Who is Trace3?

Trace3 is a leading Transformative IT Authority, providing unique technology solutions and consulting services to our clients. Equipped with elite engineering and dynamic innovation, we empower IT executives and their organizations to achieve competitive advantage through a process of Integrate, Automate, Innovate.

Our culture at Trace3 embodies the spirit of a startup with the advantage of a scalable business. Employees can grow their career and have fun while doing it!

Trace3 is headquartered in Irvine, California. We employ more than 1,200 people all over the United States. Our major field office locations include Denver, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Lexington, Los Angeles, Louisville, Texas, San Francisco.

Ready to discover the possibilities that live in technology?

Come Join Us!

Street-Smart - Thriving in Dynamic Times

We are flexible and resilient in a fast-changing environment. We continuously innovate and drive constructive change while keeping a focus on the “big picture.” We exercise sound business judgment in making high-quality decisions in a timely and cost-effective manner. We are highly creative and can dig deep within ourselves to find positive solutions to different problems.

Juice - The “Stuff” it takes to be a Needle Mover

We get things done and drive results. We lead without a title, empowering others through a can-do attitude. We look forward to the goal, mentally mapping out every checkpoint on the pathway to success, and visualizing what the final destination looks and feels like.

Teamwork - Humble, Hungry and Smart

We are humble individuals who understand how our job impacts the company's mission. We treat others with respect, admit mistakes, give credit where it’s due and demonstrate transparency. We “bring the weather” by exhibiting positive leadership and solution-focused thinking. We hug people in their trials, struggles, and failures – not just their success. We appreciate the individuality of the people around us.

JOB SUMMARY:

We are looking for a Senior Solution Architect with deep expertise in network architecture to join our presales team supporting strategic enterprise accounts across the Mountain States region. This isn't a traditional technical support role. We're looking for someone who has made the shift from technical executor to trusted advisor, someone who leads with the client's business problem and brings their domain expertise to bear in a way that creates real outcomes.

This person will own the technical relationship in their engagements, not just support it. They'll be expected to insert themselves proactively into account strategy, lead discovery conversations that connect technology to business outcomes, and help clients build the internal justification they need to move forward on complex network investments.

This is a high visibility role in a region where networking represents one of our largest and fastest growing spend categories. The right person will thrive in that environment because they care about outcomes, not just deliverables.

SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Showing up as a consultative advisor who leads with business challenges and helps clients rationalize technology decisions against their goals
Being a proactive partner to sellers, not waiting to be called in but actively shaping opportunities upstream
Staying ahead of the domain and bringing forward-looking perspective to clients, helping them see around the corner on where enterprise networking is heading
Owning the technical outcome of every engagement they're part of, including when things get hard
Contributing to the cultural and technical voice of the region through mentoring, enablement, and visible engagement with the broader engineering community
Being intentional about pipeline attribution, engaged on the right opportunities where they're driving the technical outcome and accountable for what they touch

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Core Networking Architecture

Data center networking including fabric design, leaf-spine architectures, and interconnect
Enterprise campus and branch networking design and deployment
WAN architecture including SD-WAN platforms such as Cisco, Meraki, VMware, or equivalent
Network automation and programmability including Python, Ansible, and intent-based networking platforms

Perimeter and Network Security

Firewall architecture and policy design across platforms such as Palo Alto, Fortinet, or Cisco
Network segmentation, micro-segmentation, and zero trust network access principles
Secure access and edge security including SASE and SSE familiarity

Modern and Emerging Platforms

Familiarity with AI-enabling network infrastructure including high performance fabrics, low latency design, and the connectivity considerations that underpin GPU cluster deployments
Experience with cloud networking and hybrid connectivity across AWS, Azure, or GCP
Exposure to network observability, AIOps, and intent-based management platforms

Presales and Client Engagement

Experience in a presales, consulting, or customer-facing architecture role
Comfortable leading discovery and positioning conversations with both technical and business stakeholders
Ability to develop and present architecture proposals, business cases, and options analyses
Track record of working alongside sales teams and contributing to pipeline development

