|
Web Application Development: [Projects Portfolio] |
In 2001 Don Hart, a pioneering publisher in the oil and gas industry, came to us with a request for a custom database application that would facilitate the organisation and management of all of the companies, locations, and people in the oil and gas industry in the USA and Canada. The intent was initially to develop software that would be installed on stand-alone PCs, but during the development of the design proposal we researched the concept of creating a web-based application and determined that technology — i.e., the speed, reliability, and capacity of server hardware, the Linux operating system, programming languages and database servers, and broadband access speeds — had advanced sufficiently to support what would have only been possible previously on computers connected to a local-area network. Our proposal for a web-based application was accepted, and in December 2001 we began creating it using Linux, Apache, PHP, and MySQL. We also took care of registering the client's domain, hosted the Linux servers on our Internet service, and provided broadband wireless connectivity to the client's offices. Project #1: a data entry and accounting applicationThe first project for Don's Directory was to develop the back-office application that would be used for data entry and editing — to compile the data that would become the premier publication. The labour for the first phase was done by Angelo Babudro, project manager and software engineer, along with a graphic designer who built the user interface and a PHP developer to assist with coding. The first version was completed and placed into service by the autumn of 2002 and the first edition of Don's Directory was published in 2003. From there, new features were added at a steady pace to the application and existing features regularly enhanced. Order entry, accounts receivable, and other customer management features were incorporated into the application's modular design. Along with the software development, we have also been responsible for administration of all Linux servers — web, e-mail, database, DNS, firewalls, and the Linux operating system itself. The back-office application has been enhanced continually starting right after the first release was in operation. We established a dual-layer Development+Production software management model with a version control system for tracking changes and deploying updates to the Production servers. One of the major enhancements from 2003-2006 was an order-entry system with a range of accounting features and reports, including accounts receivable and a specialised form of inventory control suited to their business. Project #2: public siteIn 2004 we were given the project of developing the Don's Directory subscriber web site that would allow access to and searching of the company listings. The public site was to have secure authentication and access to a portion of the publisher's database. The public site had been started by another firm who was unable to finish, and the desire was to have it operational very quickly. Therefore, in the first phase of development the code and design already developed were merely completed. In subsequent development phases, the entire site was rewritten to improve security, increase efficiency and aesthetics (e.g., replacing graphic buttons with CSS styles), enhancing functions (chiefly the search function), add a news section, along with the back-office controls to publish news articles on the public site. The search function seems relatively simple but was actually quite tricky. For example, the fields are not equally weighted, advertisers get higher priority than non-advertisers, and other special rules. Thus, making the search function intuitively for its users took quite a long time, but since it is the main feature of the site it was important to make it stand out from any other on the Internet, and it is what keeps the site's subscribers from finding any other competing service that can offer this level of ergonomics. Once a listing is found the user can bookmark it and make notes for themselves, creating their own annotated directory. The two sites, public and back-office, access the same database so that changes made to the publications are instantly available to on-line subscribers. The back-office software was enhanced to provide subscriber management tools and reports, so they can view overall site activity, reset passwords, change subscription periods and types, etc. For over a decade the site has remained stable and secure throughout all of its growth. Server AdministrationChange is the one constant in life, and when it comes the technology there is little that changes faster. In 2003, 2007, 2017, and 2021 there were necessary changes in server hosting providers. ISP Ltd. took charge of all the operations details, from the identification of the issue to its ultimate resolution, freeing the customer to focus on their business thorughout the process. We provided research of options, made our recommendation, configured the new servers, and moved all of the services with little to no impact on their customers. From the start to the present day ISP Ltd. has managed as many as nine Linux servers in five data centres three countries for Don's Directory. The day-to-day server management has included:
|
|
Call
E-mail