Technology Specialist It Services

Venu Kumar Chilukuri

Infra Technology Specialist/Technical Incident Manager

469-***-**** ****.****@*****.*** https://www.linkedin.com/in/venu-kumar-chilukuri16

Summary:

Experienced Major Incident & ITSM Manager with a track record of 17 years successfully overseeing crucial incident response procedures to reduce downtime and guarantee uninterrupted business operations. competent in carrying out root cause analysis, managing cross-functional teams, and putting preventative measures in place to lessen reoccurring problems. competent in upholding service level agreements (SLAs), managing stakeholder communication, and appropriately elevating issues. proficiency with incident management software, ITIL principles, and promoting process enhancements to boost operational effectiveness. acknowledged for having excellent problem-solving abilities, working well with others, and producing reliable outcomes under pressure.

Experience in diverse domains including Windows, VMware, Azure DevOps, Azure Networking and IT Infrastructure Support and Management, I am dedicated to understanding and meeting the dynamic needs of an organization. My background spans the Pharma, Insurance, Financial Services, and Life Sciences sectors, with proven expertise in Incident, Problem, Change, Demand, Transition, and People Management.

Functional Expertise:

Comprehensive IT Services and Operational Management – Proficient in ITIL-based incident lifecycle management, from identification to resolution and closure. Skilled in prioritizing and categorizing incidents based on business impact and urgency.

Extensive experience in managing IT services, project transitions including Incident, Problem, Change, Release, Demand, and Software/Hardware License and Deployment Management.

Vendor and Vulnerability Management - Expertise in managing vendor relationships and overseeing vulnerability management protocols to ensure robust IT security and compliance.

IT Procurement Operations - Skilled in IT services and product procurement, ensuring efficient and cost-effective operations and management.

Azure Active Directory - Cloud based identity and access management for securing access to Azure resources and applications.

Azure Cloud Mastery: In-depth experience with Azure cloud services, encompassing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), worker roles, service bus, queues, Azure Blob and Table storage, and API Management.

Skilled in configuring Network Security Groups (NSGs) for multi-tier applications, integrating on-premises servers with Azure, and managing VNETs and subnets to meet project requirements.

Technical Skills:

Cloud Platforms

Microsoft Azure

Tools

Azure Storage Explorer, Visual Studio, Azure Automation, Azure Active Directory, IIS, Sql Server, MySQL, Service Bus, Azure Roles, ARM, AKS, Azure Storage, SAP ERP, Service Now, Terraform

DevOps Tools

Git, Kubernetes, Docker,

Scripting Languages

Power Shell, Terraform(IaC)

Database

SQL Server, MySQL

Certifications:

•Microsoft Certified Professional

•ITILV3 Foundation Certified

•VMWare Professional

•MS Azure Architect Certified (AZ-303)

•Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)

•Azure DevOps Engineer (AZ-400)

Professional Experience:

Cognizant Technology Solutions Mar 2015 – Aug 2024

Infra Technology Specialist/Technical Incident Manager

Client: Novartis Pharma

Description:

Novartis AG is a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical corporation based in Basel, Switzerland. It works to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease.

Project IT Management (Incident/Problem/Change/Release) Activities:

Very good experience as an Application/Technical Incident Manager demonstrated capability to mentor and motivate team members, enhance team performance and follow the customer process effectively.

Managing Service Delivery for applications and platforms with good knowledge on ITIL processes like incident management, Change and Problem management.

•Responsible for Transition project, IT Application Management, Major incident management, change management Problem, knowledge management, escalation support, and operations performance issues.

•Drive the resolution of high-severity incidents (P1/P2) by coordinating with technical teams and ensuring adherence to SLA timelines.

•Act as a single point of contact (SPOC) for major incidents, ensuring all stakeholders are informed throughout the resolution process.

•Acted as the primary escalation point for high-priority incidents, coordinating with technical teams, vendors, and stakeholders to ensure timely resolution.

•Developed and implemented incident management processes, ensuring alignment with ITIL best practices and continuous service improvement initiatives.

•Conducted post-incident reviews (PIRs) to analyze root causes, document lessons learned, and implement preventive measures to enhance system reliability.

•Facilitated real-time communication during incidents, providing stakeholders and senior leadership with timely updates on progress, impact, and resolution timelines.

