Network Engineer Security

AZHAR SYED

Tel: +1-217-***-**** Email: ***************@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY:

• Accomplished Network Engineer with 4+ years of experience in designing, implementing, and optimizing LAN, WAN, WLAN, and SD-WAN infrastructures for seamless enterprise connectivity and performance.

• Proficient in Routing & Switching Protocols such as BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, STP, RSTP, HSRP, and VLANs, ensuring optimal traffic routing and failover support.

• Expert in Network Security with hands-on experience managing Firewalls (Cisco ASA, NGFW, Checkpoint) and VPNs

(IPSec, SSL/TLS, IKEv2) to protect networks from external and internal threats.

• Hands-on with Networking Devices including Cisco Catalyst, Cisco Nexus, Juniper routers/switches, and F5 Load Balancers (LTM, GTM), ensuring scalable, secure, and high-performing network infrastructure.

• Advanced Monitoring & Troubleshooting Expertise using tools like SolarWinds, Wireshark, Cisco Prime, SNMP, and Syslog for network diagnostics, health checks, and performance tuning.

• Automation & Scripting Capabilities with Ansible, Puppet, Bash, PowerShell, and YAML, enabling network automation, configuration management, and operational efficiency.

• Proficient in Wireless Networking using Wi-Fi 6, LTE, UMTS, and WLAN (Cisco, Aruba) to provide high-speed wireless connectivity for enterprise and IoT devices.

• Skilled in WAN Technologies like MPLS, Frame Relay, ATM, SONET, and DWDM, ensuring fast, secure, and fault-tolerant communication between geographically dispersed sites.

• Cross-Platform Expertise on Linux (Red Hat, Ubuntu), Windows, and macOS for network configuration, scripting, and multi-environment troubleshooting.

• Collaborative Approach with proficiency in Agile and ITIL methodologies, leveraging Git, SVN, and JIRA for version control, issue tracking, and efficient project management. SKILLS:

• Programming Languages: Python, Go, YAML, Bash, PowerShell, Perl, C/C++

• Operating Systems: Windows, MacOS, Linux (Red Hat, Ubuntu)

• Networking Protocols: TCP/IP, Ethernet, EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, STP, DNS, DHCP, SIP, UDP, IPv4/IPv6, SNMP, SMTP, HTTP, FTP, Telnet, SSH, IPSec

• Authentication & Security: ACL, NAT, RADIUS, TACACS, VPN, SSL/TLS, IKEv2

• Networking Technologies: LAN, WAN, WLAN, VLAN, VPN, MPLS, SD-WAN, Firewall management, NAT/PAT, QoS (Quality of Service)

• Network Devices: Cisco Catalyst, Cisco Nexus, Juniper E/J/M series routers and switches, Yealink IP Phones, Wireless Access Points

• Network Management & Monitoring Tools: SNMP, Syslog, SolarWinds, Wireshark, Nagios, Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Ansible, Puppet

• Container & Virtualization Technologies: Docker, Kubernetes, VMware, Hyper-V, VirtualBox

• Version Control: Git, Subversion (SVN)

• Routing & Switching Protocols: RIP, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, VTP, STP, RSTP, MST, HSRP, VRRP, LACP, VLANs

• Load Balancer Technologies: Cisco ACE, F5 Big-IP (LTM, GTM)

• Firewalls & Security Devices: Cisco PIX/ASA, Checkpoint, VPN Concentrators, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW)

• WAN Technologies: Frame Relay, ATM, MPLS, SONET, SDH, DWDM, BGP/MPLS VPN

• Wireless Standards & Technologies: LTE, UMTS, CDMA, Mobile IP, Wi-Fi 6, WLAN (Cisco, Aruba)

• Web/Application Servers: Apache, WebSphere, WebLogic

• Methodologies: Agile, Waterfall, ITIL

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Wawanesa Group May 2023 to Current

Network Engineer

• Led the design and deployment of hybrid cloud networking using AWS, Azure, and on-prem data centers, ensuring secure and seamless interconnectivity.

• Implemented cloud-native network security by configuring AWS Security Groups, Azure Network Security Groups (NSGs), VPN Gateways, and load balancers, enabling a zero-trust security model.

• Deployed and managed SD-WAN solutions for branch office connectivity, improving network redundancy, optimizing traffic paths, and reducing latency.

• Configured and managed next-generation firewalls (NGFW) like Palo Alto and Cisco ASA to enforce security policies, inspect encrypted traffic, and protect against DDoS attacks.

• Implemented container networking for Kubernetes and Docker environments, enabling microservices-based applications to communicate securely.

• Developed and automated network configurations using Ansible, Puppet, Bash, and PowerShell scripts, reducing manual intervention and improving configuration consistency.

• Monitored network performance and security using SolarWinds, ELK (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana), and Cisco Prime, identifying and mitigating network bottlenecks in real time.

• Optimized routing and failover for multi-region traffic using BGP, EIGRP, and HSRP for high availability and disaster recovery planning.

• Collaborated with DevOps and cloud teams to support cloud migration, implement security best practices, and ensure infrastructure as code (IaC) for networking.

• Conducted network assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities, improve compliance with industry standards, and maintain security certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001, etc.).

• Deployed secure remote access solutions for hybrid work environments using VPN (SSL, IKEv2) and multi-factor authentication

(MFA), ensuring secure and reliable access for remote users.

• Mentored junior engineers and provided technical leadership on network best practices, incident management, and process improvements to increase overall team efficiency.

Coforge March 2018 to Dec 2021

Network Engineer

• Designed and implemented LAN, WAN, and VLAN infrastructures, supporting multi-site connectivity with Cisco Catalyst, Nexus switches, and Juniper routers to ensure high network availability and performance.

• Configured and optimized routing protocols including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, and RIP for scalable and efficient network traffic management across data centers and branch offices.

• Managed and maintained network security by configuring Cisco ASA Firewalls, Checkpoint Firewalls, VPN (IPSec, SSL/TLS, IKEv2), and ACLs to protect against cyber threats and unauthorized access.

• Deployed and supported wireless network solutions with Wi-Fi 6 and Cisco WLAN controllers, ensuring seamless connectivity for mobile devices and IoT.

• Proactively monitored and troubleshot network issues using tools like SolarWinds, Wireshark, and Nagios, improving response times and reducing network downtime.

• Streamlined network automation using Ansible and YAML scripts to automate repetitive tasks like switch configuration, port provisioning, and health checks.

• Implemented load balancing solutions using F5 Big-IP (LTM, GTM) to optimize application delivery, reduce server load, and ensure high availability.

• Provided support for virtualization technologies like VMware, Hyper-V, and VirtualBox, integrating virtual machines into network topologies.

• Maintained network documentation and diagrams for routers, switches, firewalls, and VPNs to assist with troubleshooting, audits, and change management.

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams in Agile and ITIL environments, supporting incident response, change management, and technical escalations for mission-critical network issues. EDUCATION:

• Masters in Computer Technology

Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL

• Bachelors in Computer Science & Engineering

LORDS Institute of Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad, India CERTIFICATION:

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

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