Systems Developer

• Blackboard-to-SITS interface, administration and development
• Microsoft SQL Server Database Administrator
• Network account (staff and student) interface, administration and development
• Oracle Database Administrator
• Virtual Learning Environment administrator. Principal lead for development and administration of the university's VLE, Blackboard.

• ITILv3 Foundation certification. Link to certificate -  pdf (opens new window)
• Linux Fundamentals certification. Link to certificate -  jpeg pdf (opens new window)
• Oracle 10g Database Administration certification. Link to certificate -  jpeg pdf (opens new window)
• SQL Server 2008 Database Administration certification. Link to certificate -  jpeg pdf (opens new window)

Timetabling Upgrade

Project Duration

July 2012 to August 2012

Project Summary

Migration of university's timetabling software to new server stack. Major upgrade of all timetabling software to latest version.

Project Details

During the summer of 2012 I lead a project to both migrate the university's existing timetabling application to a set of new servers, whilst also performing an upgrade to the latest version of the supplier's software. All of this was achieved on time and without any disruption to service.

Blackboard Upgrade

Project Duration

July 2012 to August 2012

Project Summary

In order to ensure the university's virtual learning environment, Blackboard, remained within operational support, it was necessary to upgrade the software to the latest supplier-recommend version on an annual basis.

Project Details

I was the project lead for the annual Blackboard upgrade, working closely with key stakeholders to ensure user acceptance testing was fully completed and signed-off before live implementation.

Innovation Area

Project Duration

February 2011 to November 2011

Project Summary

I was the project lead for a project to create a sandbox area for the testing of new software.

Project Details

I was responsible for the testing, creation, and administration of a dedicated sandbox area, allowing university staff to test out new software in a safe environment. This sandbox area was referred to as the 'Innovation Area' and primarily consisted of a pool of virtual machines, running a variety of operating systems, mainly based around variations of Windows and Linux.

The testing of software was a pre-requisite before staff could formally request the installation of software on university computers.

As part of the project, I created a web-site for the requesting of virtual PCs by members of staff. This web-site was written in object-oriented PHP with a MySQL back-end database.

Blackboard Migration Script

Project Duration

September 2010 to March 2011

Project Summary

More of a mini-project, this was the testing and implementation of a script to copy all content (files and databases) from one Blackboard environment to another.

Project Details

The remit of this project was as follows: automate the process of copying an entire Blackboard virtual learning environment (VLE) from one environment to another. Typically, this copy would be of a live / production environment to a test or development environment, a process that was required at regular intervals to maintain the validity and usefulness of the Blackboard test environment. I designed, tested and implemented a Perl script to automate the following ('source' refers to the production VLE; 'destination' refers to the test VLE):

1. Delete old database backup files
2. Initiate command to copy files from source to destination as a background process
3. Export source database
4. Import source database into destination database
5. Perform various post-import clean-up processes (e.g. rename references to source web server)
6. Wait for file copy operation to finish
7. Record results of all of the above to a log file and email administrator

Blackboard Interface Implementation

Project Duration

April 2008 to September 2008

Project Summary

Project lead for a replacement of the interface between the university's virtual learning environment, Blackboard, and the student record system, SITS.

Project Details

I led a project to replace the legacy interface between the university's VLE, Blackboard, and the student record system, SITS. The legacy interface required manual intervention in order to transfer course, student and enrolment data from SITS to Blackboard and it was recognised that the process could be simplified and automated with the reduction or complete removal of manual intervention.

The interface between Blackboard and SITS is of vital importance in ensuring that Blackboard accurately reflects a student's academic profile and, as such, must be maintained and updated on a daily basis.

The project was delivered on time and with no disruption to existing functionality. Key deliverables were as follows:

• Fully automated interface, written in Perl, created between Blackboard and SITS.
• Additional functionality created to categorise first year students.
• Additional functionality created to send out reports via email.