Network/Solutions Architect Tier 1 Optical Infrastructure & Engineer

JEREMY S. ADAMS

Network/Solutions Architect Tier 1 Optical Infrastructure & Engineering Leader

Meadview, AZ 928-***-**** ***.***********@*****.*** LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeremy-s-adams

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Strategic, visionary Network Architect and Solutions Architect with 30 years of extensive experience in the leadership, design, implementation, and optimization of carrier-grade optical communications infrastructure. Expert at bridging the complex gap between optical physics and highly profitable infrastructure growth, specializing in multi-vendor interoperability and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) optimization for Tier 1 carriers, hyperscale data centers, and large enterprise environments.

Proven track record in pre-sales engineering, high-fidelity Bill of Materials (BOM) validation, and successfully eliminating proprietary vendor lock-in through open, disaggregated, and neutral high-performance architectural design. Recognized for an authoritative ability to translate institutional "Tribal Knowledge" into documented, scalable, future-proof production deployments. Experienced in orchestrating multi-million dollar capital budgets (CAPEX/OPEX), driving strategic supplier roadmaps, and providing direct executive advisory.

CORE ARCHITECTURAL COMPETENCIES

• Next-Gen Optical Transport: Expertise in Coherent Optics (400G/800G/1.6T, ZR/ZR+), QSFP-DD, OSFP architectures, Silicon Photonics, and highly dense disaggregated transponders.

• Multi-Vendor Interoperability: Authoritative architecture and line-rate hardware integration across complex Cisco (IOS-XR), Ciena (MCP/Navigator), Arista (EOS), Nokia (SROS), and Juniper (Junos) fabrics.

• Physical Layer Authority: Deep mathematical and operational mastery of optical physics impairments including Chromatic Dispersion (CD), Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD), link budgeting, OSNR optimization, and BER/PRBS characterization.

• Capital & Lifecycle Leadership: Comprehensive ownership of end-to-end infrastructure lifecycles, rigorous ROI/TCO financial modeling, complex BOM validation, multi-million dollar P&L administration, and cross-functional engineering management.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Principal Network Architect & Solutions Consultant (Freelance) — Meadview, AZ Feb 2026 – Present

Converged Architecture Design: Architecting unified packet-optical core networks, seamlessly blending dense DWDM/OTN transport layers with multi-terabit IP routing infrastructure to minimize core network latency and maximize spatial bit efficiency.

Automotive Network Modernization: Successfully directed a comprehensive 3-month network infrastructure transformation and edge optimization project for an automotive enterprise group based out of Las Vegas, NV, improving transport resiliency and multi-site stability.

Next-Gen Coherent Engineering: Formulating architectural strategies for Tier 1 networks migrating from legacy 10G/100G client ports to 400G/800G coherent networks, validating interoperability on Ciena, Cisco, and Nokia optical infrastructures.

Impairment & Route Engineering: Executing advanced fiber characterization, link budget modeling, and polarization mode/chromatic dispersion impairment mitigation across newly provisioned long-haul fiber rings and paths exceeding 500km.

Network Architect – Tier 1 Optical Infrastructure SEGRA (Cox Communications) Dec 2024 – Dec 2025

Backbone Evolution: Spearheaded the large-scale architectural migration of saturated legacy SONET/SDH footprints into high-density 100G/400G coherent DWDM networks, optimizing spectrum efficiency across congested fiber paths.

Capacity & Power Engineering: Utilized Ciena 6500/RLS (Reconfigurable Line System) and Cisco NCS/MSTP platforms to increase active backbone throughput by 300% while significantly slashing power-per-bit consumption and POP real estate requirements.

Optical Path Optimization: Authored detailed end-to-end optical design paths and executed rigorous link budget validations for high-value Tier 1 carrier and enterprise customer accounts across SR, LR, ER, and coherent Open ZR+ optics.

Interoperability Leadership: Established a vendor-neutral hardware validation framework to test third-party pluggable transceivers across heterogeneous routing fabrics (Cisco IOS-XR, Arista EOS, Juniper Junos, Nokia SROS), ensuring absolute EEPROM and DOM telemetry compliance.

Roadmap & Supply Optimization: Completed a comprehensive, cross-functional supplier roadmap analysis for the 2025–2026 period to standardize high-capacity client optics, partnering with global distributors to safely navigate manufacturing lead times and ensure flawless deployment schedules.

Solutions Architect – ISP & OSP Infrastructure Fujitsu Network Communications Oct 2023 – Dec 2024

Multi-Vendor Solution Design: Governed scoping, financial viability, and structural feasibility of multi-million dollar broadband and optical backhaul contracts, ensuring deep alignment between complex client technical criteria and corporate standardizations.

Next-Gen Access Scoping: Led full-stack technical engineering and scoping for large-scale FTTx expansions, incorporating GPON, XGS-PON, and VDSL architectures across greenfield and brownfield municipal environments.

