Rakesh Sharma
New Delhi
Summary
Seasoned Cloud & Infrastructure Leader with 17+ years of experience managing cloud operations, IT service delivery, and cross-functional teams. Proven expertise across AWS, Azure, and GCP platforms, ITIL-aligned service management, migration projects, and team development. Adept at driving cost optimization, improving operational efficiency, and delivering high-availability solutions across diverse global environments.
Knowledgeable [Desired Position] with solid foundation in optimizing operational processes and driving efficiency improvements. Proven track record of managing cross-functional teams to achieve project milestones and streamline workflows. Demonstrated proficiency in strategic planning and problem-solving, ensuring continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Cloud Operations Manager
CloudEQ software Pvt Ltd
Chandigarh
01.2025 - Current
- Cloud Operations & Infrastructure Management Expertise
- Extensive hands-on experience with leading cloud platforms including AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), with proven proficiency in cloud workload management, resource optimization, cost control, and security compliance.
- Skilled in cloud migration strategies—planning and executing the transition of on-premise applications to the cloud seamlessly.
- Proficient in monitoring and observability tools such as Amazon CloudWatch, Azure Monitor, and Datadog, ensuring optimal performance and proactive issue resolution.
- Strong background in virtualization technologies, including VMware, Hyper-V, and KVM, with a solid understanding of networking fundamentals: VPN, VPC, subnetting, firewalls, load balancers, DNS, and CDN solutions.
- Experienced in Linux and Windows server management, covering areas such as patching, updates, performance tuning, and troubleshooting.
- Knowledgeable in a range of cloud and hybrid storage solutions, including NAS, SAN, and cloud-native storage options.
- Well-versed in the ITIL framework, with practical experience in implementing Incident, Problem, and Change Management processes in cloud and infrastructure environments.
- Proficient in ITSM tools such as ServiceNow, BMC Remedy, and Jira Service Management.
- Familiar with centralized logging and alerting systems like Splunk and Microsoft SCOM, supporting real-time visibility and operational reporting.
- Adept at escalation management, ensuring prompt and effective resolution of critical issues.
- Experienced in resource planning and workforce management, aligning technical skills with service delivery needs and business objectives.
- Collaborates with HR and cross-functional teams to maintain skill readiness and capacity planning.
- Committed to continuous improvement, actively identifying opportunities to optimize processes and adopt industry best practices.
- Promotes interdepartmental collaboration to address and resolve complex infrastructure and service challenges.
- Invested in team training and mentorship, fostering professional development and ensuring the team stays current with emerging technologies and industry trends.
- Empowered employees to take ownership of their responsibilities, leading to increased accountability and improved performance outcomes.
- Facilitated smooth collaboration between departments through clear communication channels.
- Implemented quality control systems to boost overall product consistency and reliability.
- Analyzed data trends to identify potential bottlenecks in operations workflow, implementing strategies to mitigate risks accordingly.
Service Delivery Manager
AVASO Technologies Solution
Chandigarh
10.2023 - 12.2024
- Team Management: Leading a team of L3 administrators responsible for maintaining and supporting Multiple accounts under shared model.
- Client Relationship Management by Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, understanding their business needs and ensuring that services meet or exceed expectations. Act as a point of contact for clients, addressing concerns, and resolving issues promptly.
- Delivery Oversight to Ensure the successful delivery of services according to agreed-upon service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Monitor service delivery performance and take corrective actions to address any deviations from agreed-upon standards.
- Improved service quality, addressing client concerns promptly and professionally.
- Enhanced service delivery by developing and implementing efficient processes.
Group Operations Manager
HCL Technologies Ltd
Noida
11.2022 - 09.2023
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- Proven ability in overseeing and coordinating cross-functional teams and managers, ensuring alignment across business functions to drive operational efficiency and service excellence.
- A consistent performer in leading multi-disciplinary teams across IT strategy, techno-commercial consulting, and knowledge management with demonstrated success across diverse business verticals globally.
- Recognized as a change agent, successfully driving strategic initiatives by institutionalizing process improvements and automation, fostering innovation, and adopting an enterprise-wide perspective to enhance productivity and synergy.
- Strong capabilities in team development and performance management, including aligning team efforts with organizational strategy, mentoring fresh talent, conducting annual and talent performance reviews, and identifying growth opportunities to meet KPIs.
- Adept at educating teams on SLA adherence and service credit implications and engaging with client stakeholders to negotiate service credit waivers in cases involving third-party impact or pre-communicated risks.
- Skilled in risk management, proactively identifying potential issues and implementing mitigation strategies to ensure seamless project delivery and operational continuity.
- Committed to quality assurance, consistently monitoring deliverables to ensure compliance with organizational standards and exceeding client expectations.
- Champion of Continuous Service Improvement (CSI) by cultivating a feedback-driven culture, integrating lessons learned, and promoting innovation to optimize team performance.
- Strong focus on documentation and reporting, maintaining detailed records of project plans, schedules, budgets, and infrastructure changes, while providing regular updates to stakeholders.
- Hands-on experience in cloud infrastructure migration, overseeing full lifecycle transitions from on-premise to Azure Cloud, including migration planning, execution, and hypercare support handover to operations teams.
- Proficient in managing end-to-end Azure cloud migrations: defining migration strategy, move group planning, and ensuring robust documentation of infrastructure, configurations, and change history to support disaster recovery and knowledge sharing.
- Demonstrated ability to track resource utilization and implement cost optimization strategies, including Azure Reserved Instances, Spot Instances, and Azure Hybrid Benefit to reduce cloud spend.
