recovery, and high-availability strategies to ensure business continuity and SLA adherence

● Led cloud cost optimization through resource right-sizing, budget controls, and usage analysis across OCI, Alibaba Cloud, and STC Cloud

Vulnerability & Risk Management

● Owned the end-to-end vulnerability management lifecycle — asset discovery, risk assessment, remediation tracking, verification, and reporting — using Qualys and Nessus

● Coordinated with infrastructure, application, and system teams to remediate critical and high-risk vulnerabilities within SLA timelines

● Prepared risk-based vulnerability assessment reports and recommendations that strengthened overall security posture Surveillance & Infrastructure Projects (Diriyah)

● Configured 700+ Hikvision cameras (NTP sync, resolution, network settings) and deployed the Network Optix VMS platform for centralized monitoring

● Migrated video recordings from Cisco CAMS to Hikvision servers with 100% data integrity; integrated systems with STC Cloud for remote access

● Deployed PRTG and Site24x7 monitoring for real-time visibility and proactive alerting

● Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure surveillance infrastructure met project timelines and client security requirements

Network Engineer Jan 2018 – Jan 2022

Salam Company Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

● Supported Ministry of Health (MOH) customers within the Service Management Center (SMC), managing incidents and escalations under ITIL/SLA processes

● Proactively monitored network and infrastructure alerts, enabling early detection and rapid resolution of connectivity and access issues

● Managed the complete incident lifecycle — logging, analysis, resolution, and closure — using ITSM ticketing tools, ensuring high availability for mission-critical healthcare systems

● Conducted root cause analysis (RCA) for major incidents, contributing to preventive and corrective action plans Network Engineer Mar 2013 – Nov 2017

Nournet Company Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

● Designed and configured WAN technologies including MPLS, DSL, CMTS, leased lines, P2P, VSAT, PMP, and microwave links for corporate clients

● Configured BGP, RIP, RIPv2, IGRP, and EIGRP routing protocols; implemented Site-to-Site and Remote Access IPsec VPNs

● Configured Cisco switches for VLANs, ACLs, and security policies to enforce network segmentation

● Utilized SolarWinds Orion, Cacti, and PRTG for network monitoring; maintained Visio documentation of network architecture

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