Gurudatt Pai
Product Leader
Bengaluru
Summary
Product Management/Technical Marketing leader with 14+ years of industry experience building large-scale enterprise networking software, Network management platforms and solutions. Technical background with expertise in Enterprise/DataCenter networking, security, automation, and analytics. Well versed in the areas of intersections between business and technology and the ability to provide technology solutions to Business problems.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
5
5
Certifications
Work History
Sr. Product Line Manager, Platforms
VMware Cloud Infrastructure Platforms
Bangalore
01.2022 - Current
- Lead Product Manager for High Availability features on Esxi and VCenter platforms.
- Driving the strategy and Roadmap to make vSphere infrasructure Autonomous and always available to support Modern container workloads that reduces unplanned downtimes to less than 60 seconds.
- Driving the strategy and Roadmap to create SaaS/subscription model for Vmware Cloud Foundation (VCF) that includes initial bring up of Software defined Data centers (SDDC) ,Registration to the Cloud, Deploying Gateways and finally all the workflows Customers can use from the Cloud .
- Leading Cross BU integrations and prioritization of features that have dependency on NSX (networking) and vSAN (storage)
Senior Manager, Technical Product Management
Cisco
Bangalore
05.2020 - 01.2022
- Lead a high performance team of Technical Marketing Engineers/Solution Architects within EN Product Management.
- Incubated a India Technical Marketing Engineering team in 2018 which grew to a team size of 7 and became a Center of Excellence supporting APJC and EMEAR regions
- Product Management accountable for Cisco's flagship NetOps and AIOps platform(Cisco DNA Center) which is responsible for over 50% Software Subscription Revenue within Enterprise networking Group
- Drove Adoption of Cisco DNA Center among Enterprise Customers by 20% within 1 year.
- Lead , Scope and Drive Feature Roadmaps ,Use cases and Architecture for Campus switching and wireless Automation
- (Day 0 use cases to Day N) - Publish Video collaterals, Solution design guides including technical decision makers, deployment guides, frequently asked questions and white papers
- Work with customers and partners at deep-dive architectural level & Collaborate at executive level driving the Cisco end-to-end vision
- Thought leadership driving cross-domain integration between Enterprise networking , Security and DC products providing customers with a unified view across Cisco’s portfolio and driving pull-through of security business along with enterprise portfolio
- Go to Market engagements such as Sales kickoffs and Partner Enablement via Trainings, Webinars,
- Hands-on Labs and Cisco Live Breakouts
- Conduct product / feature Early Field Trials with customers and partners
- Work closely with Engineering, UX teams ,Customers, Sales Engineers, TAC, Managed Services for a closed loop between Product design, launch and Go-to-market.
Technical Leader
Cisco
05.2018 - 05.2020
- Cisco DNA Center TME/Product Management, Role and responsibility - Led the development of Solution Architecture for Business-Intent based End-End Campus QOS
- Automation on Cisco’s flagship NetOps and AIOps platform Cisco DNA Center - Led the Solution Architecture for Simplified Telemetry across Campus network devices
- Developed Solution Guides, Field Trial content and presented several Customer facing and Sales facing presentations on Network Automation and Assurance -
- Drove features and use cases for Application policy, Application Assurance from the field and prioritized them as part of Roadmap (DPL)
- Worked with UX teams to design workflows and provide feedback from the field - Worked with Engineering to groom features , usability and Serviceability features -
- Led a team of TMEs and mentored them on various Enterprise networking technologies
- Presenter at Cisco Live conferences across the world
- Following are some of my Cisco Live Sessions
- BRKOPS-2050 - Deploying advanced network services from Cisco DNA Center (Barcelona 2020)
- BRKSDN-2295 - Taming the wild wild west of applications using Cisco DNA Center QOS policy (, BRKSDN-2295 - DNA Center App
Technical Marketing Engineer
Cisco
03.2016 - 04.2018
- Started as one of the early TMEs in 2016 for APIC-EM SDN Controller that evolved into DNA Center
- Increased adoption and hand held several key deployments (50 plus Large campus networks in APJC)
- Drove Adaption , Support Sales Enablement and Go-To-Market activities for DNAC, Cisco Solution
- Apps and API's across APJC and EMEA - Proof of Concepts, EBC's, Speaker at Partner Events, Cisco live and other events
- Inbound activities such as Writing Collaterals, Design Guides and building various demo's for DNAC apps such as Plug n Play, IWAN app, Application policies , Enterprise NFV, Wired and Wireless
- Assurance , Analytics based on Machine learning.
Technical Marketing Engineer
Gurudatt Pai
05.2015 - 03.2016
- Lead Technical MArketing Engineer for IOS-XE features such as App recognition and performance, Access Security
- Developed key technical collaterals for the Pre-sales teams
- Lead Competitive analysis and Read outs to the Product management teams
- Presenter at Cisco Live and Internal Sales kick off events
- Built POC labs, Demonstrations and Led Sales engagements in APJC.
