Ajas Muhammed

ChallengeStepping into a role that covers accounts, devices, network, servers, monitoring and phones all at once, picking up from a senior colleague.

ApproachWorking through one area at a time: learning how each is set up, keeping notes as I go, and taking on day-to-day tickets and changes while I learn.

OutcomeDay-to-day IT is in hand, and I am building a clear picture of the whole environment as I go.

ChallengeTwo organisations and more than 200 users and devices were running on a patchwork of mismatched switches and modems, with no network plan and little control over traffic.

ApproachI made the business case for a proper router and new access points, then designed the network around VLANs that separate wired and Wi-Fi traffic. That made two VLANs per organisation and four in all. I recorded the design in network diagrams.

OutcomeBoth organisations moved to a planned, segmented network that was easier to secure, manage and troubleshoot.

ChallengeProvider outages and IP address changes were a recurring threat to the business, and for a training institute and a media company, downtime meant lost work.

ApproachI worked to strict SLAs: failing over to the secondary connection at once to keep people working, then working with the provider’s technical team and the router vendor’s support team to fix the root problem and reconfigure the setup.

OutcomeDespite frequent provider issues, downtime stayed low, and work carried on over the secondary link while the primary was restored.

ChallengeZoople opened a new branch in Calicut built for around 100 users, about 20 staff and the rest students. Its network had to be planned from scratch, away from the head office.

ApproachI travelled to Calicut and planned the network side of the setup on site, covering both a small team and a classroom full of students.

OutcomeThe branch opened with a planned network sized for its full capacity.

ChallengeA one-month internship, and my first time on real servers after learning the theory in class.

ApproachI worked with Linux servers day to day: monitoring performance, setting up web servers, reading logs, running health checks, and learning how servers behave behind the scenes.

OutcomeClassroom theory turned into working knowledge of how servers run, and a base for the server work that followed.

ChallengeMy first professional role: an entry-level support position, solving real problems for customers and clients for the first time.

ApproachI took each issue as it came, learned the patterns quickly, and kept improving until the work felt natural. A satisfying first job, and a comfortable one once I had the hang of it.

OutcomeI grew into a strong performer, with Best Performance – New Joiner and Star of the Month three times. The role was small, but it was the stepping stone to where I am now.