Client: Barclays Global Investors
I took over tasks in a new gatekeeper role addressing performance and stability for the core Aria Sybase databases used by over 60 applications. This involved working with IT project & support teams, testers and DBAs in the UK and globally to handle real-time alerts; to coordinate analysis and solution implementation of performance improvements; to control pre-release staging and change control processes; and to report on capacity, performance and availability in the Common Processing environment. I also assisted in the support of existing applications, represented the Global Operations Technology group in Europe Change Management and provided Sybase and development process expertise to project teams. After 2 years, I then moved to Release Management to set up a Central Release & Support Service from scratch, providing production access activity under regulator-driven policies to the many global App-Dev teams who did not have dedicated support personnel. I designed and documented processes, SLAs and metrics, worked with management and customer teams to socialise the pilot, recruit and train team members and also provide backup on release management activities.

Hardware: Unix boxes and networked PC's
Oper Sys: Windows XP on PC's, Unix (Solaris)
Language: Transact SQL, VB, Uniface V7 & V8
S/ware: Sybase 12 SQL, CVS, RapidSQL

Client: Fidelity Investments Systems Company
Providing Sybase SQL expertise, performance tuning and development experience for a large Fund Accounting system: Powerbuilder front end, C/Unix overnight and Actuate reporting against a Sybase databases. I produced report and SQL back-end enhancements with a team split over Dublin and Boston, USA.

Hardware: Unix boxes and networked PC's
Oper Sys: Windows XP on PC's, Unix (Solaris)
Language: Transact SQL, Actuate 8
S/ware: Sybase 12 SQL, PVCS

The work was to support and enhance batch, database, front-end and server applications providing P&L functionality for the bank's derivatives operations across several architectures. This included 24/7 support of a Unix and Sybase scripted batch under Control-M; conversion of the batch from Autosys; user support and data queries for product control applications in VB/Excel/Access; SOX analysis; DR procedure definition and testing; performance monitoring; providing advice, issue resolution, training and support for major departmental end-to-end projects and other team members. I was responsible for analysis, design and development of enhancements and external interfaces, liaising with users, external application and infrastructure teams over prioritisation, requirements, release scheduling and testing, retiring the legacy Uniface application. Sybase stored procs, Unix scripts and a C++ server process data overnight; VB, Excel and Access front ends provide user interfaces intra-day, accessing data via Sybase and another C++ Unix server.

Hardware: Unix Sun boxes and networked PC's
Oper Sys: Windows/NT on PC's, Unix (Solaris) on Sun
Language: C++, VBA, VB, Access, Excel, Uniface
S/ware: Sybase 11 SQL, PVCS, Clearcase, Control-M

I provided maintenance, support and enhancement expertise for batch, database, front-end and server P&L applications in the bank's derivatives operations, including Uniface support and testing of a third-party port of the Uniface GUI to VB, environment upgrades for dB and application servers and training. I implemented enhancements and version upgrades on the Uniface application, a 100+ form system, including analysis, design, coding and testing, being the sole Uniface resource in the small team.

Hardware: Unix Sun boxes and networked PC's
Oper Sys: Windows/NT on PC's, Unix (Solaris) on Sun
Language: C++, VBA, Excel, Uniface 4GL V6 & V7
S/ware: Sybase 11 SQL, PVCS, Autosys

The Open Distribution System provides commercial and logistics processing for BMG across Europe. Development and maintenance is carried out in Germany, Birmingham and Paris. After a familiarisation period in Germany, implementing changes to Uniface screens and Sybase procedures, I moved to Birmingham for maintenance of the UK applications, providing expertise in Uniface, C++, Sybase and development issues, troubleshooting problems, resolving user queries, implementing fixes and supporting batch processing in response to problems raised by the data centre in Germany.

Hardware: Unix HP boxes and networked PC's
Oper Sys: Windows/NT on PC's, Unix on HP
Language: C++, Uniface 4GL V6 & V7
S/ware: Sybase 11 SQL, PVCS, DBArtisan

The bank ran numerous batch and on-line systems on large VAX clusters to support derivatives operations. The notionals application comprised enquiry and amendment screens in Uniface and batch programs in C. I had responsibility for maintaining existing code, liaising with users and other teams about changes and testing, and providing 24 hour support. Documentation of the system, to aid future support and redesign were later tasks. I converted the FIRS financial reporting application and build procedures to run on PC's using Uniface V6.1 and then re-designed parts of the P&L systems to run in a 3-tier Sybase/Unix/C++ Excel/VBA architecture. The last 15 months were spent prototyping, developing the systems and supporting front-end developers and users. I also developed a C++ server to extract data from other applications and enable the system migration from VAX to Unix.

Hardware: Unix Sun boxes, DEC VAX and networked PC's
Oper Sys: Windows/NT on PC's, OpenVMS on DEC, Unix (Solaris) on Sun
Language: C++, VBA, Excel, VC++, C, Uniface 4GL V5, V6
S/ware: DEC Rdb, SQL, CMS, MSOffice, Sybase V4 & System 10/11

The PINS (Planning INSpectorate) project provided for the management of appeals, inspectors, staff and finances, by phased development under SSADM/CASE. I started in a team producing test plans and applications using Uniface 4GL and DEC's Rdb database, then running tests. For 2 months, I prototyped the Finance System and co-produced an error/change tracking system. I was in the physical design team for another sub-system: producing standards and design methods; translating a logical model into a physical design; prototyping of transactions; producing program specifications; maintaining the conceptual schema. I wrote several programs and liaised with the 3rd Party supplier before doing the design, development and deputy team leading of the Finance Systems. I also provided technical and maintenance support to the above systems and developers, in addition further coding.

Hardware: DEC VAX and networked PC's
Oper Sys: DOS on PC's, VMS on DEC
Language: Uniface 4GL V5.2e
S/ware: DEC Rdb, SQL

I spent a week compiling complexity statistics and estimates of 11 Uniface systems in a variety of environments for a database migration feasibility study.
Hardware: DEC VAX's
Language: Uniface 4GL V5.1 – V5.2g

The PIRATE (Programme Information Retrieval and Automated Television Environment) project was to integrate information to provide efficient and accurate user-oriented systems. I produced Uniface 4GL and Sybase SQL applications and procedures within the various functional areas of the system; assisted in the development of standards and techniques; and provided testing support . The project was developed using CASE techniques.

Hardware: DEC VAX and 3100 workstation cluster, networked with PC's
Oper Sys: DOS and Windows 3.1 on PC's, VMS on DEC
Language: Uniface 4GL V5 running on PC's in client mode,
S/ware: Sybase RDBMS, Excelerator CASE tool, BASIS text retrieval.