Principal Architect · Consultant · Educator

Upanshu
Singhal

25+ years building systems that matter

From petabyte-scale data protection at Dell Technologies to AI-native cloud platforms — I architect, educate, and lead. Now available as an independent consultant, fractional CTO, and technology educator.

Cloud Architecture AI & GenAI Data Protection Storage Systems Training & Mentorship Tech Leadership
25+ Years in IT
100+ US Patents
16PB Data Protected
Explore Services Get In Touch
NAS / SAN AWS · Azure GenAI Agents Kubernetes OpenTelemetry Prompt Engineering
US
Meet Upanshu

A Quick Introduction

25+ years of experience in 2 minutes — who I am, what I do, and how I can help you.

25+
Years in IT
100+
US Patents
16PB+
Data Protected
About Me

Architect. Inventor.
Educator. Consultant.

I am a Principal Architect and IT Consultant with over 25 years at the forefront of enterprise technology. My journey spans from writing compilers and DBMS components in the late 1990s to designing AI-driven cloud platforms that serve Fortune 500 companies today.

At Dell Technologies, I spent 25 years as a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff — leading global teams of up to 100 engineers across India, USA, China, and Israel. I incubated solutions now protecting over 16 petabytes of enterprise data across 400+ customers, and hold 100+ US patents in data protection and storage technology.

Beyond architecture and engineering, I am passionate about education and knowledge transfer. Whether teaching cloud-native principles, generative AI, soft skills, or storage fundamentals — I believe great technology starts with great understanding. This site is my platform to share both.

Based In
Bangalore, India
Education
B.Tech, Computer Science
Rohilkhand University
Certifications
Scrum Master & PO · Cloud Native Architecture · IIM Bangalore Leadership · Python – U of Michigan
Open For
Consulting · Fractional CTO · Training · Advisory · Technical Due Diligence
Career Span
1996 → Present
Softek → Legato → EMC → Dell → Independent
Domains
Storage · Data Protection · Cloud · AI/ML · Software Architecture
What I Do

Consulting Services

Bringing 25+ years of hands-on architecture and leadership to your hardest technology challenges.

01
Cloud Architecture & Migration
Design and delivery of cloud-native platforms on AWS and Azure. Multi-cloud governance, cost optimization, microservices, container orchestration with Kubernetes, and migration from legacy on-premises infrastructure.
02
AI & GenAI Integration
End-to-end AI system design — from prompt engineering and GenAI agent architectures to document processing pipelines for Healthcare, BFSI, and Insurance. Hands-on Python development alongside architecture delivery.
03
Data Protection & Storage
Enterprise-grade backup, replication, snapshot, and disaster recovery design. NAS, SAN, and object storage architecture at petabyte scale. Application-consistent protection for VMware, Hyper-V, SQL, Exchange, and more.
04
Fractional CTO / Tech Leadership
Senior technology leadership for startups and scale-ups who need a seasoned CTO without the full-time commitment. Team building, engineering culture, roadmap definition, and board-level technical advisory.
05
Training & Workshops
Custom training programs for engineering teams — covering cloud architecture, AI/ML fundamentals, data protection, software design, agile methods, and professional soft skills. Delivered as workshops, bootcamps, or online courses.
06
Technical Due Diligence
Rigorous assessment of technology stacks, architectures, and engineering teams for investors and acquirers. Identifying risks, gaps, and opportunities with actionable recommendations grounded in real-world enterprise experience.
Knowledge Hub

Training & Education

I believe the best technology leaders are also great teachers. Here's what I teach — from foundational concepts to cutting-edge AI.

What I Teach

🧠
Soft Skills & Leadership
Communication · Time Management · Career Development · Problem Solving · Interpersonal Skills · Stress Management
⚙️
Software Development
SDLC Top-to-Bottom · Agile & Waterfall · Software Architecture · High & Low Level Design · Innovation Process
💾
Storage & Data Protection
Disk to Enterprise Arrays · Block · NAS · Object Storage · Backup & Recovery · Cyber Protection
☁️
Cloud & Virtualization
Cloud Native Architecture · Microservices · Containers · Kubernetes · Hypervisors · AWS Fundamentals
🤖
Generative AI
Introduction to GenAI · Prompt Engineering · GenAI Agents · Neural Network Layers · Embeddings · Attention Mechanism
🔬
Deep Tech
Feedforward Layers · Embedding Layer · Attention Mechanism · Fundamentals of Prompt Engineering · AWS Deep Dive