Vendor and Partner Ecosystem

Hands-on experience with one or more of the following: Cisco, , Arista, Juniper, Aruba, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, VMware by Broadcom
Relevant certifications valued but not required: CCIE, CCNP, PCNSE, NSE, JNCIE or equivalent
A minimum of 8 years’ experience with providing consultative engineering services for organizations.
Highest level certifications within Architecture area, preferred.
An understanding of the environment and challenges of IT operations in the typical corporation.
Strong experience designing technology solutions for Fortune 500 companies.
Excellent presentation skills; able to comfortably communicate and present in front of C-Level Executives, VPs and Directors.
Strong understanding of how clients use technology to meet business objectives.
Familiarity with the local district markets.
Strong interpersonal skills; able to work well with people from many different disciplines.
Ability to lead and mentor other engineers.
Ability to mix deep technical expertise with simple, everyday language to deliver a story that is memorable, educational and useful.
Must have a firm grasp on the industry and anticipate trends and movements while balancing maturity and timing.
Motivated self-starter who loves to solve challenging problems and feels comfortable working directly with customers.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, excellent time management skills and able to effectively prioritize tasks in a fast-paced, high-volume, and evolving work environment.
Comfortable managing multiple and changing priorities, and meeting deadlines in an entrepreneurial environment.

Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs. The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ. Certain positions may also be eligible for variable incentive compensation, such as bonuses or commissions, that is not included in the base salary.

Estimated Pay Range

$170,000—$210,000 USD

The Perks

Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents
401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Match, 529 College Savings Plan, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability
Competitive Compensation
Training and development programs
Major offices stocked with snacks and beverages
Collaborative and cool culture
Work-life balance and generous paid time off

Our Commitment

At the core of Trace3's DNA is our people. We are a diverse group of talented individuals who understand the importance of teamwork and demonstrating leadership, character, and passion in all that we do.

We’re committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to grow. We recognize that embracing diversity drives innovation, improves outcomes, fosters collaboration, boosts teammate satisfaction, and builds a more inclusive culture.

As an equal opportunity employer, Trace3 bases all employment decisions based on individual qualifications, merit, and business requirements. We do not engage in discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Any demographic information provided is strictly voluntary, kept confidential in accordance with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations, and will not be used in employment decisions, including hiring, promotions, or mentorship programs. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process or participate in an interview, please email [email protected].

***To all recruitment agencies: Trace3 does not accept unsolicited agency resumes/CVs. Please do not forward resumes/CVs to our careers email addresses, Trace3 employees or any other company location. Trace3 is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/CVs.

Estimated Pay Range 170000 - 210000 USD

About the company

Trace3 is a technology consulting and integration partner that helps enterprises manage and optimize IT infrastructure. It focuses on IT security, hybrid cloud strategy, and product release planning, offering professional integration services such as staging, imaging, asset tagging, and global logistics to streamline asset monitoring and inventory control. The company earns revenue from service-based engagements, including managing complex data center projects, staged rollouts, and secure inventory management in Tier 1 facilities. Its team also shares knowledge through a weblog covering cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data management. Overall, Trace3 aims to help businesses navigate IT challenges and improve productivity and competitive advantage by fine-tuning technology infrastructure and asset management.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

Acquired

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Irvine, California

Founded

2002

Get referred to Trace3

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

Trace3 completed Calian's U.S. commercial IT asset purchase on October 1, 2026.
Trace3 launched an Anthropic partnership on August 6, 2026, accelerating enterprise Claude deployments.
Trace3's May 20, 2026 Cisco-NVIDIA AI Factory positions it for AI infrastructure demand.

What critics are saying

Trace3 must integrate Calian's Texas and Minnesota teams after October 1, 2026.
Cisco, NVIDIA, and Anthropic partnerships deepen platform reliance and vendor leverage.
Hyperscalers and AI specialists commoditize consulting margins by 2027, squeezing Trace3's services-first model.

What makes Trace3 unique

Trace3 completed Apollo acquisition in November 2025, preserving founder-style execution speed.
Trace3 blends consulting, integration, and managed services across cloud, data, security, AI.
Trace3 earned Cisco Preferred status across six portfolios on February 12, 2026.

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Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Competitive Compensation
Training and development programs
Work-life balance and generous paid time off
Collaborative and cool culture

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

1 year growth

2 year growth

TechDay

Sep 30th, 2026

Ascerta raises USD $18 million in Series A funding.