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to establish and maintain escalation protocols, ensuring seamless response to critical incidents.

•Monitored incident trends and generated regular reports, identifying recurring issues and recommending strategic improvements to reduce incident frequency and impact.

•Coordinated with change management and problem management teams to mitigate risks and ensure the seamless implementation of solutions.

•Trained and mentored team members on incident management processes, ensuring a high-performing and well-prepared team for crisis situations.

•Delivered strong customer satisfaction results by prioritizing user impact and advocating for prompt action during escalations.

•Successfully managed multiple concurrent incidents across global operations, maintaining calm under pressure and ensuring critical services remained operational.

•Drove automation initiatives to streamline incident detection and escalation processes, improving response times.

•Established SLAs and KPIs for incident resolution, consistently exceeding performance targets and maintaining compliance with service agreements.

•Escalate issues promptly to ensure resources are allocated effectively.

•Provide timely updates to leadership, stakeholders, and impacted business units during the lifecycle of an incident.

•Maintain accurate incident records and post-incident communication. Review and refine incident management processes to ensure efficiency and alignment with ITIL standards.

•Review and update lifecycle process documentation like SOW, Operational Handbook, SOP, SLA’s, and Architecture Handbook by working alongside with operational and Service delivery team.

•Co-ordinate with the Technical leads for escalations and proper work assignments.

•Hosting weekly regular meetings towards all BAU activities and capture the status and work toward closer as per agreed timelines.

•Working on Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to determine the origin of critical issues and resolve it at the earliest and ensure that the issue does not repeat in future

•Led the end-to-end vulnerability management lifecycle, including discovery, assessment, prioritization, and remediation of vulnerabilities across cloud and on-premises environments.

•Managed and maintained vulnerability scanning tool with Qualys to identify security vulnerabilities in networks, applications, and infrastructure

•Prepare detailed Change Plans, including steps, timelines, and rollback procedures.

•Conducted security audits and vulnerability assessments as part of compliance initiatives, ensuring adherence to internal security policies and external regulations.

•Raising the Work orders and Incidents to the support teams based on the requests from the clients

•Managed end-to-end change requests, ensuring proper documentation, risk assessment, and approvals following ITIL best practices.

•Work closely with Development and testing teams to implement fixes in Testing and Production environments.

•An expert in leading teams to successful project implementation with proper management, scope containment and quality assurance.

•Developed and enforced release management processes, including change management, rollback strategies, and contingency planning, to minimize downtime during deployments.

•Facilitated release readiness reviews and go/no-go meetings, ensuring alignment across teams and clear communication of release status.

•Owns Client Satisfaction for Service Delivery and Ensure continuous communication & coordination with client.

•Planned and scheduled changes to minimize disruptions to critical business operations, ensuring alignment with release timelines.

•Monitored compliance with Application Support processes, ensuring alignment with SLA, MIM, and Change Management policies.

•Provided technical direction to teams and partners to resolve complex issues through application knowledge and innovative troubleshooting.

•Oversaw ITSM ticket assignment process, ensuring thorough documentation, accurate routing, and timely escalation of support requests.

•Detailed post-incident reviews were led with full attention to finding the root cause, driving continuous improvement actions, documenting findings, and instituting corrective measures against further risks.

•Simplified the escalation process to reduce the time required for resolution by making sure critical issues are resolved on time by the right teams and decision-makers.

•Implemented agile practices to foster self-directed teams, enabling developers to deliver high-quality work efficiently.

•Managed relationships with partners providing L1-L2 application support to ensure service quality and collaboration.

•Timely updates provided to the stakeholders in the course of incident management ensure clarity and conciseness in the communication of impact, progress, and resolution outcomes.

•Managed complex release schedules for multiple projects, coordinating deployments across distributed teams and ensuring alignment with overall product roadmaps.

•Led post-release retrospectives, gathering feedback from teams to identify improvements in the release process and implement changes for future releases.

•Wrote detailed knowledge base articles about past incidents to facilitate quicker resolution in case of similar incidents occurring in the future and to support staff training.

•Created and maintained release documentation, including deployment guides, runbooks, and troubleshooting steps, to standardize and streamline release operations.

•Conducted regular audits of release environments to ensure consistency, stability, and readiness for deployments, reducing risks during the release phase.

•Establish robust governance on project activities, Incident, Knowledge, Change Management and Service Request Management and ensure compliance.

