Systems Engineer Network

RISHITHA SARAKANAM

Dallars, TX +1-425-***-**** ******************@*****.*** LinkedIn Portfolio PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Resourceful and technically adept Infrastructure, Network, and Systems Engineer with 4+ years of experience delivering end-to-end support across enterprise IT, endpoint management, and embedded systems. Skilled in designing and securing networks using FortiGate, Palo Alto, Cisco ASA, and SD- WAN technologies, with hands-on implementation of L2/L3 routing, VPN, VLAN, and firewall configurations to support high-availability operations. Proficient in managing endpoint lifecycle through Microsoft Intune, SCCM/MECM, Autopilot, and Azure AD enabling zero-touch deployments, policy enforcement, and full compliance with ISO 27001 and NIST standards. Strong background in embedded firmware development using C/C++ on STM32 microcontrollers, with experience debugging I2C, SPI, and UART interfaces in real-time systems. Adept at automating infrastructure tasks using PowerShell and Python, monitoring system health, and resolving cross-platform technical issues. Actively seeking roles such as Network Engineer, System Engineer, Intune Administrator, or Embedded Firmware Engineer where broad technical scope and implementation depth are key. TECHNICAL SKILLS

Network Engineering & Infrastructure:OSPF, BGP, MPLS, EIGRP, RIP, VLANs, Inter-VLAN Routing, STP/RSTP, EtherChannel, HSRP, SD-WAN (Cisco Viptela, Versa), LAN/WAN, DNS, DHCP, NAT, PAT, VPN (IPSec, SSL), ACLs, GRE Tunnels, Port Security Firewalls & Security Appliances:Palo Alto, Fortinet FortiGate, Cisco ASA 5505/5510/5585, Checkpoint, Cisco FMC/FTD, Juniper SRX, Azure Firewall, Zscaler Internet Access

Security & Compliance:IDS/IPS, Web Application Firewall (WAF), DLP, SIEM (Splunk, QRadar, LogRhythm, ArcSight), Vulnerability Assessment (Nessus, Qualys), Penetration Testing (Burp Suite, AppSpider, Metasploit, SQLMap), Security Hardening, Audit Compliance (ISO 27001, NIST, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOX, GDPR) Cloud & Virtualization:Microsoft Azure (VNETs, Load Balancer, NSG, Azure AD, Azure VM, Bastion, DDoS Protection), Windows Autopilot, Azure Monitor, Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager

Endpoint Management & System Administration:Microsoft Intune, SCCM/MECM, Windows Defender for Endpoint (MDE), Group Policy Management, Patch Management (BigFix, LANDesk), BitLocker, AutoPilot Deployment, Endpoint Compliance Policies Load Balancing & Application Delivery:F5 BIG-IP LTM, GTM, APM, SSL Offloading, iRules, SAML Authentication, Access Policies, VIP Management Embedded & Firmware Development:Embedded C/C++, STM32 Microcontrollers, UART, I2C, SPI, Firmware Debugging, Real-Time Systems, RTOS Basics Automation & Scripting:Python, PowerShell, Ansible, Shell Scripting (Bash), REST APIs, Git, CI/CD (Jenkins, GitHub Actions) Monitoring & Troubleshooting Tools:Wireshark, SolarWinds, Nagios, PRTG, SNMP, NetFlow, Network Performance Monitor, Azure Monitor, Microsoft Defender Security Center

Wireless & Network Access:Aruba Wireless Controllers, Cisco WAPs, Cisco ISE (NAC), RADIUS, TACACS+, AAA Authentication, Wireless Security PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Network Engineer Aug 2024 - Present

DC Networks - Texas

• Led the HA configuration and deployment of Fortinet FortiGate firewalls across hybrid Azure and GCP platforms, ensuring uninterrupted operations and 99.999% uptime during infrastructure failovers.

• Reduced policy misconfiguration rates by 45% by integrating FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer, centralizing security management and improving audit traceability.

• Automated firewall object and NAT rule deployments using Python and Ansible, cutting implementation times by 60% and reducing human error during change windows.

• Established 35+ remote VPN tunnels with encrypted access controls, which improved offsite team collaboration and decreased remote connectivity issues by 30%.

• Applied granular SSL inspection and application control on FortiGate UTM, elevating compliance with ISO 27001 standards and reducing exposure to unclassified traffic.

• Configured Azure Load Balancer and F5 BIG-IP LTM to distribute inbound workloads, maintaining high availability with a 99.98% SLA across core customer applications.

• Boosted threat detection precision by integrating FortiAnalyzer logs with QRadar SIEM, enabling SOC teams to triage over 50 monthly alerts with enhanced accuracy.

• Collaborated with cloud architects to realign network policy baselines, increasing Azure Security Center compliance scores by 18% through enforced policy templates.

