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Aviatrix Blog

Driving Innovation and Resilience: Cristian Critelli’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Cristian Critelli profile picture

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share.

Our next hero spotlight is on Cristian Critelli, EMEA Lead Networking and Resilience Specialist Partner Solution Architect at AWS. See our previous hero spotlights here.

 

Background: Resilience is as Critical as Performance

Cristian’s journey in networking began with studying Cisco and networking fundamentals on-premises, which laid the foundation for his deep expertise in network architecture. Over the years, he’s achieved numerous certifications, including advanced specializations in Cisco, AWS, Azure, and Aviatrix, underscoring his commitment to continuous learning and technical excellence.

“Today, I serve as the EMEA Lead Networking and Resilience Specialist Partner Solution Architect at AWS, focusing on empowering partners with best practices in resilient network architecture,” he said. “I’ve led initiatives around complex migrations and architecting secure, high-performance networks designed for today’s dynamic, cloud-driven environments, where resilience is as critical as performance.”

Cristian’s favorite part of his current role is the ability to drive innovation and resilience across diverse, mission-critical networks. “Working with AWS partners, I have the unique opportunity to architect and implement network infrastructures that not only meet stringent security and performance standards but also push the boundaries of resilience, which has become essential in today’s cloud landscape.”

Some of Cristian’s top accomplishments include:

  • Leading initiatives that empower partners with advanced best practices for resilient network design, supporting them in building infrastructures capable of withstanding major disruptions.
  • Authoring key AWS publications on network migration and segmentation, which are now foundational resources for partners and customers navigating complex cloud transitions.
  • Introducing resilience-focused enablements and office hours to contribute to a stronger, more robust cloud ecosystem.

 

“These accomplishments reinforce my passion for helping organizations build networks that are as resilient as they are scalable, driving forward the vision of secure, high-performance cloud architectures,” he said.

 

The Evolution of Networking and the Rise of Resilience

Like most of our cloud networking heroes, Cristian describes watching significant changes in the networking landscape. “Throughout my career, networking has evolved from static, on-premises infrastructure to dynamic, cloud-native environments,” he said. “Today, resilience has joined security as ‘Job 0’ for organizations, especially given the massive service disruptions we’ve witnessed recently. Businesses need networks that aren’t only secure but are architected with resilience and rapid recovery in mind in the event of failures.”

Cristian described his predictions for the future of networking. “In the coming decade, I envision cloud networking embracing AI-driven automation and predictive analytics to further strengthen resilience and minimize downtime,” he said. “The focus on multi-region and multi-availability zone architectures will only grow, supporting continuity and enabling enterprises to build fault-tolerant infrastructures across distributed cloud environments.”

 

Strategic Approaches to Cost Management

From his extensive networking experience, Cristian shared insights on a difficult area for networking teams: cost management.

“For networking and resilience domains, cost management in cloud environments can be challenging but achievable with a strategic approach,” he said. He suggested three areas to focus on:

  • Architecture — “Prioritize architecture optimization by right-sizing your resources and selecting services that align closely with your actual requirements. Start with a cost-benefit analysis to understand which network services, like private connections (e.g., Direct Connect or ExpressRoute), offer the best value without overshooting capacity.”
  • Regional deployments — “Leverage multi-region or multi-availability zone deployments judiciously to avoid unnecessary costs while ensuring resilience. In many cases, optimizing network traffic flows, consolidating data transfer routes, and using caching (e.g., with CloudFront) can reduce expenses significantly.”
  • Monitoring — “Regularly monitor usage with tools like AWS Cost Explorer or Azure Cost Management to get insights into where costs are accumulating, and set budget alerts to stay on track. Adopting a culture of continuous cost assessment helps you stay agile and adjust configurations as business needs evolve, ensuring you’re getting maximum performance without incurring unanticipated expenses.”

 

The Network is the Cloud: Connectivity, Security, and Resilience

Cristian defined “the network is the cloud” as an embodiment of the idea that “modern networks extend the capabilities of the cloud, offering seamless connectivity, security, and resilience.”

“It signifies a shift where network infrastructure has become as scalable and dependable as the cloud itself,” he said. “In my role, I prioritize building network architectures that deliver not only high performance but also the resilience and security that businesses need to operate globally, ensuring that they can scale and operate confidently without disruption.”

 

Outside of Work

Outside of work, Cristian stays active and unwinds through strength training, gaming and benchmarking, and building cinematics environments with Unreal Engine 5. He shares his home with three Bengal cats, Kronos, Ares, and Nemesi, and their unique personalities, which bring “a lot of joy and unpredictability” to his life.

“I also have a love for languages and am currently trying to learn Lithuanian to connect more deeply with family,” he said.

 

Curious about other cloud networking heroes like Cristian?