With over two decades of experience in the Fibre Channel SAN domain, Derek Asir Muthurajan Caleb stands out as a visionary engineer and thought leader in enterprise data center management. Currently serving as a Principal Engineer at Broadcom Inc, Derek’s deep technical acumen and strategic foresight have consistently driven transformation across complex SAN infrastructures. His career reflects a rare combination of technical depth, cross-functional leadership, and a strong customer-focused mindset. Derek holds a Bachelor’s in Electronics and Communication Engineering, and MBA in Information Technology, and numerous industry certifications, including PMP, CSM, and Brocade SAN specializations. His innovation and excellence have been recognized with multiple accolades such as the Brocade Game Changer, Button Award, and the Excellence Award for Ethical Leadership.

In his most recent assignment as the Feature Lead of the SANnav Management Portal v2.4.0, Derek has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation. His contributions to this major release a critical enterprise SAN management application—have fundamentally improved product resiliency, security, usability, and performance. Through strategic prioritization, backend optimization, and rigorous quality assurance, Derek played a pivotal role in delivering a product that not only met internal standards but exceeded client expectations. His work helped drive a 12% increase in new subscription licenses and contributed to $30 million in annual revenue.

Technical Achievements

Derek’s technical achievements with the SANnav Management Portal v2.4.0 highlight his capacity to blend architectural vision with hands-on execution. As a Subject Matter Expert, Derek spearheaded the qualification of a transformative SAN management solution that integrated Fibre Channel (FC) and IP protocol stacks, enabling unified storage network connectivity. This hybrid innovation represented a significant leap in storage networking, and Derek’s role in its successful rollout was nothing short of exemplary.

One of the most notable advancements under his leadership was the integration of iSNS support a key feature aligning with the latest FOS v9.2.2 implementation. Derek ensured seamless interoperability by facilitating the adoption of RFC 4171-based iSNS protocols, which allow for dynamic soft zoning in TCP/IP-based SAN environments. He took ownership of qualifying this capability, ensuring all interoperability and performance criteria were satisfied.

Derek also excelled in backend optimization and system performance tuning. His system-level changes dramatically improved boot-up times to under 5 minutes, enhancing availability post-restarts. Under his direction, the platform was scaled to handle 250K IT/ITL Flows and 15K Kafka-streamed port statistics without degradation—ensuring the solution’s resilience and responsiveness under enterprise-level load.

Furthermore, Derek played a key role in security enhancements, working with security teams to perform vulnerability assessments using Nessus and Qualys, mitigating CVEs proactively. He helped enforce audit logging, protected sensitive user credentials, and ensured compliance with industry-standard practices like SELinux enforcement.

His emphasis on customer-centric design further led to intuitive user interface improvements. Derek guided the refinement of user workflows and supported the documentation team by designing a clear, structured, and coherent feature workflow. This not only ensured alignment with usability goals but also enhanced product documentation quality.

Derek’s leadership extended to strategic decision-making during QA cycles. When facing backend delays, he implemented a risk-based prioritization model that focused on core use cases critical to SAN administrators. This intelligent triage ensured that essential functionalities were validated first, keeping the release on track without sacrificing quality. The product’s successful deployment by a leading healthcare provider is a testament to the robustness and reliability achieved under his guidance.

Recognition and Awards

Derek’s excellence has been repeatedly validated through internal accolades and external validations. Within Broadcom and Brocade, he is the recipient of the Brocade Game Changer Award, recognizing his transformative impact on product innovation and execution. He also earned the Brocade Button Award and the Excellence Award for Ethical Leadership, underscoring his reputation as a leader who balances technical brilliance with integrity and mentorship.

The impact of Derek’s work extended beyond internal circles. The SANnav Management Portal v2.4.0 received high praise from Fortune 500 customers for simplifying complex SAN operations. Major storage newsletters featured the release prominently, including:

• Storage Newsletter – Brocade SANnav
  
  https://www.storagenewsletter.com/2018/12/28/brocade-broadcom-sannav-management-portal-and-sannav-global-view-for-san-platforms-management/
  
  

Additionally, the project’s commercial success is evident: the release contributed to an annual revenue generation of $30 million and facilitated a 12% surge in new subscription licenses. Derek’s technical contributions were central to these outcomes.

