ABHISHEK VARDHAMANE
Mumbai
Summary
Seasoned Senior Network Engineer with background in designing, implementing and maintaining high-performing network systems. Experience includes developing strategic network solutions to meet business requirements, ensuring optimal system performance and security. Strengths lie in problem-solving abilities, project management skills, and capacity to lead cross-functional teams. Previous work has led to enhanced operational efficiency, improved system reliability and significant cost savings.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
Work History
Sr. Network Engineer
Industrial Light & Magic/Lucasfilm Ltd/Walt Disney Company
Mumbai
08.2023 - Current
- Engineered ILM’s network architecture by identifying performance bottlenecks and executing strategic transition plans, enhancing network reliability and performance.
- Emerging Technology: Analyze and recommend adoptions for SD-WAN, AWS Direct Connect, and Migration to APNIC, utilize Ekahau for predictive wireless site surveys.
- Adopted standardized ITIL frameworks across network team, minimizing deployment errors and increasing success rate of complex global infrastructure changes.
- Oversaw infrastructure projects, ensuring timely milestone achievement through regular progress reviews and technical audits, maintaining high delivery standards.
- Strategic Planning: Developed and presented comprehensive project roadmaps including service improvement plans and hardware refreshes to the leadership team for approval.
- Leadership & Mentoring: Lead and mentor junior engineers, providing technical oversight and supporting career development through structured follow-ups and performance updates.
- Procurement & BoM: Develop comprehensive Bill of Materials (BoM) and manage end-to-end equipment ordering (Ruckus, FortiGate, etc.) to meet global design objectives.
- Global Collaboration: Partner with teams in San Francisco, London, Sydney and Vancouver to plan roadmaps and translate infrastructure needs into projects.
- Knowledge Transfer: Established a shadowing program to train teams on specific requirements, successfully transitioning them to independent operational status.
Sr. Wireless Network Engineer
Atos
Pune
06.2022 - 08.2023
- Managing Wireless infrastructure of Walt Disney consisting of Cisco and Aruba Wireless LAN controllers with 16000 Wireless Access points.
- Configured and troubleshot Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers (WLC) and LWAPP Access Points, creating SSIDs, AP groups, RF profiles, and performing code upgrades to optimize network functionality.
- Hands-on experience with Cisco 5508, 5520, 8510 and 9800 series wireless LAN controllers.
- Hands-on experience with Aruba mobility controllers & and master.
- Configure and set up Aruba IAP through HPE Greenlake for remote users working from home.
- Diagnosed and resolved wireless connectivity issues, enhancing overall network reliability.
- Executed projects for network implementation and enhancement, improving system performance and user experience.
- Knowledge of wireless L2/L3/Fast Roaming, WLAN Security (WPA2 / 802.1x, EAPTLS).
- Troubleshoot client issues using Cisco Prime and DNA.
Sr. Wireless Network Engineer
TCS
Atlanta
06.2018 - 05.2022
- Managed Wireless infrastructure of Delta Airlines consisting of 15 pairs of Cisco Wireless LAN controllers and 4000 Wireless Access points.
- Tier 2 and Tier 3 Wireless Engineer for Wi-Fi connectivity at the campus, airport gates, Terminals, Jet Bridges, warehouses, Concourse, Baggage scanning area, aircraft engine testing area, etc.
- Experience in troubleshooting Client issues using Cisco DNA.
- Provision indoor and outdoor Cisco Wireless Access Points.
- Monitor, analyze, and troubleshoot on CiscoAps (1572, 2702, 3802 & 9100) and wireless controllers (5508, 5520 & 9800) through cisco prime & cisco DNA.
- Completed Code upgrade project of 5520 & 5508 wireless controllers to 8.8 code at 15 Delta Airlines Airports.
- Knowledge of wireless security features including Access-lists, WPA/WPA2/WPA3, RADIUS, and TACACS.
- Engaged with vendors to obtain updates on security vulnerabilities and implemented necessary code upgrades for device security.
- Coordinated and guided field technicians in wiring, racking, and equipment relocation, ensuring efficient project execution.
- Staging, testing, and implementing the latest Cisco technologies in the Lab environment before implementing them in production.
- Coordinate with electricians and plan WIFI site refresh which includes access point replacement with newer models.
- Perform predictive site surveys using Ekahau site survey pro.
- WIFI planning, Design, and Locate access points in a simulation/Cisco prime heat maps or Ekahau site survey tool.
- Perform pre-deployment planning (physical or predictive site survey), post-deployment site survey, and validation/fine-tuning of WIFI quality.
- Update Floor maps in Cisco Prime and Cisco DNA for RF Heat Maps.
- Executed wifi refresh project for training rooms, deploying over 200 access points to enhance connectivity throughout the building.
- Served as Change Coordinator, gathering information for change investigations, conducting post-implementation reviews, and reviewing plans to ensure successful change request execution and risk assessment.
Sr. Network Engineer
TCS
Manhattan
12.2015 - 03.2018
- Managed onsite network requirements for the entire Timewarner office floors, CNN & Timewarner Datacenter (TGR & Corporate), and Remote offices like Bleacher Report & Great Big Story.
- Worked with CNN Broadcasting team for Panasas and VDG Project which included designing, implementing, and troubleshooting of Nexus 9K device.
- Configured an entire floor at 1700 Broadway, New York office with a Cisco router, Cisco switch, Cisco Wireless LAN controllers, and Cisco wireless access points.