Environments: Azure, ITIL, Project Management, Incident/Problem/Change Management

Key Responsibilities: Azure DevOps:

•Oversee and manage all Azure IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS services, ensuring scalable, secure, and cost-effective architectures.

•Created Terraform templates to define and configure AKS resources, including node pools, networking (VNet, subnets), and security components (NSGs, RBAC, Azure AD integration)

•Led migration strategies from on-premises data centers to Azure, encompassing both lift-and-shift migrations and application modernization through Azure App Services, Azure Functions, and microservices architecture.

•Engineered comprehensive networking solutions using Azure Virtual Networks (VNETs), Azure Load Balancers, Application Gateway, and Network Security Groups (NSGs) for secure and efficient traffic management.

•Established secure, high-performance VPN and ExpressRoute connections between on-premises and Azure-based resources.

•Ensured smooth transitions to cloud environments by minimizing downtime and maintaining network security throughout the integration process.

•Managed and optimized key Azure networking components, including VNet peering, Azure Load Balancers, and VPN Gateway, for efficient cloud connectivity.

•Configured hybrid networking solutions (ExpressRoute, VPN) to connect on-premise and cloud environments, improving cross-network communication.

• Enhanced traffic management by implementing Azure Traffic Manager and Application Gateway, improving application responsiveness.

•Conduct Azure cost management and resource optimization by analyzing usage patterns and recommending scaling strategies, reducing cloud costs.

•Utilized tools like Azure Network Watcher and diagnostic logs to identify and mitigate network bottlenecks in real time.

•Designed secure Azure environments with advanced firewall rules, VPN configurations, and NSGs to prevent unauthorized access and protect sensitive data.

•Enforced network segmentation and strict access controls to enhance security in both on-premise and cloud networks.

•Automated network configuration and deployments using PowerShell, Azure Automation, and ARM templates, reducing manual intervention.

• Implemented monitoring solutions using Azure Network Watcher and alerting systems to proactively detect and resolve potential network issues.

•Deployed Azure Front Door for global load balancing, SSL termination, and enhanced performance for web applications

•Monitored and optimized network performance across cloud and on-prem environments, reducing latency and improving bandwidth utilization.

•Identified and implemented optimization opportunities in hybrid cloud setups, enhancing overall network performance and stability.

•Performed regular network performance assessments, applying advanced tools to ensure the highest efficiency and scalability of the infrastructure.

•Partnered with DevOps teams to integrate CI/CD pipelines within Azure environments using Azure DevOps, ensuring streamlined code deployments, automation of testing, and monitoring through Application Insights and Azure Monitor.

•Utilized Azure Security Center and Azure Sentinel for threat detection, vulnerability management, and incident response.

•Configure and maintain Azure Backup policies for VMs, ensuring data resilience and fast recovery with disaster recovery plans.

CNO Financial Group (Acquired by Cognizant in Mar 2015) Feb 2013 – Feb 2015

Role: Infra Technology Specialist/ Senior Networks Engineer

Description:

CNO provides life and health insurance, annuities, financial services, and workforce benefits solutions through our family of brands and supported by our associates and agents.

Key Responsibilities:

•Managed project lifecycle from initiation to closure, including planning, scheduling, resource allocation, and risk management.

•Facilitated communication between stakeholders, ensuring project goals align with business objectives and requirements are clearly defined.

•Serve as the main person responsible for managing and coordinating incident response activities.

•Ensure all incidents are accurately logged, categorized, and prioritized in the incident management system.

•Assess the impact and urgency of incidents to prioritize resolution efforts effectively.

•Assisted in managing project timelines and schedules, ensuring tasks were completed on time and aligned with project goals.

•Coordinated with team members and stakeholders to clarify project requirements, address concerns, and facilitate effective communication.

•Supported the project lead in planning, resource allocation, and tracking progress across various project phases.

•Monitored project milestones, reporting updates and potential risks to senior project leaders and stakeholders.

•Participated in team meetings, contributing to task prioritization, issue resolution, and overall project planning.

•Assisted in creating project documentation, including project plans, status reports, and presentations for stakeholders.

•Facilitated collaboration across teams, ensuring smooth information flow and helping to resolve minor project conflicts.

•Engaged in risk identification and supported the development of mitigation strategies to minimize potential delays or issues.

