GSD L3 - VMWare Subject Matter Expert

The L3 vSphere Expert is the final technical escalation point for the customer's VMware ESXi and vCenter Server environment. This role owns the architecture, stability, and lifecycle of the vSphere platform, resolves the most complex incidents and root-cause investigations, and guides/mentors L1 & L2 engineers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as final escalation for critical (P1/P2) ESXi host and vCenter Server incidents, including PSODs, host disconnects, hung VMs, and vCenter service failures.
• Provide and approve Root Cause Analysis and recommend permanent fixes.
• Design and approve cluster architecture: host sizing, HA/DRS/EVC, resource pools, vDS networking, and datastore layout.
• Plan and lead major upgrades and patching (e.g., vSphere 7 to 8) using vSphere Lifecycle Manager, including firmware/driver compatibility against the Hardware Compatibility Matrix.
• Conduct periodic vCenter Server Appliance health checks, backup and restore, certificates, SSO/identity sources checks.
• Troubleshoot deep performance issues (CPU ready, memory ballooning/swap, storage latency, NUMA) using esxtop, logs, and vmkernel analysis.
• Define host hardening baselines, RBAC, and compliance standards.
• Automate operations and recommend operations enhancements/improvements.
• Handle escalations with Broadcom support and hardware vendors.

Qualifications:

• 5–8+ years in enterprise infrastructure with hands-on experience on VMware ESXi and vCenter Server infrastructure at scale (multi-cluster, multi-site).
• Expert knowledge of vSphere HA, DRS, vMotion/Storage vMotion, vDS, and vSphere Lifecycle Manager
• Solid understanding of server hardware, shared storage (FC/iSCSI/NFS), and Ethernet networking as they affect ESXi.
• Strong PowerCLI/PowerShell skills; strong log analysis and troubleshooting discipline.

Corresponding VMware Certifications

Required:

• VCTA (VMware Certified Technical Associate): Entry-level certification covering basic vSphere and virtualization concepts.
• VCP (VMware Certified Professional): Validates hands-on skills in installing, configuring, and managing ESXi hosts and vCenter Server.

Preferred (Advanced):

• VCAP (VMware Certified Advanced Professional): Validates advanced skills in designing, deploying, and troubleshooting complex vSphere environments.

Highly Preferred:

• VCDX (VMware Certified Distinguished Expert): The highest VMware certification. Candidates must present and defend an enterprise-level design before a panel of experts.