Ascerta raises USD $18 million in Series A funding. Thu, 1st Oct 2026 (Today) Ascerta has raised USD $18 million in a Series A funding round led by Dell Technologies Capital and changed its name from Pay-i. The funding brings the Bellevue-based company's total capital raised to USD $22.9 million. Ascerta sells software designed to help large organisations track the cost, use and business returns of artificial intelligence tools. Many companies can measure technical activity such as token consumption, agent runs and AI-generated code, but still struggle to judge whether those projects are delivering commercial value. The new funding will support the expansion of Ascerta's Enterprise AI Management platform, which is designed to give Chief Information Officers, Chief Financial Officers and other AI leaders a single view of spending, adoption and outcomes across an organisation. Investors in the round included Hitachi Ventures, BGV, Wipro Ventures and earlier backers. The company was founded in 2024 by former Microsoft executives David Tepper, Doron Holan and Erik Winters. Ascerta emerged from stealth in 2025 under the Pay-i name after raising a USD $4.9 million seed round focused on AI cost management. The rebrand reflects a broader pitch to customers as companies move from pilot projects to wider AI deployment. From Cost To Value Ascerta argues that enterprises now need more than conventional FinOps tools, which are generally used to monitor and control technology spending. As AI use spreads across copilots, coding assistants, internal applications and model infrastructure, executives want to know not just what these systems cost, but whether they improve productivity, reduce waste or create measurable business gains. Its platform connects with existing enterprise AI systems and software tools, including internally built applications and products such as Microsoft Copilot, Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, Salesforce Agentforce, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code and Codex. Ascerta says it tracks AI activity from individual users and teams through to specific business outcomes, while also measuring less visible costs such as sub-token charges, hidden fees and contract discounts. The company groups its software into three products. Atlas focuses on measuring AI value, adoption and return on investment across workflows and portfolios. Forge is aimed at engineering teams using coding agents. Convoy is designed for organisations that run their own AI capacity and want to increase use without disrupting existing operations. Ascerta said customers using its platform have, on average, improved return on investment on AI initiatives by 47%, reduced launch times by 24% and cut wasted AI spending by 86%. Those figures were not independently verified. Customer Base Ascerta says it works with customers including Atos, Wipro and global insurance carriers, and with partners including Microsoft, AWS, IBM, Slalom and Trace3. Atos is using the software as it seeks to move agentic AI projects from pilot stages into production across its operations. "The market is full of meaningless vanity metrics," said David Tepper, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Ascerta. "Companies are counting tokens, lines of generated code and agent runs, struggling to derive the impact AI has on their business. We built Ascerta to cut through the noise and give organizations the means to win in the AI era. That means insights specific to their business, people and use cases. That means purpose-built tools to prevent waste and aggressively optimize for value. Ascerta is a guide through one of the most pivotal eras of transformation in history." The leadership team draws heavily on Microsoft experience. Tepper spent 19 years at the software group and worked on internal generative AI strategy for Azure, while Holan spent 27 years there and worked on infrastructure for large-scale request handling. Ascerta's pitch comes as investors and corporate buyers scrutinise the economics of AI projects more closely. After an initial rush into experimentation, many large organisations are deciding which deployments to expand and which to abandon. That shift has created an opening for vendors promising clearer links between AI spending and business performance. In Ascerta's case, that means tracking use by person, team and use case, then tying those patterns to the key performance indicators each project was meant to influence. Atos said that approach has helped it gain more oversight as it expands the use of AI agents. "At Atos, our Sovereign Agentic Studios operating model is built on moving agentic AI from pilot to production at global scale," said Florin Rotar, Group Chief Technology Officer and Chief AI Officer at Atos. "That requires measurable business value, not just technical capability. Ascerta has been instrumental in delivering on that promise, giving us the visibility and control we need to scale AI initiatives with confidence." Dell Technologies Capital said Ascerta is responding to a growing need among enterprises to assess AI projects on business terms rather than technical output alone. "Ascerta is building the system of record for AI value creation," said Raman Khanna, Managing Director at Dell Technologies Capital. "Most enterprises are moving beyond broad AI experimentation and focusing their investments on what delivers measurable business value. David and the Ascerta team are giving leaders the visibility and rigor they need to understand what's working, optimize spending and scale their most successful AI initiatives. We're excited to partner with Ascerta as they define the Enterprise AI Management category."

Associated Press

Aug 26th, 2026

Trace3 to acquire Calian Group's US commercial IT operations, expanding managed services and national reach

Trace3 plans to acquire Calian Group's US commercial IT operations, expanding its managed services capabilities and national presence. The carve-out transaction will add operational capacity in Texas and Minnesota, including a security operations centre and two 24x7x365 network operations centres. The acquisition strengthens Trace3's ability to deliver integrated solutions across AI, cloud, data, and security. Both companies share a consultative, client-centric approach focused on engineering expertise and long-term value delivery. "This planned acquisition meaningfully expands our managed services capabilities and operational reach in the US," said Joe Quaglia, Trace3 CEO. The transaction also extends complementary strengths in cloud, data centre, cybersecurity, and strategic partnerships, including Cisco alliances. The deal is expected to close next month.

