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Hilal Ahmad

@hilalahmad

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Senior database administrator and architect specializing in SQL Server and PostgreSQL.

India

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What I'm looking for

I’m seeking senior remote Database Administrator, Database Consultant, or Database Architect roles worldwide—focused on HA/DR, performance tuning, and automated cloud database operations in regulated, enterprise environments.

I’m a database architect and senior DBA with 12+ years of enterprise experience designing, administering, and optimizing mission-critical SQL Server (2012–2022) and PostgreSQL environments. I focus on high availability and disaster recovery (AlwaysOn AG, Distributed AG, WSFC, log shipping, replication), performance tuning (query optimization, index design, wait-statistics analysis, DMVs, Query Store), and solid schema design and capacity planning.

I lead end-to-end cloud database operations across GCP and Azure, including large-scale migrations using Distributed Availability Groups with tight cutover windows and measurable cost and uptime outcomes. I also automate provisioning and operations (Terraform, PowerShell, CI/CD) and support regulated environments with SOC2, RBAC, encryption, and audit logging—while mentoring teams and supporting on-call rotations.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Database Architect & Senior DBA

Current

General Mills

Feb 2022 - Present (4 years 5 months)

Built an automated SQL Server provisioning framework (Terraform + PowerShell) and architected enterprise cloud migrations of thousands of SQL Server databases using Distributed Availability Groups. Led HA/DR orchestration and performance monitoring across Azure SQL MI/Database and GCP Cloud SQL (PostgreSQL), while standardizing DR procedures and mentoring junior teams.

Senior Database Consultant

Al Baraka Islamic Bank

Dec 2020 - Jul 2021 (7 months)

Provided SQL Server database architecture and DBA consulting for core banking systems in a regulated Islamic banking environment. Delivered HA design, performance tuning, schema review, and compliance/audit-trail aligned data integrity practices.

SQL Server Performance Tuning Compliance Data Integrity Schema Design

SQL Database Consultant

Ministry of Education (MOEHE)

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020 (10 months)

Consulted on SQL Server database administration for Qatar’s national Ministry of Education. Supported performance tuning, backup and recovery strategy, schema design, high availability, and regulatory compliance for government education systems.

SQL Server Performance Tuning Backup & Recovery Schema Design High Availability Regulatory Compliance

Database Architect

Microland

Sep 2019 - Feb 2020 (5 months)

Executed a SQL Server database migration for Columbia Asia Hospitals’ corporate demerger within a legally mandated deadline. Managed WSFC/AlwaysOn configurations, cross-site replication, and a SQL Server 2014-to-2016 SP3 upgrade across multiple hospital sites supporting critical clinical applications.

SQL Server Database Migration AlwaysOn Availability Groups Cross Site Replication SQL Server Upgrade (2014 To 2016 SP3)

Senior Database Administrator

First Advantage

Oct 2018 - Jul 2019 (9 months)

Administered SQL Server, MongoDB Atlas, and PostgreSQL for First Advantage’s global background verification platform in a regulated environment. Managed HA, performance tuning and index optimization, backup and recovery, data integrity, schema maintenance, and production on-call support.

SQL Server MongoDB Atlas PostgreSQL Performance Tuning Indexing Backup & Recovery Data Integrity Production Support

Database Engineer

Thomson Reuters

Oct 2013 - Sep 2018 (4 years 11 months)

Administered 4,000+ SQL Server instances (2012–2016) and managed enterprise HA/DR and patching in a regulated global financial data environment. Built monitoring via SSRS alerts and supported mission-critical replication/backup strategies using SQL Server DMVs, wait statistics, Query Store, and PerfMon.

SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Groups Log Shipping SQL Server DMVs Wait Statistics SQL Query Store Entity Framework ADO.NET