Powered from Within: Getting to Know Prasad Surapaneni

Meet Senior Director of Solution Architecture and Engineering Prasad Surapaneni.

What is your IT background? How long have you been in your current role? How long have you been at NYPA?

My name is Prasad Surapaneni, and I am currently the Senior Director Solution Architecture and Engineering. My career in IT spans over 35 years, having served in diverse roles that include software development, database administration, application administration, solution architecture, and engineering. I am with NYPA for the last 26 years and in my current role I am leading the Enterprise Architecture and Engineering team for the past 18 months. I take pride in the fact that some of the applications that I designed and developed over a decade ago at NYPA are still operational today. ?I have leadership experience in various roles and have extensive experience in managing applications at headquarters and at facilities.

What are your responsibilities? How have they evolved? What advice would you give to younger people entering similar fields now?

My team is responsible for developing and executing an Enterprise IT strategy that aligns with NYPA's VISION 2030 objectives. Our responsibilities include.

• Enterprise Architecture
• Solution Architecture
• Solution Engineering

The realm of Architecture and Engineering revolves around problem comprehension and resolution. Our responsibilities include assessing new business needs and choosing the right technologies to address the business requirements. This includes designing IT systems, networks addressing the business needs ensuring their scalability, reliability, efficiency, and support while aligning to NYPA IT Strategy.

Anyone seeking to enter this field needs to have enthusiasm and passion for architecture, provided they consistently update their knowledge with the most recent trends, technologies, along with best practices in architecture. This can be achieved through continuous learning and professional growth. Staying in sync with the fast-paced technological changes can also help them flourish in this career.

What are some of the bigger challenges of your job? What are your solutions to these challenges? What does a typical workday look like?

?The most significant challenge in my role stems from the fast-paced evolution of technology and the necessity to stay updated with these changes and trends. Nowadays, as most software solutions are cloud-based, sometimes they fail to meet the exact requirements of businesses. We often address this through regular interactions with business stakeholders, emphasizing them about the advantages of utilizing packaged solutions over custom development.

A typical workday usually involves lots of meetings with Domain Architects, project teams, IT managers, or business stakeholders, where discussions range from projects review and strategy formulation to problem resolution. A significant portion of the day is often dedicated to reviewing and updating the existing architectural designs to align with NYPA strategy to integrate new technologies that fulfill business requirements.

How has your immediate group worked towards implementing NYPA's VISION2030 plan?

My team works towards meeting objectives VISION 2030 Digital Pillar making them a reality. This includes developing IT Strategy for technology enablement, procurement and optimize the business process and increase productivity.? This includes:-

• Implementing advanced digital systems for IT Self-service, asset management, data analytics and predictive maintenance, cybersecurity.
• Adopting innovative digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced sensor technology to increase productivity.
• Support cybersecurity measures to protect NYPA digital systems and critical infrastructure from cyber threats.
• Migrating the Infrastructure and software services to cloud.

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How do you measure success?

Satisfaction of stakeholders, including business executives, IT staff, and end-users, is a key measure of Enterprise Architecture team success. Along with stakeholders’ satisfaction, eliminating redundant software solutions along with improving software development, procurement and deployment is a key measure of success. ?

What IT challenges keep you awake at night?

• Data Center Migration: NYPA is currently in the process of migrating its data center to the cloud, a complex operation that could lead to significant delays and service disruptions if not properly designed, planned, and executed. Ensuring each stage of the migration is completed successfully with minimal business impact is a major concern.
• Integrations: Integrating new systems with existing ones adhering to enterprise security standards without causing disruptions
• ?Legacy Systems: Modernizing legacy systems while ensuring adherence to NYPA Cyber security and data standard with minimal disruption to business operations.
• Vendor Management: Managing multiple vendors and cloud providers, avoiding vendor lock-in, and ensuring quality service.
• Rapid Technological Changes - Given the rapid pace of technological advancement, it is crucial for members of the Enterprise Architecture and Engineering team to consistently stay current with the latest trends, tools, and techniques.
• Talent Management: Managing, attracting, and retaining a talented workforce is another major challenge.