Aviatrix Blog 
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 Sarmed Faraj, Security Consultant Manager. See our previous hero spotlights here.
Background: Tackling Complex Cloud Networking Challenges
Sarmed graduated with a computer science degree and started working as a programmer on the AS/400 to senior management level in the automotive, construction, media, and financial industries. He built a strong background in compliance, SOC operations, and Attack IQ.
Sarmed’s favorite part of his role is innovation: being at the forefront of technology improvements, problem-solving, and working with a team to meet customer needs so they can move forward with their business goals.
“In the consultant world, I often tackle complex challenges, finding innovative solutions to improve systems and processes,” he said. “This problem-solving aspect can be very rewarding.”
One of the greatest challenges in his role is meeting customers’ expectations and putting the right team together to deliver on time and within the project budget. “It’s always a challenge if a project plan and timeline are set prior to the discovery phase,” he said. “A lot of clients give you a one-pager about the project, and when you start the project you find a lot of relevant technology has not been mentioned or noted that can affect the project timeline.”
Reflecting on the past decade in cloud networking, Sarmed called the transition “fast and remarkable” — a transition “starting from mainframe communication over ISDN, to frame relay for the wide area network to VPN and IPSec connections, to SD-WAN and now cloud networking.” In the next ten years, he thinks we will see:
- Increased adoption of edge computing as demand for real-time data processing grows
- The presence of AI playing a crucial rule in optimizing cloud networks to be more efficient and reliable
Flaws of Modern Security: Protecting the “Crown Jewel” of Your Data
Sarmed’s extensive networking experience gives him a valuable perspective on best practices and common mistakes in cloud security. In a recent webinar, he joined Aviatrix Chief of Information Security, John Qian, and Aviatrix SVP of Product Management, Chris McHenry, to discuss the security flaws revealed by the recent Salt Typhoon hack. They discussed the hidden risks of private circuits, why MACsec encryption falls short, and how you can take control of your network’s security through high-performance encryption.
Sarmed spoke to widespread confusion in the networking space about how to achieve “true visibility” without being overwhelmed by noise. He also described a common misunderstanding about what zero trust is.
“We always educate people [that] zero trust is not going and buying a tool,” he said. “ Zero trust is really changing the fundamentals of what can access . . . the crown jewel of [your] data.” He advised a holistic approach to zero trust that includes evaluating third-party or IOT (Internet of Things) devices connected to your network.
The Network is the Cloud
When asked what “the network is the cloud” means to him, Sarmed explained that the phrase combines three key concepts:
- A virtual or software-based network
- Network services that are easy to deploy like load balancers, firewalls, and VPN
- Global reach with scalability to go up or down on demand
Outside of Work
Outside of work, Sarmed enjoys yoga, going to the gym, biking, playing sports, and skiing when the weather permits. He also loves traveling and exploring new cities and cultures.
“A new hobby I recently picked up is furniture make-over, giving a new life to old furniture,” he added.
Curious about other cloud networking heroes like Sarmed Faraj?
- We’ll keep highlighting networking professionals on this blog.
- Learn more about the Cloud Networking Heroes program and apply on The Cloud Network Community.