- Reduced operational costs by identifying areas of inefficiency and implementing cost-saving measures.
- Spearheaded efforts to identify potential risks early-on within projects, mitigating the chance of unexpected delays or negative impacts.
- Managed multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely completion while adhering to budget constraints.
- Facilitated cross-functional collaboration between departments for more effective problem-solving and innovation.
- Developed strong relationships with key stakeholders, fostering collaboration and communication across departments.
- Led hiring, onboarding and training of new hires to fulfill business requirements.
- Launched staff engagement, gender diversity and cultural programs in addition to robust reporting tool that increased operational quality.
Senior Manager
HCL Technologies Ltd
Noida
04.2018 - 10.2022
- Leading Service operations team who looks after all the functions of service operations
- Driving Automation by Identifying the area of noise with the scope of automation so that the cost of running the functions can be optimized.
- Compliance and Governance by Ensuring that all activities and deliverables comply with industry standards and client policies.
- Service credits, educating the team about the SLAs and service credits attached in case of failure. Involve client stakeholders for the service credit waivers where failure was due to a third party or the risks notified to the client.
- Managed high-severity incidents, ensuring rapid response and resolution to minimize impact on critical business operations. Coordinated with cross-functional teams to diagnose and resolve complex technical issues, ensuring minimal downtime. Developed incident response plans and conducted regular drills to ensure preparedness for potential incidents.
- Escalation Management, Manage and resolve escalated issues in a timely and efficient manner.
- Training & Development, maintaining the training plan of the resources as per changing requirements of the client. Focusing on cross-training of the resources to reduce the cost of the operation.
- Shift Rostering, Managing resourcing in the shifts by ensuring 24
- 7 coverage of the resource.
- Projects: Server migration to Azure Pre Covid 19, worked in migrating 400+ servers to Azure cloud including Windows and Linux servers.
- Hosting firewall upgrades during Covid19 pandemic which helped increase the capacity of application usage.
- Supervised the execution of the WVD solution for the support staff who cannot visit the agreed secure locations to do the client work.
Manager
HCL Technologies Ltd
Noida
02.2014 - 03.2017
- Manager Unix Operations
- Led a team of thirty Unix administrators responsible for maintaining and supporting a 3000-node Unix/Linux environment across multiple data centers.
- Managed the installation, configuration, and maintenance of Unix/Linux servers, ensuring high availability and optimal performance.
- Developed and implemented Unix/Linux system security protocols, including user access control, encryption, and regular audits.
- Coordinated with Network, Storage, and Application teams to support business-critical projects and ensure seamless operations.
- Conducted performance tuning, monitoring, and troubleshooting to proactively address system issues.
- Spearheaded the upgrade and migration of legacy Unix systems to modern Linux platforms, reducing operational costs.
- Participated in Lean IT activity as a pilot project resulting in a reduction of operational waste and the formation of the Rhythm team.
Technical Specialist
HCL Technologies Ltd
Noida
04.2011 - 01.2014
- Unix Admin
- Monitoring
- Red Hat Installation and Solaris Zones Installation
- Patch Deployment and OS Hardening
- Root Cause Analysis and Proactive Problem Management
- Disaster recovery exercise.
Senior Specialist
HCL Technologies Ltd
Noida
06.2008 - 03.2011
- AIGGS
- Providing 24/7, L2 Level Remote Support:
- Performing User Administration Tasks along with Access Control & Password Management.
- Installing Network Printers.
Tech Support Associate
Wipro Technologies Ltd
New Delhi
10.2007 - 06.2008
- Technical Issue Resolution
- Customer Satisfaction
- Documentation and Reporting.
Junior System Executive
Tawi Computers Private Ltd
Jammu
03.2007 - 08.2007
- Assist in Curriculum Delivery
- Monitor Student Progress
- Conduct Assessments
- Facilitate Lab Sessions.
Education
Bachelor of Science -
Jammu University
G.G.M Science College 07.1999 - 06.2002
Graduate Diploma in Software Engineering (GNIIT) -
NIIT
NIIT Jammu 04.2003 - 04.2006
Skills
- Microsoft Azure infrastructure and platform services
- Experience with GCP solutions
- AWS cloud services
- Cloud virtualization
- System security enhancement
Efficient service delivery
Accomplishments
- Part of O Infinity League as Hall of Fame.
- Successful implementation of LEAN IT in multiple accounts.
- Top Performer of the month Jan 2008 by WIPRO BPO.
- Awarded as Best Faculty for the yr. 2006-2007 by NIIT
Personal Information
- Passport Number: R5610290
- Date of Birth: 03/24/81
Timeline
Cloud Operations Manager
CloudEQ software Pvt Ltd
01.2025 - Current
Service Delivery Manager
AVASO Technologies Solution
10.2023 - 12.2024
Group Operations Manager
HCL Technologies Ltd
11.2022 - 09.2023
Senior Manager
HCL Technologies Ltd
04.2018 - 10.2022
Manager
HCL Technologies Ltd
02.2014 - 03.2017
Technical Specialist
HCL Technologies Ltd
04.2011 - 01.2014
Senior Specialist
HCL Technologies Ltd
06.2008 - 03.2011
Tech Support Associate
Wipro Technologies Ltd
10.2007 - 06.2008
Junior System Executive
Tawi Computers Private Ltd
03.2007 - 08.2007
Graduate Diploma in Software Engineering (GNIIT) -
NIIT
04.2003 - 04.2006
Bachelor of Science -
Jammu University
07.1999 - 06.2002
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