Osama Issa

With over 20 years of experience in IT architecture and enterprise-scale projects, I possess extensive expertise in designing, building, and managing data centers, server and desktop infrastructures, storage solutions, and virtualization platforms across servers, desktops, and storage. My technical background includes hands-on experience with industry-leading technologies such as Cisco, Dell, Fortinet, and VMware, as well as deep knowledge of LAN/WAN switching and routing, firewalls, and enterprise IT security. In addition, I have significant experience in project management, technical leadership, IT training, and pre-sales consulting, enabling me to bridge the gap between business requirements and technical solutions.

IT Consultant & Senior Network and Security Engineer - KRCS - Kuwait

(2025-10)

• Lead the design, implementation, and management of enterprise network and security infrastructure across multiple sites.
• Manage and supervise a team of 10 IT engineers and support staff, ensuring efficient operations and projects delivery.
• Plan and execute IT projects, infrastructure upgrades, and technology deployments.
• Coordinate with vendors, suppliers, and external consultants.
• Manage project timelines, budgets, and technical resources.
• Support digital transformation and automation initiatives.
• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco enterprise environments including routing, switching, wireless, and security solutions.
• Administer and support Cisco routers, Catalyst switches, Nexus switches, wireless controllers, and enterprise WIFI solutions.
• Implement and manage network security solutions including Fortinet, Palo Alto, and Cisco Firepower firewalls.
• Design and support LAN/WAN infrastructure, MPLS connectivity, VPN solutions, VLANs, and high availability network environments.
• Monitor network performance, availability, and security using enterprise monitoring and troubleshooting tools.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting for routing protocols including OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, and MPLS environments.
• Lead infrastructure upgrade and migration projects while ensuring minimal downtime and business continuity.
• Develop disaster recovery strategies, backup procedures, and network security best practices.
• Coordinate with vendors, management, and cross-functional teams to deliver enterprise IT projects successfully.
• Maintain technical documentation, network diagrams, configurations, and operational procedures.
• Provide senior-level technical support and incident resolution for critical production environments.
• Ensure compliance with IT policies, security standards, and operational procedures.
• Ensure business continuity and disaster recovery readiness.

Senior Network and Security Engineer - AlSabeih Group (Lothan Hospital & CMC) - Kuwait

(2021-09 - 2025-10)

• Designed and implemented Lothan hospital's network infrastructure and datacenter.
• Designed and implemented Canadian Medical Center (CMC) hospital's network infrastructure and datacenter.
• Installation, deployment, Analysis and troubleshooting of Firewall Technologies like Fortinet, Forti Web, Forti Analyzer, Palo Alto.
• MPLS, OSPF, MP-BGP design and implementation.
• Develop and maintain diagrams of the network infrastructure and connectivity.
• Assist with IT vendor evaluations, products, plans, and policies to ensure efficiencies are in place and solutions are effective.
• Extensive experience with Nexus 9K, 7K, 5K, 2Kseries, Nexus 1000v, Cisco NX-OS Software, VPC, FEX.
• Designing, configuring, and maintaining network infrastructure components, troubleshooting network to diagnose system problems.
• Creating and maintaining detailed project plans, scopes of work, network diagrams, and other technical documentation of the enterprise network.
• Leading implementation efforts across the enterprise network and ensuring that projects are executed according to design, within project time frames, and budget.
• Integrates components (servers, switches, routers, physical cabling) supplied by multiple vendors into a single unified network.
• Designed and implemented a robust disaster recovery plan, significantly reducing potential data loss and ensuring rapid recovery in the event of a network failure.
• Provided expert technical support for complex network issues, reducing resolution time by 30% and improving customer satisfaction ratings.
• Collaborated with the IT team to integrate network systems with new business applications, improving system interoperability and efficiency.
• Directed the design and implementation of a complex Cisco network infrastructure, resulting in a 30% improvement in network performance and reliability.
• I managed a team of 4 network engineers and completed a major network project successfully.
• Implemented advanced network security measures, including intrusion detection systems and firewalls, reducing security incidents by 40%.
• Experience working with Network Monitoring and Troubleshooting tools including Manage Engin and Wireshark
• Familiarity with network security principles and best practices.