BOM Validation Framework: Maintained accountability for generating and approving precise pre-sales Bill of Materials (BOM), utilizing data models to systematically reduce configuration anomalies and Dead-On-Arrival (DOA) fields by 25%.

Bid Proposal Leadership: Championed corporate responses for high-value RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs, directly producing engineering cost estimates, construction narratives, and presenting architectural solutions to Technical Review Boards (TRB) and Design Advisory Boards (DAB).

Sr. Manager of Engineering – Infrastructure Strategy Windstream Communications Dec 2012 – Oct 2023

Ecosystem Lifecycle Direction: Commanded the end-to-end lifecycle of national transport, middle-mile, and broadband expansion projects from competitive bidding through deployment, engineering validation, and final site commissioning.

Capital Budget Administration: Orchestrated a multi-million-dollar annual capital portfolio, formulating corporate business cases and presenting detailed technical narratives to the executive team to secure capital funding approvals aligned with strict TCO and ROI metrics.

Vendor Integration Excellence: Successfully integrated and harmonized active systems from over 15 distinct hardware manufacturers (Infinera, Ciena, Cisco, Nokia, Adtran, Calix, Coriant, Fujitsu) into a seamless legacy-to-next-gen nationwide transport footprint.

Progressive Technical Leadership: Promoted through consecutive strategy, capacity planning, and engineering roles including Transport Planning Engineer, Broadband Planning Engineer, Access Engineer, and Kinetic Broadband Planning Engineer, building deep institutional knowledge of the national footprint.

THE TRIBAL KNOWLEDGE ERA (Key Highlights 1995 – 2012)

Network Support & Lead Systems Engineer Zayo Bandwidth / Alta Telecom / CIENA Jul 2009 – Dec 2012

Field & Impairment Engineering: Executed highly complex physical-layer fiber characterization, mapping Chromatic Dispersion (CD) and Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) parameters on dark fiber spans across the United States to qualify high-capacity wavelengths.

The Impossible Fix: Acted as the department's premium cross-trained technical tier to diagnose and resolve catastrophic global field failures affecting legacy and modern optical lines (OC-3 to OC-192 and dense DWDM systems).

Turn-Up & Deployment Standards: Authored definitive commissioning blueprints, Methods of Procedure (MOPs), and test execution templates that were institutionalized across field teams as standard operating deployment procedures.

Director of Systems Test & Applications Engineering Celion Networks (2001 – 2004). Directed the technical validation, multi-vendor interoperability integration, and deployment of early high-performance Extra-Long-Haul (ELH) and Ultra-Long-Haul optical systems; served as the chief technical liaison bridging R&D labs with multi-state field deployments.

Sr. Technical Support Engineer & Project Manager CIENA / Alta Telecom (1997 – 2000). Managed regional multi-million dollar coast-to-coast fiber ring builds; coordinated testing supervisors and installers; resolved deep-tier hardware faults in regional call centers and labs globally.

Sr. Electronics Engineer & Test Designer Alcatel Network Systems (1995 – 1997). Managed electronic maintenance down to component-level multi-layer printed circuit boards (PCB); developed automation scripts and software for testing DS1, DS3, and high-speed OC-X transmission fabrics.

STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO

• Optical Platforms: Ciena (RLS, 6500, CoreStream, 5171, 3928), Infinera (DTN-X, Groove G30/G31/G32, ILS), Cisco (NCS 1K/2K/4K, ONS 15454 MSTP), Nokia (7250 IXR, 1830 PSS), Fujitsu (Flashwave 4500/7500), Coriant, Adtran, Calix (E7/E9)

• Protocols & Standards: DWDM, OTN (G.709), SONET/SDH, Carrier Ethernet (RFC2544, ITU-T Y.1564), xPON (GPON, XGS-PON), G.8032 Ring Resiliency, TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, MSA, CMIS, SFF-8636, BICSI OSP-D, NESC, RUS Codes

• Software & Systems: NMS/EMS Interfacing, NetCracker, Circuit Vision, Metasolv M6, ServiceNow, Jira, Salesforce CRM, QuickBase, 3GIS, ESRI, GIS Google Earth Pro, AutoCAD, Microsoft Visio, Python (Data Analyst track in progress)

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) in Information Technology Engineering Charter University GPA: 4.0 (Summa Cum Laude)

Associate of Science (A.S.) in Electronics & Computer Engineering Technology National Institute of Technology GPA: 3.6 (Honor Roll)

Active & Historical Technical Credentials:

Ciena Achieve 360 CPNe Associate (Active 2026)

Ciena Certified Optical Carrier Associate (OC-A, Valid through 2025)

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA - Multi-Year Continuous Recertification)

Certified Technical Project Manager (CTPM, 2020)

Certified Fixed Wireless Specialist (CFWC, 2019)

Alcatel-Lucent Scalable IP Networks (NRS-1)

Cisco (Cerent) Optical Specialist Certification

DataCamp: Data Analyst in Python Professional Track (In Progress, 2025)

TECHNICAL PROJECT ADDENDUM

Selective Highlights of Verifiable, Multi-Million Dollar Optical Deployments

PROJECT I: Tier 1 Nationwide 400G Coherent Transport Migration

• Architectural Role: Lead Architect / Strategic Optical Engineer (Segra/Cox)

The Challenge: Migrating a legacy nationwide fiber-optic backbone from highly saturated, spectrum-bound 10G/100G footprints up to a high-density 400G Coherent DWDM flexible-grid architecture. The core constraint demanded execution over aged physical fiber assets without disrupting live, high-priority carrier and enterprise customer data streams.

