Steve Kaplan Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, Ca, Us

Chicago, Illinois, Us

•Lead post-acquisition efforts to integrate Kovarus automation serviceofferings and pre-sales best practices into the AHEAD services portfolio andcontinually approach scope and approach for those offerings•Collaborated with automation service delivery leadership to transitionservice frameworks from fixed fee / packaged offerings to consumption-centric offerings•Collaborated with automation service delivery leadership to proactivelyaddress offerings and ensure relevant skillsets are available to meet evolvingcustomer demand trends.•Aligned service offerings with sales and other practices areas to transitionaway from legacy models for multi-practice offerings and enabling bettercross-practice collaboration and streamlined scoping.•Worked with client project sponsors and executive sponsors to aligntechnical programs into non-technical terms for business executives.•Worked with internal operations teams to streamline processes and reducefriction in getting new opportunities scoped, priced, and approved.•Designed large-scale automation programs and automation toolchains tomeet needs of Client and satisfy required technical and business outcomes.•Oversaw scoping activities for almost all automation opportunities throughFY21 and most of FY22.•Obtained growth for both booked margin and average deal size betweenFY21 and FY22.•Provided mentorship for new and/or less senior team members with respectto technical areas, general operating procedures, or career planning and/oradvice.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

In October 2020, AHEAD, RoundTower, and Kovarus joined forces to createthe newAHEAD. We build platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in enterprise cloud infrastructure, intelligent operations, and modern applications, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.

San Ramon, Ca, Us

•Provided technical oversight and developed numerous automation patternsduring the course of client projects.•Oversaw on-premises SDDC infrastructure and implementation of VMwareCloud Foundation 4.x on Dell Technologies VxRail platform in the KovarusProven Solution Center (KPSC).•Developed demo patterns and lab manuals for highlighting VMware SDDCsolutions in the KPSC.•Provided technical leadership and worked with partner team to maintain thetechnical relationship with VMware.•Represented Kovarus at VMware's Partner Technical Advisory Board (PTAB).•Developed revised Go-To Market strategy for SDDC and Private Cloud, as wellas assisted with messaging strategy and alignment as part of broader GTMrefresh.•Provided mentorship for delivery members wanting to either upskill ortransition into a different area of the business, such as presales.

Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, Us

● Provide technical leadership developing solutions for engineering studies and system applications for use within DCMA. Includes proof of concepts and testing of new systems and/or services to fit within the DCMA datacenter infrastructure.● Analyze existing systems architectures to develop requirements for lifecycle and/or replacement● Technical oversight of server and storage infrastructure portfolios, roadmaps, and lifecycle/technology refreshes. Responsibilities included ongoing cost forecasting on a rolling 5 year term, writing all technical requirements, devising procurement strategies, as well as ensuring integration of new technologies. Engaged with operations as an escalation resource. Actively reviewed and evaluated hardware requirements to account for new and emerging technologies and industry trends. ● Revamping of server procurement practices by employing a contract structure that allowed for all servers to be built to order, based on the requirements for every requirement uniquely. Utilizing this model ultimately allowed for procuring of systems to match their required capabilities with minimal cost overhead, ultimately allowing for cost reductions in equipment spending.● Devised and implemented a procurement strategy to commoditize and normalize storage costs over a five year period.● Designed and deployed a private cloud utilizing a combination of VMware's vRealize Automation and vRealize Orchestration. Cloud platform provided a self-service delivery of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).● Performed an exhaustive review of current request pain points for system owners and implemented updated process workflows to address the points of latency in request fulfillment.

Bethesda, Md, Us

● Working with other internal team members, as well as other teams within IT to validate technical requirements, determine integration within the datacenter infrastructure, and ultimately devise procurement strategy for new all requirements. ● Designed and oversaw implementation of enterprise virtualization strategy utilizing VMware’s vSphere suite in 20 datacenters, reducing physical server counts and overall IT spending (~ $1.4M annually). Provided ongoing design support for new versions, updating deployment methodologies and capabilities in the infrastructure to match the latest available technology. ● Designed and oversaw implementation of consolidation of enterprise user file data via implementation of clustered Network Appliance Filers to provide a destination for consolidated file server data. Implementation of Network Appliance NearStore Filers as both a local backup target at 22 locations, as well as a target for COOP (Continuity of Operations Plan) data from multiple sites to store centrally for disaster recovery purposes utilizing SnapMirror.● Designed and oversaw implementation of enterprise backup strategy utilizing CommVault’s Galaxy suite of products to facilitate the removal of tape-based backups, improvements to reliability of backup data being stored off-site (utilizing Network Appliance’s SnapMirror technology), and an enterprise-centric view into the health of backups for all datacenters, as well as hubs in both the United States and abroad.● Technical liaison / relationship management for many key enterprise technology partners.

● Design and implementation of scalable, highly available network infrastructures. All infrastructures were designed to have no less then a single point of failure, but in most cases had no two (2) points of failure. Duties also included review of any new proposed network designs for customers, as well as auditing of any current network topology/design to ensure for proper growth. Working with other members of my team (project managers and systems administrators) to ensure that all aspects of the project were in line. ● Acted as a team lead on many high visibility projects where duties included scheduling, overseeing communications with both vendors and customers, as well as providing conflict resolution when issues came up between the various parties. Made sure any/all customer support issues were handled in a timely manner.● Worked as technical lead for any/all network infrastructure documentation that needed to be provided to all customers. In some cases, developed and presented a complete standards document (custom tailored) for a customer. Standards documents included information about any/all vendors, equipment, etc that is preferred by a customer, as well as pertinent information to providing a standardized global network and system configuration for all devices.● Participated in most sales opportunities to ensure that both feasibility of any proposed network design/topology that customer may have chosen, as well as to ensure proper quantities of devices were included in the final pricing handed over. Worked with members of both the Sales and Site Operations organizations to ensure the proper solution was deployed for each and every customer who signed a contract.

Austin, Tx, Us

● Administration of all Windows NT/Linux servers, as well as all internal and external network services.● Implementation of DHCP and WINS, migration from Lotus cc:Mail to Microsoft Exchange, as well as deployment of Microsoft Outlook to all desktops.● Integration of Microsoft Proxy Server to limit local user access to resources on the World Wide Web. Utilized WebTrends reporting suite to provide analytics on web traffic.● Project management duties for all day to day operations, including, but not limited to coordinating cross connects for new systems put online, configuration and deployment of new servers, acquisition of new or additional software licenses, and system baselining.● Project planning on Network upgrades, including upgrading of internal cabling and network equipment, in addition to a Fail-over and/or Disaster Recovery plan, complete with illustrations of all Network designs, and configurations in Visio.● Management of frame-relay circuits with remote offices, as well as all related hardware. Provided remote network support for installation and configuration.● Implementation of site-to-site VPN’s using both Cisco routers and Cisco PIX firewalls as a backup link in the event of frame-relay failure. Implementation of site-to-client VPN for traveling users.● Purchasing, and configuration of all new, and existing Compaq Servers, as well as organization and purchasing of all Software licensing (Server and Client). Modifications and reconfiguration of existing Routers and Switches (Cisco Routers & Catalyst Switches)● Configuration of Linux servers running Internet Services such as Apache and external DNS via BIND.