M. RAFIQ // INFRASTRUCTURE OPS ON AIR
CHANNEL STATUS — UPTIME 24/7

MUHAMMAD
RAFIQ.

IT & Broadcast Infrastructure Manager with 20+ years keeping mission-critical data centers, newsrooms, and enterprise networks on air — across DAWN News, SAMAA TV, GEO TV, and more. Built for the moments when everything has to stay up.

View Career Log → Get In Touch
SYSTEM_STATUS.LOG
99.9% Infrastructure uptime maintained
20+ Years in 24/7 broadcast & enterprise IT
1,500+ Active users supported
15–20 Engineers led per team
01 / BRIEFING

Mission Profile

Senior IT and broadcast technology leader specializing in continuous availability of data centers, servers, storage, Active Directory, enterprise email (Exchange / Microsoft 365), virtualization platforms, and secure network environments inside high-pressure, live broadcast operations. Known for calm, decisive leadership during outages and live events — and for bridging the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders. Currently open to senior leadership roles in IT Operations, Broadcast Technology, and Infrastructure Management.

02 / CORE SYSTEMS

What Keeps Running

Data Center & IT Ops
24/7 production environments, change/incident/problem management, multi-domain networking.
Windows Server & AD
Active Directory, GPOs, multi-domain administration, DNS/DHCP/WSUS.
Exchange & Microsoft 365
On-prem Exchange 2019, hybrid mail routing, M365 tenant administration and hygiene policy.
Virtualization
VMware ESXi, Hyper-V, capacity planning, HA design for mixed Windows/Linux workloads.
Backup & DR
Veeam Backup & Replication, multi-site DR testing, RTO/RPO-focused retention strategy.
Storage
NetApp iSCSI SAN, NAS, multipath & clustering for high-availability storage.
Network & Security
Fortinet & Sangfor firewalls, VPN, centralized logging, cybersecurity governance.
Broadcast IT
PCR/MCR operations, Vizrt graphics, Octopus & eNews NRCS, newsroom systems.
Leadership
Mentoring & coordinating 15–20+ engineer teams, SOP standardization, documentation.
03 / CAREER LOG

On the Record

OCT 2022
— PRESENT
Manager, Cloud Operations
OPTIMIZERSLAB
Own 24/7 uptime across servers, storage, and Active Directory. Manage Exchange 2019 & Microsoft 365 across multiple domains. Lead virtualization, backup, and DR strategy with VMware and Veeam. Cybersecurity controls via Fortinet & Sangfor. ~99.9% availability for 1,500+ active users.
JUN 2021 –
DEC 2022
Broadcast Engineer
SAMAA TV
Broadcast IT spanning video/media network integration across Windows, Apple OS X, and Linux environments — supporting the shift from hybrid to fully IT-based broadcast workflows.
OCT 2020 –
SEP 2022
Corporate Communications Coordinator
LINGO SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES
Corporate communications coordination across the organization.
JAN 2017 –
SEP 2022
Sr. System Administrator
TRIBUNE 247 — TELEVISION MEDIA NETWORK
Broadcast IT operations across VizRt real-time graphics, Octopus NRCS, Apple visual production systems, and live indoor program shoots. R&D for broadcast workflows.
APR 2012 –
NOV 2019
Senior System Administrator
EXPRESS TV — TELEVISION MEDIA NETWORK
Administered VMware ESX with qNAP/Promise storage. Supported integrated PCR/MCR operations, Vizrt graphics, and Octopus NRCS. Led wireless and core network upgrade design.
DEC 2006 –
DEC 2010
Senior Network/System Administrator
AURORA BROADCASTING / HBN DAWN NEWS TV
Senior Network Administrator for DawnNews TV's IT-based television infrastructure — project leadership, Apple Xserve/NetApp iSCSI storage management, live video streaming, AD/OD client design, MDaemon mail administration.
AUG 2002 –
DEC 2005
Sr. System Administrator
GEO TV NETWORKS
Supported OS X–Windows client-server environments in a fast-paced 24/7 newsroom. Managed Octopus NRCS, FTS-MOS gateway, and Windows Server 2003 Active Directory.
JAN 2000 –
AUG 2002
Network Planner
WAVETEC (PVT) LTD
R&D officer for Wavetec hardware/software — informative display systems, teletext decoder, and interactive cable TV solutions.
04 / CALIBRATION

Education & Certs

Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Preston Institute of Management Science and Technology
AUG 2008 – MAR 2011
CCNA — Routing, Switching, WAN/Wireless Security
CTTC
2011
DAE
Aligarh Institute of Technology
1994 – 1997
NetApp Certification
Fastlane
2008
05 / INCOMING TRANSMISSIONS

What Colleagues Say

// RECOMMENDATION

A true IT expert with 25+ years of experience — from troubleshooting to managing complex infrastructures, physical or virtual, his skills are unmatched. A great mentor and problem solver, with leadership qualities that inspired the whole team.

Muhammad Jamil
Assistant Manager, Systems & Support Operations — Dawn Media Group
// RECOMMENDATION

Encourages you to step out of your comfort zone and pushes you to think independently, which ultimately helps you build confidence and develop a deeper understanding of your work. Knowledgeable, driven, and leads by example.

Khawer Naseer
Customer Support Professional — Redwood Software
// RECOMMENDATION

A result-oriented, vastly experienced professional of high caliber and integrity — agile, a quick thinker, and a fast decision maker. Keeps the work environment lively while remaining definitely an asset to any organization.

Salman Khan
Studio Engineer — Delta CJSC
// RECOMMENDATION

Highly motivated, with proven experience across many well-renowned companies. Strong technical skills with an excellent logical approach for troubleshooting — hardworking, organized, and understands the value of teamwork.

Syed Noor Iqbal, PMP®
Operations & Commissioning — Webuild (Fisia Italia)
06 / SIGN-OFF

Let's Keep
Something On Air.

Open to senior leadership roles in IT Operations, Broadcast Technology, and Infrastructure Management. Reach out directly or find the full record on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Profile → Email Me