Mohamed Elsayed
IT System Administrator | Cloud & Infrastructure | Microsoft 365 | Azure
Results-driven IT System Administrator with over 10 years of experience designing, implementing, and managing enterprise infrastructure across leading Abu Dhabi organisations. Specialised in Microsoft cloud technologies — Azure, Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, and Microsoft Defender — with a strong track record of leading large-scale migrations, security hardening, and infrastructure modernisation projects. Adept at bridging on-premises environments with cloud platforms, delivering measurable improvements in security, reliability, and operational efficiency. Holds multiple Microsoft Expert-level certifications including Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert, and Cybersecurity Architect Expert.
Work Experience
Lead day-to-day administration and strategic improvement of the organisation's IT infrastructure, covering Windows and Linux Server environments, endpoint management, identity & access, and Microsoft 365 services. Drive cloud adoption initiatives, security hardening projects, and infrastructure modernisation efforts aligned with business continuity and compliance requirements.
Key Achievements & Projects (19)
- Implementation of Windows Servers and Endpoints Patching Strategy
- Implementation of Group-based Access Control for File Server Shared Folders and Servers RDP/Admin Access
- Migration of Windows Server 2012 End-of-life (+35 Servers) to Windows Server 2022
- Planning and performing 1st DR Drill via Nutanix Domain Protection
- Migration of Certificate Authority role from Domain Controller to a dedicated server
- Automation Scripts: reporting of inactive users and password expiration reminders for all users
- Replacing physical domain controller due to hardware reaching end-of-life
- Migration of On-Prem Microsoft Exchange from 2016 to 2019
- Migration of Exchange Mailflow to Exchange Online and removal of dependencies on On-Prem Exchange
- Migration of Distribution Lists from On-Prem to Exchange Online
- Implementation of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint on all Servers and Endpoints
- Implementation of Microsoft Purview Information Protection (Sensitivity Labels)
- Implementation of PatchMyPC Solution — Automating third-party application patching
- Implementation of Bitwarden password manager organisation-wide
- Migration of Apps SSO from AD FS to Microsoft Entra ID and decommissioning of AD FS Servers
- Implementation of Microsoft Purview Retention Policies
- Upgrade of Windows 10 End-of-life (+400 Endpoints) to Windows 11
- Migration of deprecated SMTP Basic Authentication to Modern Authentication
- Implementation of Entra ID Access Review
Provided 24/7 rotational shift-based system administration support for a portfolio of more than 20 customers, predominantly Abu Dhabi government entities. Managed diverse infrastructure environments, resolved complex escalations, and ensured high availability of critical business systems across multiple technology stacks.
Key Achievements & Projects (5)
- Supported 20+ clients across Abu Dhabi government sector simultaneously
- Delivered 24-hour shift coverage ensuring continuous infrastructure availability
- Managed Windows Server, Active Directory, virtualisation, and network infrastructure for multiple clients
- Responded to and resolved P1/P2 incidents across diverse technology environments
- Coordinated change management activities and maintenance windows for multiple organisations
Delivered 24/7 shift-based system administration for a large portfolio of Abu Dhabi government and enterprise clients. Maintained high-availability server and virtualisation environments, managed user lifecycle and access, and participated in infrastructure improvement and migration projects.
Key Achievements & Projects (4)
- Supported critical infrastructure for government entities across Abu Dhabi
- Maintained uptime SLAs for server, storage, and virtualisation environments
- Managed day-to-day administration of Active Directory, Exchange, and virtualised workloads
- Participated in server migration and infrastructure upgrade projects
Served as the on-site desktop support engineer for Masdar City, supporting approximately 500 employees. Managed end-user hardware, software, and connectivity issues, coordinated with infrastructure teams, and ensured a high standard of IT service delivery for one of the UAE's most prominent sustainability-focused urban developments.
Key Achievements & Projects (3)
- Provided IT support to ~500 Masdar City employees as the primary on-site engineer
- Managed asset lifecycle including procurement, deployment, and decommissioning
- Coordinated hardware and software troubleshooting with third-party vendors
Embedded on-site at Masdar City as a desktop support engineer under Alpha Data, responsible for delivering IT support to approximately 500 employees. Handled day-to-day end-user issues, device management, and user onboarding/offboarding, building a strong foundation in enterprise IT support and user-facing service delivery.
Key Achievements & Projects (4)
- Delivered end-user IT support to ~500 Masdar City staff over 4+ years
- Received multiple appreciation awards for outstanding service quality
- Managed Windows desktop environment, printing infrastructure, and peripheral devices
- Supported new employee onboarding with hardware setup and account provisioning
Certifications
Skills
- Azure IaaS / PaaS
- Azure Virtual Machines
- Azure Networking
- Azure Active Directory / Entra ID
- Azure Security Center
- Azure Policy
- Azure Monitor
- Exchange Online
- Microsoft Teams
- SharePoint Online
- Intune / Endpoint Manager
- Microsoft Defender
- Microsoft Purview
- Entra ID (Azure AD)
- Windows Server 2016–2022
- Active Directory & DNS/DHCP
- VMware vSphere
- Nutanix AHV
- Hyper-V
- Certificate Authority (PKI)
- Backup & DR (Commvault)
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Entra ID Conditional Access
- Privileged Identity Management
- Information Protection (MIP)
- AD FS & SSO
- Zero Trust principles
- PowerShell scripting
- PatchMyPC
- SCCM / Intune
- Bitwarden
- ServiceNow
- Group Policy (GPO)
- TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP
- VPN & Firewall basics
- CCNA fundamentals
- Network troubleshooting
Education
Appreciation Letters