The Architectural Solution: Modeled and engineered multi-span end-to-end optical links utilizing Ciena 6500/RLS and Cisco NCS packet-optical shelves. Executed complex physical-layer impairment link budgeting, OSNR threshold calculation, and bit error rate (BER/PRBS) testing to offset high Chromatic Dispersion profiles. Validated multi-vendor transceivers (QSFP-DD and OSFP), ensuring seamless interoperability between core Arista and Cisco routing fabrics via native EEPROM/DOM telemetry mapping.

Quantifiable Impact: Successfully boosted aggregate core network transmission throughput by more than 300%. Slashed power-per-bit consumption and reduced physical rack footprints across core Points of Presence (POPs) by 25%, significantly lowering structural OPEX.

PROJECT II: Extra-Long-Haul (ELH) Advanced Transport Infrastructure Deployment

• Architectural Role: Director of Systems Test & Applications Engineering (Celion Networks)

The Challenge: Validating and deploying an Ultra-Long-Haul DWDM system engineered for trans-continental fiber spans exceeding normal reach constraints. The deployment aimed to negate the engineering requirement for costly, power-hungry active signal regeneration sites in highly remote geographies.

The Architectural Solution: Directed multi-disciplinary engineering and software validation groups to optimize Optical Signal-to-Noise Ratio (OSNR) profiles across custom long-haul transponders. Orchestrated rigid multi-vendor interoperability trials to hand off the transport layer cleanly to external edge routing fabrics. Authored and standardized corporate Methods of Procedure (MOPs), architectural test books, and turn-up validation guides.

Quantifiable Impact: Successfully executed one of the telecommunication market's first pure ELH production networks. Enabled the client to completely bypass multiple In-Line Amplifier (ILA) and regeneration sites, preventing millions in capital expenditures (CAPEX) and eliminating long-term utility/lease overhead.

PROJECT III: Multi-State FTTx & Broadband Access Expansion Initiative

• Architectural Role: Solutions Architect / Sr. Engineering Manager (Windstream/Fujitsu)

The Challenge: Designing and deploying highly scalable 'Middle Mile' backhaul transport and 'Last Mile' access layers to facilitate a rapid, aggressive regional broadband expansion plan encompassing highly disparate greenfield and brownfield territorial environments.

The Architectural Solution: Integrated a vast, heterogeneous portfolio of active xWDM, Digital Loop Carrier (DLC), GPON, and high-split XGS-PON systems sourced from over 15 distinct telecommunications manufacturers (Ciena, Nokia, Adtran, Calix). Governed the comprehensive lifecycle including capital allocation funding, structural ROI matrix design, outside plant (OSP) fiber mapping, and hardened active cabinet engineering specifications tailored for edge deployments in harsh thermal environments.

Quantifiable Impact: Delivered symmetric 1Gbps+ broadband services to historically underserved enterprise and residential sectors. Maintained a perfect 100% compatibility rating across an incredibly complex, multi-generation network infrastructure.

PROJECT IV: Case Study: High-Capacity Data Center Interconnect (DCI) & Open Optical Migration

• Architectural Role: Principal Architect / Consultative Advisor (Hyperscale Client)

The Challenge: A high-value enterprise and hyperscale DCI operator was locked into a proprietary OEM optics environment. The client was subjected to 300% markups on native transceivers and active transponder shelves that consumed excessive power, exhausted rack density, and complicated technical spare-part inventories.

The Architectural Solution: Conducted a thorough physical and logical discovery audit across Cisco IOS-XR and Arista EOS networks. Designed a fully disaggregated coherent architecture migrating the transport layer to 400G ZR/ZR+ coherent pluggables operating over passive optical filters, eliminating the active transponder tier entirely. Validated deep-tier EEPROM/DOM register compatibility to maintain uncompromised telemetry visibility within the Network Operations Center (NOC). Evaluated silicon photonics roadmaps to build an extensible 3-year migration plan.

Quantifiable Impact: Achieved a verifiable 40% reduction in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by removing vendor tax and transponder shelves. Consolidated the client's inventory tracking from 12+ proprietary OEM SKU parts down to an open, standardized multi-vendor compatible pluggable optical profile, while cutting POP power configurations by 25%.

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