Ishaq Ahmed

• Managed 150+ client sites globally, overseeing a network infrastructure with over 130 Palo Alto and FortiGate firewalls
• Designed and implemented Palo Alto and FortiGate firewalls with Application/URL filtering, Threat Prevention, and Data Filtering
• Configured and maintained IPSec and SSL VPNs on Palo Alto and FortiGate firewalls
• Conducted regular firewall audits and rule reviews to ensure compliance with organizational cybersecurity policies
• Deployed and fine-tuned Palo Alto Threat Prevention profiles to detect and block zero-day and known threats
• Implemented Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies using Palo Alto tools to secure sensitive information
• Monitored firewall logs and security events via Palo Alto's logging and reporting tools to identify and respond to potential threats
  Integrated Palo Alto firewalls with SIEM solutions for centralized security monitoring and incident correlation
• Proposed repetitive network change requests to the architecture board for pre-approval qualification
• Participated in major incident investigations across the organization, analyzing network impact and recommending solutions
• Implemented and troubleshot Palo Alto and FortiGate firewall policies as per project requirements
• Hardened firewall configurations in accordance with cybersecurity best practices and CIS benchmarks
• Managed Google Cloud Platform (GCP) infrastructure including VPC setup, firewall configurations, and network segmentation
  Configured and maintained VPN gateways and tunnels within GCP for secure connectivity between cloud and on-premises networks
  Automated GCP network deployments using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform and Cloud Deployment Manager
• Monitored and optimized GCP network performance and security using Cloud Monitoring and Cloud Security Command Center
  Integrated GCP networking with existing enterprise environments for hybrid cloud solutions
• Deployed and managed Peplink VPN solutions for site-to-site and remote access connectivity, ensuring secure and stable links
• Configured Peplink devices for load balancing and failover to maintain high availability and network redundancy
• Monitored Peplink VPN health and performance via cloud-based dashboards and alerts
• Implemented security policies on Peplink VPN devices to enforce access controls and protect data in transit
• Provided troubleshooting and support for Peplink VPN connectivity issues across distributed client sites

● Worked as a TAC Engineer for Palo Alto Networks, supporting Next-Generation Firewalls and handling tickets for top global enterprise clients.
● Managed internal team escalation calls and resolved complex technical issues efficiently.
● Provided break-fix support for technologies including Site-to-Site VPN, GlobalProtect SSL VPN, BGP, OSPF, and high availability.
● Assisted in the design and hardening of security and NAT policies to protect against threats, vulnerabilities, and DDoS attacks.
● Delivered detailed Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for hardware and software-related issues.
● Recreated customer network issues in lab environments to provide tailored, effective solutions.
● Collaborated with Tier 3 support teams and escalated complex cases to engineering with thorough technical analysis.
● Supported Sales Engineers, Professional Services, and Resident Engineers during POCs and deployments.
● Handled Level 2 support tickets for global customers, ensuring timely resolution and RCA when required.
● Assisted customers with URL filtering, DNS proxy, DNS sinkhole, and creation of custom threat signatures.
● Deployed SSL proxy solutions for both inbound and outbound traffic decryption.
● Configured and implemented GlobalProtect to ensure secure access to internal resources.
● Possess strong hardware knowledge of various Palo Alto platforms.
● Worked extensively with PAN-OS versions from 8.x to 10.2.x.
● Experienced in global deployment and troubleshooting of Panorama management systems.
● Troubleshot Palo Alto firewalls and Panorama appliances in high availability configurations.

• Troubleshot and resolved L2/L3 network issues related to switches, routers, and firewalls
• Configured and maintained Cisco Meraki cloud-based network solutions
• Managed Cisco Meraki devices and dashboards for network provisioning, monitoring, and optimization
• Administered end-to-end Cisco Meraki network deployments including access points, switches, and security appliances
• Managed IPSEC and SSL VPNs to facilitate secure remote access
• Implemented network policies based on TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, and NAT/PAT
• Configured and monitored intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to detect and mitigate security threats

• Led documentation initiatives in the healthcare domain, ensuring compliance with industry standards
• Ensured accuracy and consistency in healthcare documentation processes
• Transitioned into network security, gaining practical hands-on experience in cybersecurity
• Developed skills in network administration through real-world projects and tasks