Network security engineer in Dubai

Network Security Engineer

SD-WAN & SASE specialist

GulfIT Network Distribution

March 2024 — Present · Dubai, UAE · On-site

I deploy and manage SD-WAN and SASE networks for clients across the Gulf region — primarily HPE Aruba EdgeConnect, Aruba Orchestrator, and Axis SSE. Day to day, that means designing network architectures, building IPSec tunnels, configuring routing across hybrid cloud setups, and writing the HLD/LLD documents that make all of it reproducible.

Key responsibilities

• · Rolled out HPE Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN at enterprise scale: 300+ sites for a regional retail group and 100+ sites for a government-owned holding company, across the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Jordan
• · Migrated sites from legacy firewalls and routers to EdgeConnect, analysing existing configs to plan cutovers with minimal downtime
• · Designed EdgeHA pairs, VRRP, IP SLA and MPLS + internet underlays, with Business Intent Overlays (BIOs) aligning traffic to business priorities
• · Configured static, OSPF and BGP routing across EdgeConnect fabrics
• · Deployed EdgeConnect virtual appliances on Microsoft Azure with IPSec to HQ and branches; led a PoC proving fabric tunnels over a private Azure path
• · Set up Aruba Orchestrator on-prem, including air-gapped licensing
• · Configured HPE Aruba SSE (formerly Axis Security) connectors and role-based Zero Trust (ZTNA) access, replacing legacy VPN
• · Configured Array Networks APV load balancers (virtual services, health checks, traffic policies) for a Dubai government judicial client
• · Ran Wi-Fi audits and site surveys with NetAlly CyberScope / AirCheck G3 (AirMapper heatmaps, air-quality analysis) on Aruba Instant On, with redesign recommendations
• · Integrated Aruba devices into SolarWinds over SNMP and syslog
• · Wrote HLD and LLD documents and topology diagrams for customer network architectures