•Contributed to the adoption of project management methodologies, such as Agile, to improve project efficiency and team productivity.

•Deployed Active Directory in multi-domain, multi-forest environments, ensuring seamless identity management across complex infrastructures.

•Expertise in configuring Site-to-Site and Point-to-Site VPN connections for secure and efficient remote access.

•Hands-on experience with Azure Automation, creating Runbooks and scheduling jobs to automate repetitive tasks.

•Configured Azure Virtual Networks (VNets), subnets, network settings (CIDR address blocks, DNS settings), and security policies to ensure efficient and secure network

•Provided 24x7 Azure DevOps technical support to Microsoft Azure customers, ensuring timely issue resolution and optimal cloud performance.

•Interacted directly with customers via calls to provide technical support for Azure identity and access management issues.

•Administration of Microsoft Windows Servers, Microsoft Workstations.

•Responsible for pushing the monthly patches to all client systems through WSUS (Patching) server.

•Performed vulnerabilities activities for all servers.

•Network equipment’s AMC’s maintenance and raise the required indents.

•Led cross-functional teams to deliver projects on time and within budget, coordinating efforts across development, testing, and operations.

Environments: Azure DevOps, AWS, Terraform, Docker, VMware, VDI, Vulnerability Management, Incident/Problem/Change Management

Mott MacDonald / System Administrator Dec 2008 – Feb 2013

Description:

The Mott MacDonald Group was formed in 1989 with the merger of two long-established and well-known international engineering consultancies – Mott, Hay & Anderson, renowned for its contribution to transportation engineering, and M MacDonald & Partners, distinguished by a long tradition of water-related projects

Responsibilities:

•Managing IT resources to accomplish user requirement at adequate level & helping management for IT related decision, procurement & maintenance.

•Installation & maintenance of Windows 2000/2003 server, MS-Exchange server with necessary software.

•Maintaining Active Directory Service, Component service, Group policy, Domain Controller policy, DNS, Terminal & DHCP services.

•Installation & maintenance of Microsoft exchange server.

•Provided support and troubleshooting for Windows XP, Windows 7, MS Office.

•Installation & maintenance of Network based software like Symantec Console, Anti-Virus & VERITAS Exec backup software.

•Upgrade Symantec Backup Exec 12.5 for Windows Servers.

•Cost analyzes for new technology upgrade software’s & hardware products

•Installation of PIMS project wise to all end users.

•Educating the new employees about network to do the basic functioning like accessing the software and data from the network. Staff training for working in internal & external network and software like Windows operating system, e-mail, office automation, utility tools etc.

•Providing Admin access, Power User access and USB Blocking to the users.

•Troubleshooting the system related problems (Hardware, Software and OS related)

•Troubleshooting the internet and intranet problems.

•System & peripheral procuring and maintaining supplier relations.

•Additional duties as assigned (Day to day Support to 2 Site Offices)

Environments: Windows Administration, Windows Servers, VMware, Desktop/Laptop Management, ITIL, Incident/Problem/Change Management.

Sanbay Networks Pvt Ltd /System Assistant Dec 2006 – Nov 2008

Description:

A Pan India System Integrator, Amplify Power Services Partner for HP, Gold Partner of HPE and Aruba.

Responsibilities:

•First level Support for Server and Network Team.

•Attending all meetings called by IT manager.

•Expertise in large-scale deployment of OS with all the applications on to the desktops

•using tools like Symantec Ghost, SMS image.

• Installations of antivirus and their latest patches updates.

• Installation and configure Local and Network printers.

• Administrating MS-Outlook for Exchange 2003.

• Installation of Client related applications like Citrix, Extras Attachmate

• Installing .Net, Visual Studio and configuring IIS.

• Installation and Online Registration of Licensed Software.

•Attending day-to-day problems at end user, networking problems.

•Escalating and coordinating with Vendors for Systems hardware and Router related

•problems.

•Maintaining the Master Database of Desktops, Laptops & Router (IP’s & configuration).

•Maintaining the laptop user’s data backup schedule.

Environments: Windows Administration, Windows Servers, VMware, Desktop/Laptop Management, ITIL, Incident/Problem/Change Management

Education:

•M.C.A - Master of computer application, Anna University, 2005.

•B.C.A - Bachelor of computer application, Andhra University, 2002.

Contact this candidate