Senior Network Engineer - CITRA - Kuwait

(2015-08 - 2021-08)

• BGP design and implementation for CITRA.
• Designing High-Availability Enterprise Networks.
• Installing, configuring, and supporting various mission systems and core services.
• Work with deployment and upgrade teams to integrate systems at site into the architecture.
• Designed and implemented network infrastructure for clients.
• Support/maintain/administer program networks and servers.
• Monitor network performance and Traffic using HPE IMC, SolarWinds NetFlow.
• Assist with the creation & maintenance of security protocols, hardware and software standards, and overall technology planning within the organization.
• Provide Tier 3 support on complex technical issues to the internal helpdesk and end users when appropriate.
• Develop and maintain diagrams of the network infrastructure and connectivity.
• Assist with IT vendor evaluations, products, plans, and policies to ensure efficiencies are in place and solutions are effective.
• Worked on 38500, 7613 ,9200,9300,9400 ,9500 Cisco Routers and Core series Cisco Switches, Cisco Stack Wise Virtual Configurations.
• Experience with Nexus 9K, 7K, 5K, 2Kseries, Nexus 1000v, operating in Cisco NX-OS Software, VPC, FEX.
• Experience with HP Aruba Switches 2000/6000/8000 Complex Stacking topologies and configurations.
• Train the CITRA engineers for Cisco networking track of CCNA/ CCNP to enhance their processualism skills and capabilities.
• Installation, deployment, Analysis and troubleshooting of Firewall Technologies like Fortinet, Forti Web, Forti Analyzer, Palo Alto.
• Experience with HP Switch 10508 (Core switches), HP 5900 -HP 5700 (Distribution switches) and HP 5412R (Access switches).
• Experience with HP Aruba switches.
• MPLS, OSPF, MP-BGP design and implementation.
• Designing and providing support of Routers, Switches, Security Solutions, VPNs, L4-7 Load Balancers, SD-WAN, WAF and Network Management Solutions across LAN/WAN.
• Designing, configuring, and maintaining network infrastructure components, troubleshooting network to diagnose system problems.
• BGP design and implementation.
• Troubleshooting of complex LAN/WAN infrastructure, including routing protocols EIGRP, OSPF BGP & MPLS.

IT Manager and Team Leader - Vision International - Kuwait

(2011-06 - 2015-07)

• Manage information technology and computer systems.
• Plan, organize, control, and evaluate IT and electronic data operations.
• Manage IT staff by recruiting, training, and coaching employees, communicating job expectations, and appraising their performance.
• Installation, deployment, Analysis and troubleshooting of Firewall Technologies like Fortinet, Forti Web, Forti Analyzer, Palo Alto.
• Designing, configuring, and maintaining network infrastructure components, troubleshooting network to diagnose system problems.
• BGP design and implementation.
• Troubleshooting of complex LAN/WAN infrastructure, including routing protocols EIGRP, OSPF BGP & MPLS.
• Developed project plans for IT services implementation and best management practices to oversee the basic demand for efficient information.
• Designed and implemented new network topologies to support customer growth as well as maintainability of the environment.
• Created documentation on all aspects of the network design, implementation, maintenance, troubleshooting.
• Independently researching and providing both business and technical solutions based on and related to customer needs and specifications and deploying them into the production infrastructure.
• Involved in the activity of data-center migration of regular cisco catalyst switches with the new Nexus 2148, 2224t, 5548, 6018, 7010 using f3/m3 line-cards with 10ge & 40ge interfaces.
• Developing, implementing, and enforcing network security procedures consistent with security policies.
• Making recommendations of advanced solutions which include both hardware and software.
• Creating and maintaining detailed project plans, scopes of work, network diagrams, and other technical documentation of the enterprise network.
• Leading implementation efforts across the enterprise network and ensuring that projects are executed according to design, within project time frames, and budget.
• Experience working with Network Monitoring and Troubleshooting tools including SolarWinds and Wireshark.
• Support and manage logical and physical network architectures, resulting documents and drawings, testing analyses, test plans and risk assessment of the network.
• Integrates components (servers, switches, routers, physical cabling) supplied by multiple vendors into a single unified network.
• Handled the tasks of maintaining IP/MPLS infrastructure of the organization.
• Working knowledge with installation and maintenance of Cisco's Wi-Fi/802.11 systems.
• Nexus VPC design, configuration, and troubleshooting.

Network Consultant and System Engineer - Europe Commission - Jordan

(2007-06 - 2011-06)

• Plan, design, install, and support major HP - Dell servers and network systems for corporate clients.
• Configured and maintained Cisco routers and switches.
• Monitored, configured, deployed, and troubleshooted all networking components.
• Configured and deployed the software packages to client's computers by using SMS Server and Group policy objects.
• Designed and implemented client's wireless Internet 3G Broadband, ISDN, DSL.
• Designed a reliable and fully redundant network implementing various routing protocols OSPF, BGP, EIGRP.
• Selected and purchased all software and hardware, integrated new systems into existing network.
• Installed, configured, and deployed the corporate Mail Server Exchange, Active Directory 2003, 2008, DNS, DHCP, VPN, a WSUS / Antivirus server that runs Symantec Antivirus Corporate Server.
• Served as Project Coordinator and Team Lead for multiple installations, on-site support, and system administrator training.

Bachelor's degree - Computer Information System - Amman University