Mohamed Rifckan Siyamblagaha Gedara Seyed Mohamed

Manage overall ICT operation for Canadian University Dubai, which include ICT Infrastructure
(Network Operation / System Administration / Cyber Security / Backup & Recovery / DR - Disaster
Recovery), ICT Service Delivery (End Point Management / Incident Management / Asset
Management / Service Level Management), and ELV (Structured Cabling / CCTV / Access Control
System).
• Oversee all aspects of IT Infrastructure operations including network (LAN, WLAN, IPT
and WAN), servers (Physical, Virtual, Cloud), storage (SAN & NAS), backup recovery
(Disk, Tape and Off-Site), and security of the CUD.
• Monitor entire IT infrastructure for any performance degrade, network traffic hike,
security breaching and network performance (LAN and WAN).
• Owns and maintains strict controls on data/system Backup and Recovery. And develop
and implement data retention standards/ policies, and overall backup and recovery
strategy (Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity).
• Establish network by evaluating Network Performance issues including availability,
utilization, throughput, and latency, planning, and executing, installation, configuration,
and testing of equipment, defining network policies and procedures, established
connections and firewalls.
Achievements
Revamp complete Canadian University Dubai IT Infrastructure to a state-of-the-art technology
campus IT Infrastructure.
• Designed Tier 3.5 Datacentre with all the components redundant / high available
• Hyperconverged Infrastructure (Computing/ Storage Area Network/ Storage) - VxRail; WiFi6
Deployment - HP Aruba; High Available network infrastructure with multiple VRF and VLANs
• Data Backup & Recovery - DELL IDPA; Disaster Recovery - Microsoft Azure Site Recovery
• EDR/ DNS Security/ PAM and Patch Management Deployment - Heimdal Total Security; User
Life-Cycle Management/ Password Management and Access Management - SailPoint; NAC -
Network Access Control - Pulse Secure; SIEM - Security Information and Event Management -
LogRhythm; Mobile Device Management (MDM) - Microsoft Intune

Managed all aspect of IT infrastructure which includes Network (LAN, WAN, VPN, MPLS and WLAN), Computing (Servers/ Physical/ Virtual, Storage, On-Premises and Cloud), Backup & Recovery (Disk/ Tape/ Off-Site), Security (Network and Computing) and DR for main datacenter, and 15 diversified businesses. And all aspect of IT Service Delivery which includes 1500+ users, 5000+ incidents/ request/ changes and 5000+ asserts
Responsibilities
• Responsible for managing overall IT Infrastructure day to day operations to improve infrastructure costs, performance, security and end-user satisfaction.
• Provide leadership in planning and managing computer operations and production support, systems and security administration and network operations.
• Ensure system performance and SLA's are met. And Implement IT continuous improvement programs.
• Manage IT resource requirements to ensure appropriate balance between planned and strategic demands.
• Provide in depth technical expertise for both strategic and operational initiatives.
• Provision in close cooperation with third party service provider an IT infrastructure that is suitable for the group to access and use their business applications.
• Assess the relative impact of IT industry trends to current and future enterprise infrastructure needs and projects.
• Interface with business unit managers to define infrastructure support initiatives and solutions for improving service efficiency and effectiveness.
• Participate in IT strategy planning activities.
• Responsible for designing and troubleshooting across the group, IT services to meet the functional objects of the business.
• Develop the reporting for vendor performance in areas that include quality, capacity, systems and responsiveness.
• Ensure the infrastructure team is mitigating, monitoring and managing infrastructure and security related risks.
• Manages a dynamic team of individuals, constantly searching for creative ways to elevate the capabilities of technology systems to meet business needs.
• Participate in the budget process.
Achievements
• Manage the SIEM and NAC project
• Achieved 99.999% service availability for IT Infrastructure services for last 5 consecutive years.
• Created a complete service catalogue for IT Infrastructure and Service Delivery services.

Vast experience in IT Infrastructure Management in a diversified 15 business entities of IMG Group across UAE. Manage performance tuning and entire security of existing infrastructure which also include monitoring and troubleshooting. Thorough knowledge of IT logistics and business operations. Deep knowledge to design and scope multiple deliverable across a number of technologies and business requirements. Ability to report and communicate effectively at all levels.

