Systems Engineer - Backup & Storage Specialist

Overview

Systems Engineer - Backup & Storage Specialist

General System Management

• Maintain the overall health, security, and documentation of backup, storage, server, virtualization, and hyperconverged systems to support reliable operations and compliance.
• Perform routine system maintenance tasks, including patching, firmware updates, and health checks across Windows/Linux servers, VMware/vSAN/Nutanix environments, SAN/HCI arrays, and Azure/GCP resources.
• Ensure system security through access controls, encryption management, vulnerability scanning, and adherence to organizational policies and standards (e.g., GDPR, ISO 27001).
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for configurations, procedures, and runbooks related to backup schedules, storage mappings, and recovery processes.
• Provide tier-2 support to end-users and IT teams on storage and backup queries, including capacity reporting and performance optimization recommendations.

Backup and Recovery Management

• Oversee the implementation and maintenance of enterprise backup solutions using tools like Commvault to ensure reliable data protection and rapid recovery.
• Configure and manage backup policies, schedules, and retention strategies for physical, virtual, cloud-based, and hyperconverged workloads.
• Perform regular backup integrity checks, testing, and disaster recovery drills to validate restore capabilities.
• Troubleshoot backup failures, optimize performance, and generate reports on backup success rates and storage utilization.
• Integrate backup solutions with monitoring tools for automated alerts on anomalies or compliance issues.

Enterprise Storage & Hyperconverged Operations

• Administer SAN, NAS, and hyperconverged storage systems (including vSAN and HCI platforms) to provide scalable, high-availability storage infrastructure supporting critical business applications.
• Design, deploy, and maintain SAN and HCI environments, including provisioning, zoning, LUN management, and datastore configuration for optimal I/O performance.
• Monitor storage capacity, performance metrics, and health using tools like EMC Unisphere or vendor-specific HCI dashboards; perform capacity planning and forecasting.
• Implement data tiering, replication, and snapshot technologies to enhance data resilience and efficiency.
• Collaborate with application teams to ensure storage configurations align with workload demands and SLAs.

Cloud and Hybrid Infrastructure Support

• Manage storage and backup integrations in multi-cloud environments (Azure and GCP) alongside on-premises and hyperconverged systems for seamless hybrid operations.
• Provision and manage cloud storage solutions (e.g., Azure Blob Storage, GCP Cloud Storage) for hybrid backup workflows, including data migration and synchronization.
• Configure cloud-native backup services and integrate them with enterprise backup software for unified management.
• Optimize cloud storage costs through lifecycle policies, archiving, and deduplication while ensuring data sovereignty and compliance.
• Conduct security assessments for cloud storage access controls, encryption, and integration with on-premises virtualized environments.

Server and Virtualization Administration

• Support Windows and Linux server operations within virtualized and hyperconverged environments, focusing on storage integration and performance tuning.
• Administer Windows Server and Linux systems, including patching, scripting (PowerShell/Bash), and configuration for storage attachments.
• Manage virtual environments, including VM provisioning, live migration, and storage optimization for non-disruptive operations.
• Integrate virtualization hosts with enterprise storage arrays and HCI platforms via protocols like iSCSI, FC, and NFS; monitor for bottlenecks and resource contention.
• Develop automation scripts for routine tasks such as storage provisioning in virtual environments and server backup orchestration.

Incident, Problem, and Change Management

• Apply ITIL best practices to manage incidents, perform root cause analysis for problems, and oversee changes in backup, storage, and hyperconverged environments to ensure minimal disruption and continuous improvement.
• Respond to and resolve incidents related to backup failures, storage outages, or performance degradations, adhering to defined SLAs.
• Conduct root cause analysis for recurring problems, implementing preventive measures such as enhanced monitoring or configuration hardening.
• Evaluate, plan, and execute changes through the formal change management process, including risk assessments, testing in non-production environments, and post-implementation reviews.
• Document incidents, problems, and changes in the IT service management system, collaborating with stakeholders to drive process improvements and knowledge base updates.

& Education

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in enterprise backup and storage administration, with proven expertise in hybrid cloud, hyperconverged, and virtualization environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Relevant certifications (preferred) such as Commvault Certified Administrator (CCA), VMware Certified Professional Data Center Virtualization (VCP-DCV), Nutanix Certified Professional (NCP), Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104), Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect, Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA), or ITIL Foundation.

Required Skills

• Proficiency in enterprise backup software for backup orchestration, including application-consistent backups and cloud integrations.
• Expertise in enterprise storage systems (SAN/HCI) with skills in array management, thin provisioning, and replication technologies.
• Strong command of Azure and GCP services for storage and backup, with experience in Infrastructure-as-Code tools (e.g., ARM Templates, Terraform).
• Advanced Windows and Linux server administration skills, including Active Directory integration, kernel tuning, and multi-pathing configuration.
• In-depth knowledge of virtualization and hyperconverged technologies (e.g., VMware vSphere, vSAN, Nutanix AHV).
• Scripting and automation proficiency in PowerShell, Python, or Bash for operational tasks.
• Familiarity with monitoring and analytics tools for storage performance and alerting.