Cisco ACI Engineer with Load Balancer

Role & responsibilities

Purpose:

Seeking a highly skilled Subject Matter Expert (SME) to manage obsolete hardware replacements, upgrading and patching of code, firmware, bootstrap programs, software and security patches for a wide range network physical and virtual appliances. The Engineer must have expertise in Cisco ACI, NDO, Nexus technologies, DC LAN technologies and WAN (BGP, L2 & L3 extension networks, MPLS-VPNs, Multicasting & QOS).

• Expertise in upgrading and managing code, image, firmware, bootstrap programs, software and security patches for a wide range of Network devices, including physical and virtual appliances like Cisco ACI, NDO, Arista CloudVision, IOS-XE, IOS-XR, NXOS, EOS, JUNOS Devices and SD Controllers deployed in on-premises, third-party data centers.
• Demonstrated ability to replace obsolete hardware and virtual appliances through detailed planning, including pre-upgrade checks, backup strategies, review and validate the compatibility of new firmware versions with existing features, testing procedures, and rollback plans for both physical and virtual components.
• Perform ACI fabric code upgrades in multi-pod and multi-site environments. Validate the fabric policies, tenant configurations, and seamless operations post-upgrade.
• Handle Device replacements and code upgrades for Routers running OSPF/IS-IS, BGP, MPLS VPNs, QOS, Multicasting, VPWS and Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity.
• Perform Code upgrades and hardware replacements for Cisco Nexus and Catalyst switches. Validate DC LAN features such as VXLAN EVPN, vPC, FEX, QOS and spine-leaf architecture.
• Perform rigorous end-to-end testing of traffic forwarding, policy enforcement and redundancy. Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to configuration compatibility or protocol mismatches. Monitor the networks performance and stability post-upgrade to ensure all devices are operating as expected with no hidden issues.
• Documentation and compliance - Define lifecycle management strategies for hardware and software. Maintain comprehensive documentation of upgrade activities, including change management logs and compliance reports.
• Ensure adherence to organizational security standards, following Change processes and industry best practices throughout the upgrade process.

Good to Have