PANDU RANGA RAO U

• Continuously enhance network operations by building and maintaining GitLab CI/CD pipelines integrated with Ansible to automate Cisco ACI fabric provisioning, configuration validation, and routine operational tasks.
• Design and manage Cisco ACI Multi-Pod & Multi-Site deployments, including Remote Leaf extensions for global datacenters.
• Lead Level-3 support and design discussions for Cisco ACI, Firepower ASA, BIG-IP F5 LTM, and Gigamon/Nexus Data Broker.
• Drive operational automation for BAU tasks (upgrades, failover tests, configuration snapshots) across ACI, Nexus, and F5 platforms.
• Collaborate with architects to design scalable network solutions and prepare technical proposals for datacenter enhancements.
• Build Power BI dashboards and integrate datasets using Microsoft Power Apps and Power Automate for operational insights.
• Achieved significant reduction in manual effort and downtime through automation and standardized CI/CD workflows.

• Operated and designed Regional Datacenters with Cisco ACI Multi-Pod/Multi-Site solutions and managed clustered Firepower ASA environments.
• Built automation scripts with Ansible to streamline NX-OS/IOS/F5 configuration management and operational testing.
• Led migration projects, including APAC Datacenter transition from Nexus 9K VPC to Cisco ACI, ensuring zero post-migration incidents.
• Delivered remote MPLS site rollouts, coordinating with service providers and stakeholders for seamless deployments.
• Migrated load balancing infrastructure from Cisco ACE to BIG-IP F5, improving application performance and availability.
• Key Achievements: - Recognized for successful DC migration to Cisco ACI with zero downtime. - Automated repetitive BAU tasks (upgrades, snapshots, failover testing), reducing execution time by over 40%.

• Provided L2/L3 support for datacenter LAN/WAN, troubleshooting routing loops, performance issues, and VPN connectivity.
• Supported global WAN migration projects, DNS/DHCP operations (Vital QIP & Infoblox), and redundancy testing for new network deployments.
• Conducted internal training sessions for L1/L2 teams, improving overall team competency.
• Highlights: - Migrated critical banking infrastructure from Catalyst 6500 to Nexus 7K/6K. - Led DNS/DHCP migration from Vital QIP to Infoblox and delivered training to global IT teams.

• Responsible for Level 2 support of LAN and WAN Networks for the UK’s Leading telecom provider’s global customers.
• Undertook remote fault diagnostics on MPLS VPNs of customer sites.
• Performed health checks and manage the ISP MPLS PE Routers.

Dealt with:

• Resolved: Routing issues related to No Routes, Wrong routes being advertised from the PE or from CE end, etc.
• Configuration Management
• Change in Configurations related to Routing Protocols (MP-BGP, OSPF and EIGRP
• Deploying new MPLS-VPNs, Site to Site VPN connectivity for Customer circuits.
• Ensured customer satisfaction in accordance with process, provided configuration support to clients and planned future modifications.
• Synchronized with ISP and third party field engineers for customer router and media related problems.
• Participated in the conference calls with managers along with delivery leads and tech calls for escalated issues.
• Conducted CCNA training and troubleshooting steps with scenarios for the newly joined Level-1 team members.

Highlights:

• Awarded as a Good Team Player on Sep’09 and Best Team Player having good learning skills on NovÜ1Ü.
• Bagged Best Employee of the Month in 2011