How I Deliver

Live Workshops
Half-day or full-day sessions delivered to engineering teams — customised to your stack and goals.
Video Courses
Self-paced recorded modules available on this platform — watch anytime, anywhere.
Webinars & Talks
Live online sessions with Q&A — subscribe to be notified of upcoming events.
1:1 Mentorship
Personal coaching for engineers and tech leaders looking to grow — career, architecture skills, or leadership.
Featured Content
Video tutorials, webinar recordings, and educational sessions — more being added regularly.
Coming Soon
Generative AI
Introduction to GenAI — What It Is & Why It Matters
Module 1 · ~45 min
Coming Soon
Cloud Architecture
AWS Fundamentals for Architects — From Zero to Cloud-Native
Module 1 · ~60 min
Coming Soon
Data Storage
Storage Demystified — From a Disk to Petabyte Arrays
Module 1 · ~50 min
Video library launching soon. Subscribe via email or follow on LinkedIn to be notified when new modules drop. All foundational modules will be free. Advanced courses and live workshops available for enrolment.
Resources

Documents & Guides

Downloadable resources, guides, and reference documents to help you learn and decide faster.

📄
PDF · Consulting
What I Can Do As A Consultant
A comprehensive overview of my consulting capabilities across cloud, AI, storage, software architecture, soft skills training, and more.
→
🗺️
PDF · Architecture
Cloud-Native Architecture Primer
A beginner-friendly guide to microservices, containers, Kubernetes, and cloud-native design patterns. Coming soon.
→
🤖
PDF · AI
Prompt Engineering Fundamentals
A practical reference guide to writing effective prompts — for engineers, product managers, and business users. Coming soon.
→
💾
PDF · Storage
Enterprise Data Protection — A Field Guide
The fundamentals of backup, replication, snapshots, and disaster recovery — distilled from 25 years of hands-on experience. Coming soon.
→
📈
Template · Leadership
Engineering Team Health Checklist
A practical checklist for engineering managers to assess team health, culture, process maturity, and technical practices. Coming soon.
→
🔗
External · LinkedIn
LinkedIn Profile & Articles
Follow me on LinkedIn for articles, opinions, and updates on cloud architecture, AI integration, and technology leadership.
↗
Career

25+ Years of Building

A journey from writing compilers in New Delhi to architecting AI systems for Fortune 500 enterprises globally.

Rapyder
2025–2026
Dell Technologies
2015–2024
Dell Technologies
2009–2015
EMC / Legato
2002–2009
Legato Systems
1999–2002
Softek
1996–1999
May 2025 — March 2026
Principal Consultant
Rapyder Cloud Solutions · Bangalore
  • Architected an intelligent multi-cloud governance platform providing AI-driven cost visibility and operational insights across AWS and Azure.
  • Built and led a team of 10 engineers for AI product development, customer POC demos, and internal automation tooling.
  • Designed AI-based document processing pipelines for Healthcare, Insurance, and BFSI — enabling intelligent extraction and workflow automation.
  • Developed Python-based AI automation scripts and data processing pipelines hands-on alongside architecture responsibilities.
AWSAzureGenAIPythonTeam Leadership
2015 — 2024
Distinguished Technical Staff — Architect
Dell Technologies · Storage Integrated Data Protection
  • Incubated and architected NAS data protection using cloud-native principles — 20+ patents, adopted by 400+ enterprise customers protecting 16PB+ data.
  • Built block storage data protection delivering 35TB/hr throughput — first-of-its-kind integration between data protection and storage platforms.
  • Built observability layer using OpenTelemetry for real-time telemetry, performance diagnostics, and AI-driven usage insights.
  • Led global engineering teams of up to 100 engineers across India, USA, China, and Israel.
NASBlock StorageOpenTelemetryCloud NativePatents
2009 — 2015
Distinguished Technical Staff — Architect
Dell Technologies · Application Integrated Data Protection
  • Designed unified Microsoft application and hypervisor data protection (Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, VMware, Hyper-V) — reduced protection time by 50%.
  • Solution acquired 3,000+ customers, generating $120M+ revenue over 5 years.
  • Architected MySQL data protection for Government of India UIDAI (Aadhaar) — enabling a $20M DellEMC deal.
  • Designed and delivered storage-integrated data protection for scaled Healthcare environments.
VMwareHyper-VSQLExchange$120M Revenue
2002 — 2009 · Seattle, USA
Principal Engineer
EMC / Legato
  • Designed application-aware and storage-aware data protection for enterprise applications.
  • Designed and built snapshot-based disaster recovery solutions.
Disaster RecoverySnapshotsEnterprise Apps
1999 — 2002
Senior Engineer
Legato Systems
  • Developed snapshot-based bare metal disaster recovery for Windows and Unix platforms.
WindowsUnixBare Metal Recovery
1996 — 1999 · New Delhi
Associate Software Engineer
Softek Limited
  • Developed compiler, IDE, and DBMS components in C/C++ — the foundation of a lifetime in engineering.
C/C++Compiler DesignDBMS
Recognition