- Worked on setting up the Network of the Great Big Story office on the 5TH floor at 104 5TH Ave which involved configuration of Cisco and Arista switches, Cisco routers, Wireless LAN controllers, and wireless access points.
- Worked on setting up the Network for the Bleacher Report office which involved configuration of Cisco router, switches, Wireless LAN controllers, wireless access points, and Firewall rules.
- Experience in Managing checkpoint Firewall Rule Base using the smart dashboard. Knowledge of Explicit, Implied, stealth, clean-up rules, security zones, integration with AD, URL Filtering, Application Control, HTTPS Inspection, etc.
- Deployed, configured, and maintained Palo Alto firewall on Azure Cloud.
- Provide root cause determination of network-related issues and solve complex technical problems, including those, which require research and/or extensive analysis through packet capture using wire shark.
- Project Completed at Time Warner (June 2017 – Feb 2018): Completed a lab Setup with the Palo Alto firewall and 8 user laptops for Bubble project (AT&T and Time Warner Merger Project). User laptops were part of the trust zone and the exit interface of the firewall was untrusted and was connected to the existing network of Time Warner center with a unique subnet as provided by AT&T. The idea was to migrate from the existing Cisco ASA firewall to the Palo Alto firewall and set up an identical parallel network to the existing Time Warner center. Experience in Layer 3 firewall deployment with port-based and App-based rules, integration with active directory, natting, DHCP relay, routing and upgrading firewall to the latest firmware. Knowledge of Content ID, Zone protection profiles, IDS & IPS Functionality, Anti-Malware, Anti-Spyware, URL filtering, File and Data Filtering. Manually added 400 rules to add to the firewall before testing the applications, and consolidated 400 rules to 60/70. Worked with each team and tested their applications went through the firewall logs and requested them to raise service requests for traffic blocks on the firewall. After completing the testing of all the applications successfully exported rules from the lab firewall to the production firewall which was managed by the Palo alto vendor. Worked closely with Palo Alto vendors and tested the applications with all the teams in the production firewall like they were tested in the lab. Prepared Network Diagram with Firewalls configured in HA for presentation. Worked on HP floor switches and HP controllers which was part of this network setup.
Sr. Network Engineer
TCS
Bangalore
10.2010 - 07.2015
- Played a key role in data center migration by making routing changes on core devices and adjusting DNS settings for servers and switches.
- Managed IOS upgrade project for data center infrastructure with Cisco Nexus, 5k switches, 4500 switches, 3845 routers, and VG224 gateways.
- Coordinated bandwidth upgrade project for Aura application across field offices, involving service providers, field support team, and design changes in BGP routing.
- Setup site to site vpn tunnels between various engagement partners of the client using Cisco devices.
- Integrated new solution in production environment through design changes, enhancing network performance.
- Operated Riverbed Steelhead WAN optimizers to enhance network performance.
- Implemented sparse - dense mode multicast in cisco environment with MBGP routing protocol.
Sr. Network Engineer
Firstsource
Bangalore
07.2010 - 10.2010
- Served as Tier 2 escalation engineer, providing advanced technical support for client issues.
- Coordinated with service providers and TAC to resolve incidents, ensuring minimal downtime for clients.
- Add/remove/edit policies, adding routes on checkpoint firewall rule base according to the requirements.
- Responsible for commissioning and configuration of new links.
- Worked on requirements based on ITIL process (Problem & Change management).
- Implement the changes as per plan after customer’s approval.
- Monitored and managed value-added services as part of core technical support team, enhancing service delivery.
Network Engineer
Network Solutions Pvt. Ltd (IBM)
Bangalore
02.2007 - 06.2010
- Worked on a project for a major Telecom Company Bharti Airtel India Ltd.
- Monitored and managed value-added services for Bharti Airtel, including Lapu, Blackberry, CRBT (caller back tune), and Airtel Live, enhancing service reliability.
- Managed checkpoint firewall rule base by adding, removing, and editing policies to ensure security compliance.
- Logged into devices remotely to troubleshoot issues and provide second-level support to clients.
- Performed quarterly checklist for all Cisco devices following established standards.
- Prepared detailed plans based on client requirements to ensure project alignment.
- Implement changes as per plan after customer’s approval.
- Capture Checkpoint management server backup on regular basis.
- Worked on requirements based on ITIL process (Problem & Change management).
Education
Bachelor of Commerce -
Vivekananda College
Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India01.2007
Skills
- Network architecture
- Network security
- Wireless network design
- Routing protocols expertise
- Firewall management
- LAN configuration management
- Wireless infrastructure
- Change control
- ITIL adoption
- Vendor engagement
- Bill of Materials
Personal Information
- Gender: Male
- Nationality: Indian
Languages
English
Proficient (C2)
C2
Hindi
Proficient (C2)
C2
Marathi
Proficient (C2)
C2
Certification
CCNA
Accomplishments
Recognized with the 2025 'Spot On' Award for exceptional leadership in navigating complex network transitions, and maintaining high delivery standards.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Sr. Network Engineer
Industrial Light & Magic/Lucasfilm Ltd/Walt Disney Company
08.2023 - Current
Sr. Wireless Network Engineer
Atos
06.2022 - 08.2023
Sr. Wireless Network Engineer
TCS
06.2018 - 05.2022
Sr. Network Engineer
TCS
12.2015 - 03.2018
Sr. Network Engineer
TCS
10.2010 - 07.2015
Sr. Network Engineer
Firstsource
07.2010 - 10.2010
Network Engineer
Network Solutions Pvt. Ltd (IBM)
02.2007 - 06.2010
Bachelor of Commerce -
Vivekananda College