Storage Patching Subject Matter Expert (SME) Contract Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Hybrid)

Job Summary The Storage Patching SME leads the strategy and execution of updates across all storage infrastructure. This role ensures systems remain secure, performant, and compliant with corporate policies through meticulous risk assessment, script automation, and scheduled maintenance windows.

Key Responsibilities Patch Planning: Define the lifecycle management strategy and update schedules for all enterprise storage arrays. Risk Assessment: Analyze vendor release notes to identify critical bug fixes, security vulnerabilities, and potential performance impacts. Testing & Validation: Execute patches in staging environments to validate stability, interoperability, and rollback procedures. Execution Management: Lead off-hours maintenance windows to apply firmware, microcode, and software updates. Automation Engineering: Develop and maintain scripts to automate configuration backups, health checks, and patch deployments. Incident Escalation: Act as the highest point of technical escalation for complex patch failures or performance degradation post-update. Vendor Management: Collaborate with storage vendors (e.g., Dell, NetApp, Pure Storage) to resolve complex bugs and acquire custom hotfixes. Compliance Reporting: Maintain detailed documentation of current patch levels and provide compliance reports for security audits.

Required Skills and Qualifications Storage Expertise: Deep technical knowledge of SAN, NAS, and Object storage systems. Vendor Ecosystems: Hands-on experience patching systems like Dell PowerMax/PowerStore, NetApp ONTAP, Pure Storage FlashArray, or HPE Alletra. Fabric Networking: Understanding of Fibre Channel switches (Cisco MDS, Brocade) and firmware upgrade dependencies. Automation Scripting: Proficiency in PowerShell, Python, or Ansible for automating pre- and post-patch health checks. Operating Systems: Solid understanding of how VMware ESXi, Linux, and Windows hosts interact with storage multipathing during controller reboots. Problem Solving: Strong root-cause analysis skills to troubleshoot replication, zoning, or connectivity issues during upgrades.

Experience Requirements Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or equivalent practical experience. Experience: 5+ years of dedicated experience managing enterprise storage infrastructure, with at least 2 years focused on lifecycle maintenance and patching. Certifications (Preferred): Vendor-specific professional certifications (e.g., NetApp NCIE, Dell EMCSA) or infrastructure certifications (e.g., VMware VCP).