Aviatrix Blog 
As the cloud networking experts, 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 expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower.
Our next hero spotlight is on Mohamed Ghassen Gargouri, Cloud Security Architect. See our previous hero spotlights here.
Combining Networking and Legal Expertise
Mohamed is a Cloud Security Architect who originally hails from Tunisia. His approach to security architecture is shaped by networking and legal knowledge: he holds a Bachelor of Law degree and is working on a license to practice. The unique intersection of law and tech provides him with a deeper understanding of both security and privacy areas’ requirements.
“While I am yet to be called to the bar, legal reasoning is incredibly beneficial for a security architect,” he said. “Such knowledge enables systematical and pragmatic assessment of potential risks in the network while navigating complex regulations and legal compliance frameworks.”
Another qualification that Mohamed is proud of is the Aviatrix Certified Engineer (ACE) Design Expert designation, which he earned by successfully creating and defending a network architecture design to a panel of experts. “As an ACE DE, I showed proof of a high level of expertise in network design and troubleshooting, which allows me to handle complex network architectures and resolve intricate issues with confidence,” he said. “As a highly respected standard in the industry, the ACE Program enhances my credibility and has opened up advanced career opportunities.”
With his cloud networking knowledge and legal background, Mohamed finds the technical part of a network solution easy – it’s the operational planning, cost, and compliance that are the most difficult.
“A good architect works closely with business leadership and other stakeholders, as a good solution is not ‘one size fits all,’” he explained.
The Network is the Cloud and the Future of Cloud Networking
Over his years in cloud networking, Mohamed has seen the era of routing, switching, perimeter firewalling, and other legacy networking concepts transition to an era of cloud adoption. Enterprises began investing in knowledge and skills to retire their old data centers and move towards more distributed and cost-optimized infrastructure.
Mohamed sees “the network is the cloud” vision as a whole new approach, not a mere on-premises extension or remote access to someone else’s computer. “Legacy networking concepts can no longer handle the growth of modern decentralized infrastructures across multiple providers,” he said.
Mohamed sees a future loaded with opportunities:
- Improved threat detection and response through AI-driven analytics
- Enhanced data security posture in the cloud through Confidential Computing, ensuring that data remains encrypted even when being processed
- Blockchain offering tamper-proof audit trails and secure transaction mechanisms, enhancing data integrity and transparency
Advice for Students and Networking Teams
When asked what advice he would have for a college student who is considering a career in cloud networking, Mohamed named several key steps to take:
- Build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills through trainings and certifications like the ACE Program
- Be curious and eager to learn something new every day
- Cultivate effective communication and excellent problem-solving skills to better collaborate with relevant stakeholders in addressing complex cloud networking challenges
Mohamed’s advice for networking teams is more tactical: he says that visibility across multiple environments is key. “Standardize security policies and leverage automation capabilities to centralize management and monitoring,” he counseled. “Invest in training and skill development.”
Curious about other cloud networking heroes like Mohamed?
- We’ll keep highlighting networking professionals on this blog.
- Learn more about the Cloud Networking Heroes program and apply on The Cloud Network Community.