Network & Security Engineer Sep 2021 - Mar 2022

Microsoft Remote

• Configured Aruba Controllers with Juniper SBR Radius to deliver secure wireless connectivity, enabling posture-based authentication for 2,500+ enterprise endpoints.

• Reduced inbound threat activity by 32% through precise firewall tuning on FortiGate and Palo Alto, incorporating dynamic object groups and deep packet inspection.

• Enforced NAC policies by integrating Cisco ISE with Active Directory, leading to a 40% drop in malware events by quarantining non-compliant devices in real time.

• Tightened outbound content control by activating SSL inspection and custom web filtering via FortiGuard services, reducing access to malicious domains significantly.

• Improved device enrollment success rates to over 90% by resolving Intune profile sync issues, streamlining Azure AD join and conditional access policy enforcement.

• Conducted monthly scans using Qualys and Nessus, prioritized findings based on CVSS, and partnered with system admins to eliminate 65% of critical risks within SLA.

• Authored detailed change records and rollback plans for firewall and Intune policies, ensuring audit-ready documentation and uninterrupted service transitions.

• Investigated high-severity access issues by analyzing Wireshark packet captures and FortiAnalyzer logs, closing 40+ incidents through root cause isolation.

IT Infrastructure Engineer Apr 2020 - Aug 2021

MS Amlin Pune, India

• Deployed Windows 10 systems using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) and System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), accelerating asset readiness for new hires and supporting a 60% faster onboarding cycle during remote work transition.

• Scheduled and executed monthly security patch rollouts via WSUS and SCCM, ensuring 98% compliance across all managed endpoints and minimizing exposure to critical vulnerabilities flagged in internal audits.

• Handled Microsoft 365 license management and Exchange mailbox configurations using PowerShell scripting and the Admin Center, enabling seamless user provisioning and reducing turnaround time for IT requests by nearly one-third.

• Resolved peripheral device issues across scanners, printers, and collaboration hardware by applying firmware updates and driver-level configurations, contributing to a 22% drop in recurring hardware-related incidents.

• Rolled out collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom to over 1,000 users by configuring group policies and SSO access, allowing uninterrupted virtual meetings and improving digital workplace efficiency.

• Conducted periodic compliance audits using Microsoft Secure Score, reviewing BitLocker encryption status and device policies to close 90+ gaps and maintain readiness for ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certification cycles.

• Handled account provisioning and access permissions in Active Directory by coordinating with HR and IT policies, improving provisioning accuracy and minimizing account-related escalations.

• Maintained configuration logs and standard setup templates for embedded systems, enabling faster onboarding of new interns and reducing handover confusion for future projects.

IT Support Analyst Mar 2019 - Mar 2020

Tech Mahindra Pune, India

• Delivered technical support for Windows-based desktops, printers, and email clients using BMC Remedy, which improved first-call resolution rates and reduced repeat incidents across internal teams.

• Rolled out application updates and configuration changes using PDQ Deploy and GPO, standardizing over 400 machines and minimizing setup inconsistencies in client-facing environments.

• Audited and updated hardware asset records in the CMDB on a weekly basis, improving inventory accuracy and enabling smoother handovers during quarterly compliance checks.

• Facilitated timely account provisioning, password resets, and role-based access via Active Directory, ensuring secure onboarding while reducing IT backlog for new joiners.

• Compiled step-by-step troubleshooting articles for common incidents and published them on the internal Confluence space, which empowered Level 1 support and decreased escalation volume by 25%.

• Set up and imaged over 300 laptops using SCCM and Windows 10 deployment kits, enabling smooth onboarding for new hires and reducing manual setup effort across departments.

• Deployed Office 365 apps, configured McAfee Endpoint Security, and executed critical updates to maintain endpoint protection and meet patch compliance during quarterly audits.

PROJECTS

Unified Endpoint Management with Intune and MECM

• Deployed 800+ Windows 10/11 endpoints using AutoPilot, MECM task sequences, and Intune policies, reducing manual configuration time by 70%.

• Applied Conditional Access Policies via Azure AD and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, enforcing secure access for compliant devices only.

• Built Power BI dashboards integrated with Graph API to visualize patch status, enrollment health, and compliance KPIs in real-time. Embedded Diagnostics Integration for Retail Edge Systems

• Captured firmware-level error logs on Windows IoT devices using embedded C and PowerShell, enabling remote failure analysis for A/V controllers.

• Implemented MECM-based rollback workflows to restore prior firmware versions, reducing device recovery time across 300+ endpoints.

• Collaborated with vendors to deploy BIOS and driver updates across field POS systems, minimizing hardware-related support tickets by 35%. EDUCATION

Master of Science in Information Science & Technology Aug 2022 - May 2024 Missouri University of Science & Technology, Missouri Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science Jan 2015 - May 2019 Miracle Educational Society Group of Institutions, India CERTIFICATIONS

• CompTIA A+

• ITIL v4 Foundation

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