NetBackup Flex Ansible Deployment (NFAD) is revolutionizing the deployment of Flex Scale Solution applications into existing or new Data Centers, ensuring seamless and efficient integration. A key contributor to this innovation is Nizam Khan, a Senior Storage and Data Protection Solution Architect at Big Sky Global LLC. With extensive experience and expertise, Mr. Khan has significantly impacted the architecture and implementation of Veritas NetBackup Data Protection solutions, particularly within retail and financial enterprises.

Photo Courtesy: Nizam Khan

A Legacy of Excellence

Mr. Khan’s career includes a remarkable tenure at PepsiCo International, where he was instrumental in transforming the company’s legacy IT infrastructure. At their headquarters in Dallas, TX, he led the effort to consolidate smaller, individual footprints into robust on-premises Data Centers and strategically designed replication targets for Cloud and Disaster Recovery sites. His leadership in Data Center Consolidation not only enhanced efficiency but also generated substantial cost savings for the business.

The Cloud “Native” Architect

In his current role, Mr. Khan continues to drive innovation as a Cloud “Native” Architect. He is at the forefront of cloud and digital transformation, ensuring alignment between business and technology. His responsibilities include architecting cloud services tailored to business needs, which involves thinking beyond standard cloud-native utilities to develop a unified strategy that mitigates risks, eliminates uncertainties, and maintains control over cloud data. His approach ensures an elastic, scalable cloud-native architecture that effectively manages costs while providing comprehensive data protection.

Expertise and Responsibilities

Mr. Khan’s role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities:

• Developing cloud solutions and deployment architectures as applications transition from on-premises to the cloud.
• Managing the organization’s cloud infrastructure and modernizing software development processes.
• Providing guidance on tools and best practices in a cloud environment.
• Monitoring and addressing cloud-related security issues, ensuring data recoverability, and maintaining optimal IT infrastructure operations.
• Architecting and designing robust solutions for data protection and disaster recovery.

His deep understanding of cloud infrastructure optimization, coupled with his ability to evaluate business requirements for hardware, software, and network upgrades, positions him as a key player in the development of robust architectural deployment strategies across various platforms, including SaaS, IaaS, PaaS, On-Prem, and Hybrid environments.

Overcoming Challenges

Mr. Khan excels in overcoming the numerous challenges associated with cloud architecture and data protection:

• Ensuring production architecture and backups are optimized for return on investment (ROI) and performance.
• Performing maintenance and upgrades with minimal downtime.
• Packaging applications for accurate and efficient deployment.
• Keeping ahead of data and technology trends to ensure optimal performance and cost-efficiency.

Tangible Impact on Corporates

Mr. Khan’s technological expertise has directly contributed to significant financial savings for corporate clients, particularly in mitigating ransomware threats. By implementing advanced data protection strategies, including AI-driven anomaly detection and automated malware scanning, he has helped organizations avoid the devastating costs associated with ransomware attacks. His efforts have led to a 100% ransomware recovery success rate over four consecutive years, unmatched by competitors. This achievement alone has saved companies tens of millions of dollars in potential losses.

For instance:

• One of Mr. Khan’s retail clients reported savings of approximately $10 million by avoiding ransomware payouts and recovery costs.
• A financial enterprise benefited from a $15 million reduction in potential ransomware damages due to Mr. Khan’s proactive data protection measures.
• On a broader scale, his innovations in cloud data management, disaster recovery planning, and data protection have collectively saved corporations over $50 million in the past five years.
• Benefits to the Economy

The ripple effect of Mr. Khan’s contributions extends beyond individual corporations, positively impacting the broader economy. By safeguarding critical data and ensuring business continuity, he helps maintain the stability and reliability of essential services across various sectors. The prevention of data breaches and minimization of downtime directly correlate to economic stability, preserving consumer confidence and business trust.

Moreover, his efforts in cost optimization and resource management enable companies to reinvest savings into innovation and growth, fostering a healthier economic environment. This reinvestment drives job creation, enhances competitive positioning, and supports the overall economic ecosystem.

Powered by Innovation

Under Mr. Khan’s guidance, the implementation of Cloud Scale Technology in NetBackup has yielded remarkable results. The modernized architecture operates at web scale, significantly reducing cloud compute and storage costs while enhancing malware threat identification and elimination. His contributions have led to a 100% ransomware recovery success rate over four consecutive years, unmatched by competitors.

Photo Courtesy: Nizam Khan

Key innovations driven by Mr. Khan include:

• AI-driven anomaly detection and automated malware scanning.
• Anomaly detection and malware scanning within NetBackup Isolated Recovery Environments.
• Multi-tenant immutable data solutions without impacting multi-site chain of custody or retention periods.
• Flexible at-scale recovery solutions with isolated air gap data protection.

Conclusion

Nizam Khan’s contributions to data protection and cloud transformation are invaluable. His ability to architect solutions that align with business needs, optimize costs, and ensure data security has positioned him as a leader in the field. His work not only safeguards data but also drives efficiency and innovation, making him a pivotal figure in the ongoing evolution of IT infrastructure and cloud services. Through his dedication and expertise, Mr. Khan continues to set new standards in data protection, disaster recovery, and cloud architecture, providing businesses with the tools and strategies they need to thrive in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Nizam Khan

Senior Storage and Data Protection Solution Architect
Big Sky Global LLC
nizam.khan@bigskyglobal.net

Published by: Martin De Juan