Escalation Engineer
Business Group, Cisco
04.2013 - 05.2015
- (Cisco ISE) , Customer Success engineering @Security, I was part of the Software Engineering team within Security Business group that works on Complex customer escalations from Cisco TAC, HTTS, Advanced Services and provide resolution in the form of configuration changes, bug fixes, Engineering patches or recommend design changes for a wide variety of problems related to BYOD, PKI, dot1x, AAA, Radius, hardware(UCS), Guest Life cycle management,Device profiling,Security Posture services,Distributed deployment scenarios, 3rd party
- Load-balancers and Virtualization
- Provide guidance and assistance to Cisco TAC engineers to better troubleshoot Customer problems
- Create internal knowledge articles and Customer facing materials that help both TAC and Customers to troubleshoot ISE related problems
- Feed the learning from Customer deployments to Development , Test Engineering and Product management to improve serviceability and other features on the product .
Network Security Architect
NetApp
04.2012 - 03.2013
- Plan , Architect and Design for Future technologies - Design Enhancements to the existing security technologies - Driving efficiency - Engineering processes - Technology standards enhancement - Service ownership and service Life cycle management
Network Consulting Engineer
Advanced Services, Cisco
01.2010 - 04.2012
- Single point of contact for Key Advanced Services, Customer accounts
- Network Optimization Services including Software strategy, Performance Engineering& Optimization,
- Low-level and High-level Design, Network implementation plan, NRFU - Professional services
- Member of Technical staff
Member of Technical Staff
Juniper Networks, Gurudatt
Bangalore
09.2008 - 01.2010
- I worked on the VPN-manager module of Juniper NSM and responsible for all IPSec VPN related features for Screen OS (SSG/ISG), J-series and the SRX high-end / branch series on NSM
- Was part of a team that along with Product line Managers conceptualized and designed 'VPN designer ' for Juniper's latest Security management product ' Junos Space'
- Other responsibilities include
- Reviewing and planning test methodologies for new Release line items (RLI)
- Handling Customer Escalations and participate in Engineering Calls with key customers
- Assisting team members with their technical issues
- Reviewing and suggesting changes to the Documentation
- Work on new patents and disclosures
- Hiring the right talent being a part of Interview panel
- Technical lead, Unified Threat Management /Firewall-VPN TAC
- SonicWall
Security Consultant
Datacraft
09.2007 - 09.2008
- I managed the Level 3 Escalations from SonicWALL Gold/Silver/Medallion partners and also Enterprise and SMB customers
- My role included me to maintain ownership of technically complex issues reported by customers using
- UTM (Firewall/VPN),SSL-VPN, GMS, Content-security platforms of SonicWALL
- Reproduce technical issues in the test lab and suggest necessary solutions/workarounds to customers based on the best practices in network security
- Leading a team of 15 junior Engineers comprising of Level-2 and Level-1 TAC Engineers
- Conduct regular training and brown bag sessions for the team
- Mentor and train new hires
- Work closely with the SonicWALL Engineering wrt bugs and fixes
- Writing technotes and KB articles thus helping in deflecting the Case volume
- Also played a major role in hiring the right talent being a part of the recruitment panel.
Consultant
04.2007 - 09.2007
- Network security for the Managed Services team
- Responsibilities included providing customers with Network security design solutions, Post sales consultation and troubleshooting complex Network security infrastructures that included Cisco
- ASA5500/PIX, Juniper Netscreen/SSG/ISG security appliances, Checkpoint /Nokia ,Bluecoat Web proxy/Application gateway.
Technical support Engineer
nThrive Global Solutions
02.2006 - 05.2007
- Formerly e4e Healthcare Business Services), Being a part of SonicWALL project my role was to provide 1st and 2nd level support for SonicWALL
- Firewalls/VPN/UTM appliances
- Simulating Customer reported issues in the test lab and provide solutions
- Gurudatt Pai - page 4
- Work on inter-operability issues involving 3rd party firewalls like CiscoASA/PIX, Checkpoint,Juniper,
- Fortinet and Cisco IOS routers.
Skills
Product Management
Technical Marketing/Pre-sales
Go-to-market
Release Planning
People Leadership and Mentoring
Certification
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE security) - Cisco
Tools
Aha!
Jira
Confluence
Rally
Figma
Invision
Miro
Recognition
Promoted from Technical MArketing Engineer (G10) -> Technical Leader (G11) -> Manager, Technical Marketing - > Senior Manager Technical Marketing/Technical Product Management within 4 years.
Recognized with Several connected Recognitions from Sales teams and Customer success organizations for excellence and Leadership with Customer adoption and Sales deals.
Timeline
Sr. Product Line Manager, Platforms
VMware Cloud Infrastructure Platforms
01.2022 - Current
Senior Manager, Technical Product Management
Cisco
05.2020 - 01.2022
Technical Leader
Cisco
05.2018 - 05.2020
Technical Marketing Engineer
Cisco
03.2016 - 04.2018
Technical Marketing Engineer
Gurudatt Pai
05.2015 - 03.2016
Escalation Engineer
Business Group, Cisco
04.2013 - 05.2015
Network Security Architect
NetApp
04.2012 - 03.2013
Network Consulting Engineer
Advanced Services, Cisco
01.2010 - 04.2012
Member of Technical Staff
Juniper Networks, Gurudatt
09.2008 - 01.2010
Security Consultant
Datacraft
09.2007 - 09.2008
Consultant
04.2007 - 09.2007
Technical support Engineer
nThrive Global Solutions
02.2006 - 05.2007