Arif Ali
About Arif Ali
Arif Ali is a Dedicated Support Engineer at Canonical Ltd. in Sheffield, United Kingdom, with a background in high-performance computing and cloud solutions. He has over 15 years of experience in various technical roles, including software engineering and systems architecture, primarily at OCF.
Work at Canonical
Arif Ali has been employed at Canonical Ltd. as a Dedicated Support Engineer since 2019. In this role, he supports large-scale cloud deployments for new customers, utilizing technologies such as MaaS, Juju, Charms, and OpenStack. Over the past year, he has created single-pane of glass cloud solutions using CloudForms for customers. His work focuses on ensuring effective cloud infrastructure and support for clients, contributing to the overall success of Canonical's cloud services.
Previous Experience at OCF
Arif Ali has a significant history with OCF, where he held multiple roles from 2003 to 2019. He started as an HPC Software Engineer and progressed to positions including HPC Systems Architect, Senior HPC Technical Architect, and Technical Director. His responsibilities included deploying RedHat's OpenStack Platform and the open-source RDO as part of various cloud computing projects. He also contributed to the inception and ongoing development of the xCAT project, providing key bug fixes and custom features for customers.
Education and Expertise
Arif Ali holds a Master’s Degree in Advanced Topics in Computer Science from Queen Mary, University of London, which he completed from 2002 to 2003. He also earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from the same institution, studying from 1999 to 2002. His foundational education includes A Levels in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry from Newham Sixth Form College, completed between 1997 and 1999. His educational background supports his extensive expertise in cloud computing and high-performance computing.
Technical Skills and Contributions
Arif Ali possesses extensive experience in benchmarking for customers and utilizing various provisioning systems, including CSM, Scali Manage, and Oscar. His technical skills are complemented by his involvement in cloud computing projects and the development of cloud solutions. He has played a key role in supporting large-scale cloud deployments and has contributed to the development of custom features for clients, showcasing his ability to address complex technical challenges.