GlobeNewswire

Aug 26th, 2026

Calian announces agreement to sell its U.S. commercial IT business to Trace3.

Calian announces agreement to sell its U.S. commercial IT business to Trace3. OTTAWA, Ontario, Aug. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Calian Group Ltd. ("the Company") (TSX: CGY), a mission-critical solutions company focused on defence, space, healthcare and other critical infrastructure sectors, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its United States (U.S.) commercial IT business based in Houston, Texas, to Trace3, a leading technology solutions provider and digital transformation consultancy headquartered in Irvine, California. The agreement provides upfront cash proceeds of approximately CAD $43 million (US $31 million) and the assumption of certain net liabilities totalling approximately CAD $17 million (US $12 million) by the purchaser. The transaction is expected to close in the Company's fourth fiscal quarter, subject to various consents and other customary closing conditions. Strategic rationale The divestiture reflects Calian's deliberate portfolio strategy to concentrate resources and its capabilities on high-growth, high-margin opportunities in defence, space and essential industries, including healthcare and nuclear, in Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom and Europe. The proceeds will be directed toward organic growth initiatives and Calian's mergers and acquisition pipeline in its core verticals. Including cash flows generated during ownership and proceeds from the sale, Calian generated a mid-teen IRR over its five years of ownership. "This transaction allows our organization to sharpen our strategic focus and redeploy capital toward markets where Calian has the strongest competitive position and the greatest long-term opportunity," said Patrick Houston, President and CEO of Calian. "Since acquiring the U.S. commercial IT business, Calian has expanded its U.S. footprint and built a stronger platform for growth. As our strategy has evolved, we believe this business is now best positioned with Trace3, where it can continue to develop and succeed as part of a company deeply focused on enterprise technology solutions. This is the right next step for both organizations, and we wish the team continued success." About Calian For over 40 years, Calian has delivered mission-critical solutions when failure is not an option. Trusted worldwide, we empower organizations in critical industries to overcome obstacles, manage risks and drive progress. By combining the expertise of our people, proven industry insight, cutting-edge technology, bold innovation, and global reach, we deliver tailored solutions that solve complex challenges. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with over 6,000 people around the world, Calian's solutions protect lives, strengthen security, foster global connectivity and drive economic progress, making a lasting impact where and when it matters most. Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. About Trace3 Trace3 delivers business transformation. The firm consults on, integrates, and operates convergent solutions across data, security, and cloud that embrace emerging technology and drive measurable business value for its clients. Media Contact: Jill Simpson, APR Phone: (269) 930-0912 Email: [email protected] __________________________________________ DISCLAIMER Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar statements. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price competition; scarce number of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, and including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Company's most recent annual report and other reports filed by Calian with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them. Calian · Head Office · 770 Palladium Drive · Ottawa · Ontario · Canada · K2V 1C8 Tel: 613.599.8600 · Fax: 613-592-3664 · General info email: [email protected]

