Network Engineer Palo Alto

NARESH BALLA

Denton, TX 304-***-**** *************@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/nareshballa7

SUMMARY

● Highly skilled Network Engineer with over around 5 years of experience in designing, implementing, and optimizing complex network infrastructures for enterprise and cloud environments..

● Proficient in configuring and maintaining Cisco routers, switches (Catalyst, Nexus), and firewalls (ASA, Palo Alto, Checkpoint), along with implementing advanced security measures like VPNs, SSL/TLS encryption, NAC, and Zero Trust Security.

● Experienced in leveraging cloud-based infrastructures using AWS (VPC, EC2, ELB, Lambda, CloudWatch, and Security Groups), integrating on-premises networks with hybrid cloud architectures for optimized scalability and performance.

● Expertise in routing protocols such as BGP, OSPF, MPLS, and EIGRP, optimizing network traffic and ensuring high availability in large-scale enterprise environments.

● Strong skills in automation and network orchestration using Python, Bash, Ansible, Terraform, and Jenkins, streamlining network operations and reducing manual tasks..

● Adept in using advanced monitoring and diagnostics tools like Wireshark, SolarWinds, Prometheus, Grafana, and Nagios for real-time network visibility, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.

● Extensive experience managing IPv4 and IPv6 addressing, VLAN segmentation, NAT, and SNMP, ensuring optimal network performance and scalability.

EXPERIENCE

MCKINSEY & COMPANY TX, USA

Network Engineer Dec 2024 – Present

● Designed and implemented a scalable hybrid network architecture like AWS, Azure, Cisco ACI using a collaborative approach, integrating Arista switches for spine-leaf topology, which reduced latency by 15%

● Analyzed network performance bottlenecks using Wireshark and SolarWinds, resolving issues with Cisco ISE-based policy enforcement to enhance secure access, improving data throughput by 2 Gbps and enabling faster client report generation.

● Engineered SD-WAN solutions across 15+ global offices using AI-driven threat detection (Darktrace), mitigating 50+ potential breaches monthly through strategic planning, while reducing annual operational costs by $150K.

● Automated network provisioning with Python and Ansible, streamlining SWIFT security policy deployment from 8 hours to 30 minutes while ensuring financial compliance.

● Led zero-trust architecture using Cisco ACI & ISE, mentoring junior engineers on policy automation, reducing 10+ recurring configuration errors monthly, and strengthening security compliance.

● Developed AI-driven threat detection with Darktrace, collaborating with cybersecurity teams to cut incident response time by 3 hours per critical alert, enhancing SWIFT network security. BANK OF NEW YORK TX, USA

Network Engineer Feb 2024 – Dec 2024

● Configured and managed complex network protocols, including TCP/IP, UDP, BGP, and OSPF, ensuring reliable and secure data transmission for financial systems across multiple network devices.

● Implemented VLAN segmentation and MPLS to optimize traffic flow in trading and operational environments, minimizing congestion and improving performance for critical financial applications.

● Deployed SSL/TLS encryption, VPN, and SSH to secure financial data, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and protecting sensitive transactions.

● Optimized routing protocols to enhance inter-branch communication, reducing convergence time by 25% and ensuring seamless operations across multiple locations.

● Administered NAT and UDP traffic configurations, maintaining high availability and performance for real-time financial applications.

● Performed IOS upgrades on Cisco Catalyst series switches to ensure network compliance with security policies and enhance system reliability.

● Managed and monitored optical networks, ensuring efficient data transmission over fiber channels, and implemented DWDM solutions for high-capacity data centers. Utilized Wireshark, SolarWinds, and PRTG for advanced network diagnostics, reducing issue resolution time by 40% and minimizing service disruptions. CAPGEMINI TECHNOLOGY SERVICES LTD INDIA

Network Engineer Mar 2019 – Aug 2022

● Configured and managed over 50 network devices, including Cisco routers, Catalyst and Nexus switches, and ASA firewalls, ensuring optimal network performance and security across enterprise environments.

● Deployed complex routing protocols such as BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP, ensuring network stability and redundancy in global enterprise networks.

● Configured VXLAN and EVPN technologies for data center networking, supporting high-availability architectures and seamless interconnectivity for five data centers serving over 1,000 users.

● Deployed SD-WAN solutions to improve scalability and reduce costs for global offices, enhancing network efficiency and reducing operational expenses by 15%.

● Managed data center networking using Cisco ACI, VXLAN, and EVPN, enabling robust architectures for 5 data centers supporting over 1,000 users.

● Deployed DWDM networks to enhance optical networking capabilities, providing robust connectivity solutions for enterprise data centers.

● Integrated optical networking principles into existing infrastructure, ensuring high-speed data transmission and reducing latency across fiber-optic channels.

● Utilized SolarWinds, Wireshark, PRTG, Telemetry, SNMP, and Syslog for advanced network monitoring and troubleshooting, reducing downtime by 30% through real-time insights and proactive optimization

● Deployed AWS VPC, EC2, and IAM services, integrating cloud services with on-premises networks for enhanced scalability and security.

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS DENTON, TX

Master of Science in Computer Science Aug 2022 – Dec 2023 CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED COMPUTING, INDIA Post Graduate Diploma Course Jul 2018 – Feb 2019

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY INDIA

Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication Engineering Jun 2014 – May 2017 CERTIFICATIONS

● Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Core (CCNP - ENCOR) 350-401 SKILLS

Routing Protocols: BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, MPLS, RIPv2, Static Routing Switching Technologies: EtherChannel, STP, RSTP, VTP, VLANs, VXLAN, SDN Network Security: ACLs, NAT, VLAN, PAT, Zero Trust, IDS/IPS, VPN, SSL/TLS, MFA, Cisco ASA, Palo Alto Firewalls, Checkpoint

Cloud & Virtualization: AWS (VPC, EC2, ELB, Lambda, CloudFormation, CloudWatch, RDS, IAM, S3, Security Groups), Azure, Oracle VirtualBox

Monitoring & Troubleshooting: Wireshark, SolarWinds, PRTG, Nagios, Prometheus, Grafana, Cisco Packet Tracer Automation & Programming: Python, Bash, Ansible, Terraform, Jenkins, Git Operating Systems: Cisco IOS, Linux (Ubuntu, Debian), Windows Documentation: Visio (Network Diagrams), MS Word, Excel PROJECTS

DYNAMIC BANDWIDTH ALLOCATION SYSTEM - PYTHON, MATPLOTLIB, CISCO PACKET TRACER

● Built a system to dynamically allocate bandwidth based on real-time network demands and traffic patterns, prioritizing critical applications to manage network congestion.

● Visualized bandwidth usage and allocation strategies with interactive graphs and charts using Matplotlib for better decision-making.

VEHICLE CONTROL USING CAN PROTOCOL - ST-LINK, CAN CONTROLLER, UBISENSE

● Enhanced communication efficiency between vehicle components in a semi-autonomous vehicle using the Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol.

● Monitored and optimized network traffic within the vehicle's control system, ensuring minimal latency in communication between control units.

Contact this candidate