Compute / IaaS SME (Lifecycle Management) - Cisco UCS & VMware VCF

Project overview

Senior compute/IaaS subject-matter expert to design, build, standardize and operate Cisco UCS domains and VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) / vSphere platforms in a large enterprise. The role covers greenfield UCS builds, VCF deployments and upgrades (ESXi/vCenter/vDS/vSAN and storage integrations), golden image/baseline management, workload migrations, L3 incident escalation and RCA, plus automation using PowerCLI/Python/Ansible with Intersight and vCenter APIs.

Strong focus on lifecycle management, compatibility/HCL validation, security hardening, ITIL change processes, and producing runbooks/MOPs for repeatable factory-like builds.

Responsibilities

• As a Compute /IAAS SME (LCM) your responsibility includes:Key Responsibilities
• Plan and execute greenfield UCS domains (Fabric Interconnects, Chassis/Blades/X‐Series nodes, VICs, policies, service profiles) using UCS Manager and Cisco Intersight.
• Build and standardize VCF deployment /upgrade (ESXi image profiles, vCenter, vDS, vSAN/iSCSI/FC/NFS storage, multipathing).
• Create and maintain golden builds: ESXi baselines, driver/firmware bundles, custom ISOs (Image Builder), host profiles, and cluster settings.
• Perform workload migrations (vMotion/Storage vMotion; coordinate SRM/HCX where applicable) with minimal downtime.
• MDS storage switch configured and upgrade firmware.
• Document runbooks for repeatable factory‐like builds; contribute to design standards and reference architectures.2) Upgrade & Lifecycle Management
• Lead firmware/driver/ESXi/vCenter upgrades using VCF 9.0 and UCS tools (UCSM/Intersight).
• Validate HCL and compatibility (firmware–driver–ESXi–vCenter–vSAN/NSX interop) before change execution.
• Execute rolling upgrades and maintenance windows, ensuring business continuity (DRS, vMotion, admission control).
• Remediate image drift; maintain cluster compliance and security patching cadence.
• Own post‐upgrade validation (health checks, performance regression, log review).3) L3 Operations & Escalation

Requirements

• Cisco UCS domain build and configuration (Fabric Interconnects, chassis/blades/X-Series nodes, VICs, service profiles, pools, policies)
• UCS Manager (UCSM) administration
• Cisco Intersight administration (including API-driven operations)
• VMware vSphere administration (ESXi, vCenter) in large enterprise environments
• VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) deployment and upgrade lifecycle (including image profiles)
• vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS) configuration
• vMotion and Storage vMotion migrations
• vSAN fundamentals and operations (cluster settings, health checks)
• Storage integration knowledge for VMware (iSCSI, FC, NFS) and multipathing concepts
• HCL/compatibility validation across firmware/driver/ESXi/vCenter/vSAN/NSX interop (as stated)
• Rolling upgrades and maintenance window execution (DRS, vMotion, admission control)
• L3 troubleshooting and RCA for UCS/vSphere incidents (e.g., PSODs, fabric/VIC issues)
• Automation/scripting for builds and upgrades using PowerCLI, Python, and Ansible
• Git-based versioning for infrastructure-as-code/config baselines
• Security baseline enforcement for ESXi (lockdown, certificates, RBAC) and patching cadence (CVE-driven)
• ITIL processes for change/incident/problem management (ServiceNow or equivalent)
• Documentation: runbooks, MOPs, rollback procedures, as-built documentation and diagrams
• MDS storage switch configuration and firmware upgrades

Project details

• Start: flexible
• Remote: onsite
• Location: Netherlands, NL