Responsibilities
• Oversee all aspects of IT Infrastructure operations including network (LAN, WLAN, IPT and WAN), servers (Physical, Virtual, Cloud), storage (SAN & NAS), backup recovery (Disk, Tape and Off-Site), and security of the IMG Group’s network, systems, and data.
• Monitor entire IT infrastructure for any performance degrade, network traffic hike, security breaching and network performance (LAN and WAN)
• Establish network by evaluating Network Performance issues including availability, utilization, throughput, and latency, planning and executing, installation, configuration, and testing of equipment, defining network policies and procedures, established connections and firewalls.
• Ensures High Availability (HA) of business critical systems hosted in IMG Theme Park as well as other business unites.
• Owns and maintains strict controls on data/system Backup and Recovery. And develop and implement data retention standards/ policies, and overall backup and recovery strategy (Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity).
• Manage overall capacity utilization of server/hardware environment ensuring it is optimized to meet business requirements.
• Prepare overall status and activity metrics that documents and tracks delivery of IT infrastructure services, planned and unplanned system outages, and other key IT Performance Metrics (IT Service Management).
• Work on Strategy to Determine, recommend and implement hardware and software upgrades for business applications, server hardware, network equipment, storage, etc.
• Managing IT Infrastructure budgeting, CapEx and OpEx.
• Define and setup the SLA (Service Level Agreement) for IT infrastructure services, between IT and Business, and between vendors and organization.
• Manage and maintain IMG Group Private Cloud for other Business Units. And MS Azure Site Recovery for Mission/ Business critical applications.
• Design and implement infrastructure architecture for Business Application based on application team requirements.
• Supporting team members in their daily activities as well as supporting business projects.

Involved in Network and System designing and implementations for new sites as well as network and system implementation and configuration, troubleshooting and maintaining for existing sites (around 30 sites across the GCC, 250+ servers and 3500+ users) as well as data centres. Also involved in improving existing infrastructure performances and security. Was responsible to Manage and maintain DXB, KSA and Oman Data centres as well as DXB sites (15 sites).

Responsibilities :
• Configuring site to head office connection, primarily MPLS using BGP. Or VPN, site-to-Site VPN, remote easy VPN using IPsec. As well as the internal network with several VLANs according to the network design of the site.
• Implementing and maintaining Cisco Call Manager Express (CCME) as well as maintaining CCME for sites.
• Publishing applications in Citrix and providing access permission to the user (ERP, document control system and etc.) and basic troubleshooting of the Citirx Presentation server 4.5.
• Manipulating ISA/TMG firewall policies, ASA access lists, creating policy base routing, according to the day-to-day business needs.
• Configuring and maintaining VLANs as per Cisco best practices. Separate VLANs for servers, Wireless LAN, Voice LAN and User VLANs. Also providing high bandwidth to Server farm switch with Ether Channel. And configuring HSRP to provide redundancy and high availability.
• Managing the Active Directory domain, Exchange organization, MS ISA/TMG and standard ISA /TMG servers.
• Extending the existing VPN connection across the new sites, Allowing MPLS links to communicate through the VPN connections.
• Lead the team for, the process of migrating Microsoft Exchange 2003 server to Microsoft Exchange 2010 server with CAS array - Client Access Server configuration and DAG - Data Available Group.
• Providing support for the Top management/CEO, CFO.

Notable Projects
• Habtoor Leighton Group Corp. Office network has been redesigned and restructured into different VLANs, one VLAN for servers, and more than 10 VLANs for users.
• Configure core switch (Cisco Catalyst 4507E) high availability using HSRP and firewall (Cisco ASA5520) high availability, by failover configuration including DMZ for company.
• Part of the team for email migration to MS Office 365.
• Deployed network monitoring tool to monitor entire ICT Infrastructure.
• Reconfigured the sites which were connected to head office through ISDN, via Remote VPN using existing ADSL lines to overcome DC replication. Also configure Easy VPN for mobile users to connect from anywhere.

Configuring, monitoring, troubleshooting and maintaining the network devices such as routers, switches and firewalls (as Network Administrator) and installing software utilities and operating systems, configuring and troubleshooting servers/ workstations/ printers (as System Administrator).

Responsibilities :
• Installing and configuring new server as per the requirement. And maintaining and updating windows patches up to date.
• Maintaining Anti-Virus Media Server (Symantec).
• Maintaining Company Switches and Routers, Changing switch port to appropriate VLANs implementing port security on the switch port. Configuring NAT on the router and configure policy-base route to divert traffic.
• Backup network devices configuration and IOS on regular basis and maintaining server and active components documentation.
• Maintaining and monitoring the Servers and active components (Routers/Switches), to minimize the down-time (Using OpManager and NetFlow).
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.

Notable Projects
• Recovered the company Primary Domain controller by cease the FSMO role to an additional DC, after crashing the PDC.
• Configured the company firewall (Cisco ASA 5520) with Active Passive for high availability and fault tolerance.