In the ever-developing field of technology, few individuals stand out as true visionaries and architects of innovation and transformation. Babul Bansal, a Senior Solutions Architect at the Largest Telecom Company in Canada, is undoubtedly one such luminary, crafting the future of cloud computing with his expertise and passion.
A Path Less Traveled
Born in the mid-'80s in the Northern part of India, Babul's journey took him from the heart of India to the diverse landscapes of Toronto, Canada. Armed with a Master's degree in Computer Applications, he set on a career that would be defined by innovation, dedication, and unwavering commitment.
Babul's professional career began at Tata Consultancy Services in India, where he honed his skills as a developer in the early 2000s. His next destination was IBM, where he rose to the position of Senior Software Engineer in 2014–2015. In 2016, he embarked on an international journey, joining one of the top five banks in Canada as a Senior Technical Specialist. In 2018, he ventured into the world of insurance, working at Definity as a Senior Technical Engineer. Finally, in 2020, he found his calling at Bell Canada, where he currently serves as a Senior Solutions Architect.
Mr. Bansal excels in the Cloud Architect role by crafting scalable, cost-effective, and secure cloud solutions that align with an organization's long-term goals. He ensures that these solutions adhere to industry best practices while also optimizing resource allocation to minimize costs. His expertise extends to architecting, developing, documenting, and maintaining cloud platforms, services, and components to enable safe enterprise-wide use of cloud-common functionality. He works with cloud providers to identify new technologies and to support the evolution and availability of the services enabled in the platform. He also develops software/pipelines for enabling and automating the provisioning and maintenance of cloud platforms and related components.
Achieving Real-World Impact
To underline Babul's impressive career, it's essential to highlight his remarkable achievements in driving tangible results. Here are two notable Achievements:
1. Empowering Cost Savings and Efficiency
Babul played a pivotal role in migrating AIML use cases to the Kubernetes platform from the on-premise system. This migration led to significant cost savings by optimizing resource utilization, automating scaling, and reducing hardware expenses. Not only did this benefit the organization by facilitating faster application deployment, but it also resulted in increased revenue and reduced opportunity costs. Additionally, this transition decreased the reliance on costly on-premises data centers, cutting infrastructure and maintenance expenses ultimately saving millions of dollars.
2. Salvaging Millions Through Data Migration
Babul led the successful migration of complex Data Warehouse solutions to the cloud just in time, as the support for the existing system was ending within the next 12–18 months. He spearheaded the migration of over 2 petabytes of data, serving more than 1000 users from various teams using the platforms for Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Realtime, and Reporting use cases. This remarkable feat translated into cost savings of more than $20 million for the organization.
Life Beyond the Cloud
But Babul Bansal is more than just a Cloud Architect; he is a multifaceted individual shaped by his upbringing in India. His childhood was a balance of fun and studies, marked by sports in the fields of cricket and badminton. Babul's family, consisting of his mother, father, and elder brother, played a pivotal role in his life. Their support, values, and traditions provided the foundation upon which he built his remarkable career.
A Passion for Excellence and a Drive to Succeed
As a student, Babul was driven by educational aspirations, achieving the status of a college topper in his Bachelor's degree. His elder brother's career influenced his path in Information Technology, which led him to pursue Computer Science and Information Technology. He was campus-selected by a top Indian IT company, a milestone that set him on his journey of excellence.
In his current role, Mr. Babul relishes the continuous learning opportunities and the chance to work with other engineers and architects on breaking down, scoping, and estimating tasks. He actively participates in planning retrospective sessions and attends stand-ups, supporting application and infrastructure teams in the use of cloud platforms providing guidance on available options, design patterns, best practices, and security considerations. The flexibility, competitive salary, and job security are added perks that fuel his passion. He thrives on the independence of making decisions to solve clients' problems while ensuring organizational standards are met, a distinction from his previous roles where client-defined technology was the norm.
Babul's journey hasn't been without its challenges, but he has always persevered. His key to success lies in persistence—the determination to keep working towards one's goals, even in the face of adversity.
A Vision for the Future
As for what's next, Babul is eyeing advanced roles like Enterprise Architect, where he can contribute to the definition and evolution of global IT architecture based on long-term business strategy. He considers the diversity of Intact activities, the need for compliance with information security requirements, the long-term business plan scenarios, the obsolescence of mission-critical applications, and the evolution of IT solutions offerings from various sources. His journey is a testament to the power of continuous development and improvement, and he's committed to furthering his expertise.
Mr. Babul doesn't just excel in his career; he also gives back to the community. He has published scholarly articles and volunteered to guide aspiring IT professionals. He has taken on mentoring roles to help junior team members navigate their career paths. His journey, shaped by dedication, innovation, and family values, serves as a beacon of hope for those navigating the ever-changing landscape of IT. He can be reached out on Twitter and Linkedin.