Derek has also contributed to intellectual property advancement in the SAN space. His leadership in designing zoning configurations for IP storage fabrics culminated in a patent filing (Application Number: 18/640,538) titled “Zoning Configuration and Model for an Internet Protocol Storage Fabric.” This innovation not only strengthened Broadcom’s competitive edge but also demonstrated Derek’s forward-thinking approach to solving complex problems in SAN architecture.

His earlier roles also show consistent excellence. From leading test engineering at Violin Memory and Mindteck to shaping quality processes at HCL Technologies and Infosys, Derek’s career is marked by his ability to uplift teams, optimize workflows, and deliver high-impact results. He has been a mentor, strategist, and technical leader throughout, and his influence is evident in every phase of the development lifecycle.

Derek Asir Muthurajan Caleb has made significant scholarly contributions to the field of intelligent SAN management and automation through his research and publications in reputed journals. He authored the article titled “AI-Powered Fibre Channel Congestion Detection and Resolution: Transforming SAN Network Resilience Through Intelligent Automation,” published in the EJCSIT journal, which introduces a novel framework for enhancing SAN network resilience using AI-driven congestion detection and automated resolution techniques. Additionally, his work “AI-Driven Smart Fabric Provisioning: Transforming Network Automation through Intelligent Orchestration and Dynamic Testing,” published in the JCSTS journal, showcases his leadership in developing intelligent orchestration mechanisms and dynamic test automation to elevate network provisioning efficiency and adaptability. These peer-reviewed publications underscore Derek’s role as a thought leader and innovator, demonstrating his commitment to advancing next-generation SAN automation through cutting-edge research and practical implementation.

Derek Asir Muthurajan Caleb is an active member of esteemed professional and technical communities, reflecting his dedication to continuous learning, ethical leadership, and industry collaboration. He holds memberships with the Fibre Channel Industry Association (FCIA) and T11 Technical Committee, demonstrating his deep involvement in defining and advancing Fibre Channel standards and storage networking technologies. His association with the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE) showcases his alignment with global standards in electronics and communication technologies. As a member of the Raptors Fellowship, Derek is recognized among a select group of professionals committed to technology innovation, mentorship, and cross-disciplinary advancement. Additionally, his affiliation with ISACA highlights his engagement with the global community of experts in governance, risk, security, and information systems auditing. These memberships reinforce his commitment to professional excellence, thought leadership, and adherence to the highest standards in technology and ethical practice.

Derek Asir Muthurajan Caleb has been honored with the prestigious Gold Award in Infrastructure Technology at the Titan Innovation Awards, a testament to his outstanding contributions to technological innovation and enterprise infrastructure excellence. This recognition highlights his role in driving transformative solutions within complex storage and network environments, showcasing his ability to deliver cutting-edge advancements that address real-world challenges. The award reflects Derek’s commitment to technical ingenuity, strategic leadership, and his consistent pursuit of engineering excellence at the forefront of infrastructure technology development.

Conclusion

Derek Asir Muthurajan Caleb exemplifies what it means to be a globally recognized engineering leader. His mastery of SAN and Data Center Technologies, combined with his strategic foresight, collaborative leadership, and customer-first mindset, position him as a top-tier candidate for the Global Recognition Award. Through his work on the SANnav Management Portal v2.4.0, Derek has not only delivered a technically sophisticated product but also championed values of resilience, security, innovation, and user empowerment.

In every role, Derek has consistently earned the highest ratings not merely for his technical contributions but for his ability to inspire excellence in others. His work has improved product usability, reduced operational inefficiencies, and significantly elevated the end-user experience. Derek’s trajectory, from architecting enterprise solutions to protecting intellectual property and mentoring the next generation of engineers, reflects a career built on impact, innovation, and integrity.

He is a trailblazer in storage technology, and his body of work stands as a testament to his exceptional capabilities, deserving the highest recognition on a global stage.