ProsperOps

Dec 10th, 2025

Microsoft Ignite 2025 Recap: What You Missed

Microsoft Ignite 2025 recap: what you missed. Microsoft Ignite returned this year with even more attendees than the previous year, and ProsperOps was right in the middle of it all. From November 18 - 21, the Moscone Convention Center in downtown San Francisco transformed into a buzzing hub of innovation. For ProsperOps, Ignite was jam-packed with events and fruitful FinOps conversations. With organizations doubling down on cloud efficiency, its team had the opportunity to connect with customers, prospects, and FinOps leaders from different industries. This year also marked an exciting milestone for ProsperOps. Following the GA of Autonomous Discount Management for Azure in September, ProsperOps, Inc. broadened its support to include Azure SQL, MySQL, and PostgreSQL just in time for Ignite, establishing ProsperOps as a multi-cloud, multi-service FinOps automation platform. This expansion proved compelling to organizations seeking an intelligent cloud savings solution. Starting strong with the FinOps Community Happy Hour. Before Ignite officially kicked off, ProsperOps, Inc. joined forces with Trace3 to host a lively FinOps Community Happy Hour at Tropisueño. Attendees enjoyed delicious appetizers, tacos, and drinks, fueling energetic discussions about real-world FinOps challenges and successes. Customers and prospects brought thoughtful perspectives from their own FinOps journeys, and the room quickly filled with shared ideas. It was the perfect warm-up before the conference marathon began. Cloud Savings and magic at Booth #6051. Once the expo doors opened, Booth #6051 stayed buzzing from morning to evening. Attendees stopped by to grab its detailed solution briefs, chat with its team, and watch the platform demo looping on the big screen. John Born, its mentalist and master of mind-bending illusions, drew crowds all week with his Rubik's Cube wizardry. (To date, no one has figured out how he does it. ProsperOps, Inc. has tried! Repeatedly.) His snake eyes trick consistently left people surprised. And of course, no ProsperOps booth is complete without its beloved swag: the famous ProsperOps socks, celebrated for their unmatched softness, and the ProsperOps plushie, a fan favorite among attendees (and service dogs). There really was something for everyone. Azure cost optimization lightning talk with Joe Benincasa. On day one of the conference, its Director of Product Management, Joe Benincasa, took the Expo Hall stage for a lightning talk on Azure cost optimization. A large crowd gathered to hear him unpack how organizations can maximize savings using Azure Reservations and Savings Plans for Compute and how ProsperOps takes the heavy lifting out of managing them. Joe walked through real-world examples, practical strategies, Effective Savings Rate benchmarking outcomes, and automation opportunities, giving attendees actionable insights. An intimate evening for FinOps leaders. Midweek, ProsperOps, Inc. shifted from expo-floor energy to an evening of more intimate conversations at Mastro's Steakhouse. Partnering with Kyndryl and CloudZero, ProsperOps, Inc. hosted FinOps practitioners for a private dinner focused on deeper discussions about cloud cost optimization. Downstairs, live music added warmth to the atmosphere, and the evening ended with Mastro's iconic warm butter cake, an ideal ending to a chilly west coast night in San Francisco. Key Announcements at Microsoft Ignite 2025. Ignite's main theme this year centered on the following. AI shift from "assistant" to "autonomous agent" Microsoft framed this as the shift to the Agentic Enterprise, where organizations move from using AI tools to deploying AI agents capable of independent decision-making, execution, and collaboration across systems. Here are the Top 6 Announcements from Microsoft Ignite 2025: 1. Expanded collaboration between Microsoft and Nvidia. This partnership brings integration between Microsoft Copilot and next-generation Azure VMs powered by Nvidia's GPUs. With this infrastructure, companies will be able to seamlessly develop, deploy, and manage AI-enabled applications. 2. Microsoft Agent 365: A control plane for enterprise AI agents. Microsoft unveiled Agent 365, a centralized platform for managing AI agents with identity, governance, and permissions supported by Entra ID, Purview, and Defender. This helps enterprises scale AI safely. 3. The IQ Stack: smarter, context-aware agents. Microsoft introduced the IQ Stack, which gives agents organizational awareness, allowing them to reason over internal data, workflows, roles, and interactions for more sophisticated task execution. 4. New domain-specific agents across the business. Specialized agents were launched for Sales, HR, Workforce Insights, and Learning. These aren't just assistants; they are fully operational digital workers designed to take on substantial, multi-step responsibilities. 5. Upgrades to Microsoft 365 Copilot & cross-app workflow automation. Copilot became more deeply integrated across Microsoft 365, enabling natural-language-driven workflows across apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, allowing users to collaborate with both Copilot and agents. 6. Security, governance & cloud infrastructure for the agentic future. Microsoft emphasized secure-by-default agent deployment, plus new cloud-PC capabilities optimized for running autonomous AI workloads. Team dinner and wrap-up. As the conference wound down, ProsperOps, Inc. wrapped up conversations with prospects, customers, and fellow cloud cost optimization enthusiasts. Before everyone made their way back home, the ProsperOps team gathered for a final celebratory Italian dinner and reflected on the week. Thank you San Francisco and Microsoft. ProsperOps, Inc. will be coming back next year! In the meanwhile, see how ProsperOps can help reduce Azure costs without impacting engineering resources by booking a free Cloud Savings analysis. ProsperOps, Inc. will also be launching the Rate Optimization Insights Report for Azure in early 2026. This will be one of a series of upcoming Effective Savings Rate benchmarking reports.

Business Insider

Aug 12th, 2025

Apollo Global to Acquire Trace3

Apollo Global has announced that its affiliates will acquire Trace3 from American Securities, which will retain a significant minority equity interest. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is pending customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

Trace3

Regional Senior Solutions Architect

About the job