Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share.
Our next hero spotlight is Ygal Kemgne, Senior Cloud Network Engineer. See our previous hero spotlights here.
Background: Automation as a “Cherry on Top”
Ygal began his career in tech almost a decade ago as a Network Support Engineer. “In the beginning, I focused on tasks like unboxing network devices, performing software upgrades, and providing remote access for engineers,” he said. “A few months in, I transitioned into a Network Administrator/Engineer role, where I was responsible for implementing routing and switching protocols and improving network observability.”
As the industry evolved, Ygal naturally gravitated toward cloud technologies and network automation. “Today, I identify as a Cloud Network Engineer with a strong focus on automation — which I like to describe as the ‘cherry on top,’” he said. “I’ve witnessed how quickly networking has evolved, and I believe the next 10 years will bring even greater transformation with deeper AI integration into network operations. I am pretty sure it's going to be fun.”
Ygal’s favorite part of his current role is solving complex connectivity problems and bridging the gap between on-prem and cloud networks. “One milestone I’m proud of is leading the migration of a global company’s hybrid network architecture to a fully automated, secure, and scalable cloud-first model,” he explained. “I also implemented centralized observability for multicloud environments, significantly reducing troubleshooting time. Seeing tangible impact and contributing to forward-thinking network strategies is what keeps me excited about my role every day.”
The Network is the Cloud: Beyond Physical Infrastructure
“For me, ‘the network is the cloud’ means that networking is no longer just physical infrastructure — it’s now a software-defined, scalable, and integrated part of the cloud itself,” Ygal said. “Connectivity, security, and traffic control are all managed through cloud-native tools and automation. The network has become dynamic, programmable, and essential to how cloud services communicate.”
Controlling Cloud Costs
Ygal offered some advice on a common challenge for networking peers: controlling cloud costs. He advised starting by designing with cost-efficiency in mind. “Most cloud providers offer Cost Management to monitor spend in real time,” he said. “Embrace Infrastructure as Code to standardize and optimize resource deployments, and always align architecture choices with business needs. It's also important to regularly audit cloud resources to eliminate unused or underutilized assets.”
Outside of Work
Outside of work, Ygal is a lifelong learner and loves staying up to date with emerging networking technologies, especially around automation and hybrid cloud.
He’s also a big fan of soccer (“Messi supporter!”) and enjoys spending time with his kids. “They keep me as busy as another full-time job,” he said.
Curious about other cloud networking heroes like Ygal?
We’ll keep highlighting networking professionals on this blog.
Learn more about the Cloud Networking Heroes program on The Cloud Network Community.