Awards & Milestones

A few highlights from 25+ years of building, inventing, and leading.

Inventor
100+
US Patents
Over 100 US patents in Data Protection and Data Storage Technology — one of the most prolific inventors in the enterprise storage space.
Dell Technologies
DMTS
Distinguished Member of Technical Staff
The highest individual contributor recognition at Dell — awarded to engineers who demonstrate exceptional technical leadership and sustained innovation.
2012
★ PoY
Product of the Year
Data Protection solution built for UIDAI Aadhaar — India's national identity platform — awarded Product of the Year for its scale and national impact.
Zinnov 2015
TRM
Technical Role Model
Recognised by Zinnov as a Technical Role Model for excellence in engineering leadership, mentoring, and industry-wide technical innovation.
2017
🏆
Smart India Hackathon Winner
Winner at India's largest open innovation platform — solving real government challenges as part of a national-level competition.
Revenue Impact
$120M+
Products Delivered
Products architected and shipped under my leadership generated over $120M in revenue across 3,000+ enterprise customers over five years.
The Human Behind The Architecture

Beyond The Resume

A few things about me that don't fit neatly in a LinkedIn profile.

🌏
Global Citizen Led teams across 4 countries — India, USA, China & Israel. Lived and worked in Seattle for 5 years. Believe diversity of thought makes better engineers.
📚
Lifelong Learner Completed Python certifications from University of Michigan in 2025 — still learning at 25+ years into a career because curiosity never retires.
💡
Accidental Inventor 100+ patents sounds planned — it wasn't. Each one started as a "what if" conversation. Innovation is just curiosity with follow-through.
🏛️
Government Scale Architected the data protection backbone for Aadhaar — India's identity system for 1.4 billion people. The biggest "user base" project of my career.
🎯
Hackathon Veteran Won Smart India Hackathon 2017 — proving that 20-year career veterans can still code fast and think fresh under pressure.
🎓
Teacher at Heart I get more satisfaction from watching an engineer "get it" in a workshop than from any architecture diagram I've ever drawn. Teaching is the real multiplier.
🔐
Data Whisperer 16 petabytes of enterprise data protected. If all that data were books, it would fill 8 million Libraries of Congress. Reliability is not optional at that scale.
☕
Bangalore Local Based in Bangalore — India's Silicon Valley. Available for coffee meetings, whiteboard sessions, or a good debate about whether Kubernetes is over-engineered.
Get In Touch

Let's Build
Something Together

Whether you need a technology strategy, a hands-on architect, a training partner for your team, or just want to explore ideas — reach out. I respond to every serious enquiry personally.

✉
upanshu@upanshu.com
Email · Best for project enquiries
in
linkedin.com/in/upanshu
LinkedIn · Connect & follow
☎
+91 99002 30622
Phone · Bangalore, India (IST)

How Can I Help?

Open to new engagements
Architecture Review & Advisory
Cloud Migration Strategy & Delivery
AI / GenAI Integration & Roadmap
Data Protection & Storage Design
Team Training & Workshops
Fractional CTO / Tech Leadership
Technical Due Diligence (M&A)
1:1 Career & Engineering Mentorship
Send Me A Message