Objectstar, Cobol, IDMS, Mainframe, Web, Tibco, RDMS, android, design
Resume:
Name
Residential Address
Postal Address
Telephone
Identity Number
Date of Birth
Sex
Marital Status
Nationality
Home Language
Other Language
Health
Last School Attended
Highest Standard Passed
Curriculum Vitae
Devan Naidoo
6, 50th Avenue
Umhlatuzana
Durban
4092
Same as above
+27-31-403**** (home)
+27-84-963**** (mobile)
*****.*******@*****.***
10 December 1966
Male
Single
South African
English
Afrikaans ( read, speak and write)
Excellent
Risecliff Secondary School Chatsworth
Durban
South Africa
(1980 -1984)
Matric with exemption
Matric Results:
Subject
Grade
Symbol
English
Higher
D
Afrikaans
Higher
E
Mathematics
Higher
D
Physical Science
Higher
C
Biology
Higher
D
Accountancy
Higher
B
Tertiary Education
University Attended University of Durban-Westville
(1985 – 1988)
Degree Bachelor of Science
Majors Computer Science
Mathematics
Results
Course
Result
Mathematics 1A
A
Computer Science 1
B
Statistics 101
D
Physics 1
D
Chemistry
D
Mathematics 2
A
Computer Science 2
C
Statistics 102
B
Mathematics 3
B
Computer Science 3
A
Computer Languages Studies at university
Pascal
Algol
Concurrent Pascal,
8085 (Assembler for Dos)
Computer Training:
WS&LCobol Programming (3 months)
Symbol: A
Position in class: 3 rd in a class of 35 students
Other certificates
Computer User Council (South Africa) Cobol Programming
Symbol: B
Employment History
Company Old Mutual (January 1989 to February 1992)
Background Old Mutual Life Assurance is the largest life assurance
company in Southern Africa with the largest asset base.
I joined Old Mutual on a Graduate Development Program (GDP). Old Mutual's GDP comprised of nine graduates recruited from various campuses throughout the country. The GDP is basically a development program for computer graduates entering the DP environment. We underwent intensive training in both personal development and as well as computer training. The GDP extended for 5 months, the first 2 months reserved for self-development and the latter 3 for computer training.
Self Development Courses
Probing
Planning
Empathy
Conflict Handling
Outdoor Learning Program
Quality Improvement Process
Quality Education
Influencing for Innovation
Introduction to Management
Business Communications
Computer Courses
Introduction to IBM
Introduction to MVS/XA
TSO
File Aid and ISPF
SDSF
CA -Optimizer
Introduction to JCL
Advanced JCL
IDMS Navigation (IDMS/R)
IDMS Systems Generation and Operation
CCC (Change and Configuration control)
Last Position Analyst Programmer
Status Department Head
Subordinates 1 (programmer)
Information Systems Experience
Language Cobol, Pascal, Objectstar
Database IDMS, DB2, HURON
Software TSO
JCL
ISPF
IDMS/DC and IDMS/R
FILE-AID
SDSF
TS-PRINT
CA-OPTIMISER
SYNCSORT
CA-II (UCCII)
TLMS
OMEGAMON
DMLO
MD&ACOMPARE
IDMS service
DB2I (SPUFI) Platinum
Clist (IBM)
Project Segmentation of Flexi Database (9 months)
Description
The large number of Flexi policies sold each month had an enormous influence on the growth of the database. This resulted in an increase in processing time of batch jobs that ran overnight. The split was introduced to overcome this problem and minimize CPU time. Segmentation involves the physical splitting of the database into 6 segments according to policy numbers.
Objective
Segmentation facilitates the processing of each segment concurrently and therefore improving efficiency and reducing processing time drastically. Also permits recovery on one segment at a time and not on the entire database.
Role in the project
Implementation
1.Amending current code in order to target the correct segment required. This provided the communication link between the application programs and the various segmented subschema’s and thus allowing a single application to run on a number of segments.
2.The coding of print programs to consolidate the totals produced on each segment in order to match the current printing of totals.
3.Unload and load programs to be incorporated into the new environment.
4.The coding of IO modules to facilitate open run units i.e. when a single application program wants to access one or more of the segmented subschema’s during a single run.
5.The splitting of input files into a number of files according to policy numbers and the merging of output files produced on the different segments into one workable file. To achieve the above the utilization of SYNCSORT facilities was of paramount importance. One of the facilities intensively used was that of exit routines I fully understand the functions and facilities of SYNCSORT.
N.B all the above were implemented on the development machine and later transferred to the production environment.
Testing ( performed on a dedicated machine)
1.The writing of unload programs to extract data from the existing production environment. A sample of 20% of native data was used. The splitting of this data and loading them into the various segments. Assisted in the setting up of the segmented environment.
2.Integrated testing which entailed submitting of various batch cycles and using CA -11 to monitor the statuses of files.
3.The comparing of files produced on both environments and the thereafter the isolation of source of errors if any discrepancies aroused.
Other miscellaneous functions
1.Investigation on concurrent update on a single database record.
2.Researched techniques that needed to be considered when several applications attempted to update a single record concurrently, so that deadlock could be prevented.
3.Provided second level support to other programmers wishing to access the segmented database. Advised and informed them on techniques required to access the segmented database.
4.Advised consultants (Andersen) on issues regarding access techniques of segmented areas during their physical design phase.
Knowledge gained
Due to my involvement in segmentation, I have acquired a vast understanding of the database (IDMS) and its technical functioning.
Recognition
Received a quality award for my participation in the overall project and for exhibiting and repeating behavior that promotes the quality improvement process.
End of project
Project 1/0 Modules (8 months)
Description
The information systems at Old Mutual are IDMS dependent. Its become the company's policy to move away from this concept and create an environment that facilitates flexibility and adaptability to other software. This led to the inception of the IO-module project. It involved the removal of all IDMS commands and statements from Cobol programs and concentrating them into IO modules. The Cobol programs will therefore become totally independent of IDMS. This essentially means that all database accesses are achieved via the IO modules. An IO server (assembler module) acts as an interface between the calling application and the IO module. It governs, controls and coordinates the entire IDMS session.
It is responsible for initiating a run unit, readying the necessary areas in the specified mode and invoking the correct IO module. A view passed to the IO server is used to determined the activating IO module. It also terminates the run units (FINISH). Supports multiple run units where application deals with policies spread over multiple segments.
Objective
Gain true database independence ie. to reduce the overheads involve in the event of a DBMS change.
To facilitate the restructuring of the database ie. the consolidation of 3 different areas into one.
Remove the burden of developers having to know about databases, database structures, navigation and data residence
Increase security
.
Role in project
.
Identified the steps and procedures involved in the amendment phase. Sized part of the project.
Drew up and designed the amendment strategy to be adopted by Individual Systems for the IO module project.
Utilized CA-OPTIMISER to accurately reflect the efficiency, effectiveness and accuracy of incorporating IO modules into the current systems. Determined the overheads involved (+-8%).
Coded and designed IO modules to access the database.
Active participation during the implementation phase. Wrote and tested systems both batch and online to reach the objectives of the project. Investigated journaling and recovery during local mode, multi-run unit processing.
Tested and exploited the IO servers capabilities to its maximum. Provided second level support to other departments advancing towards the IO module strategy.
Evaluated and investigated techniques to reduce performance overheads arising from the use of IO modules.
Liaised continuously with technical support to gain a greater understanding of the internal functioning of IDMS
ensure that the IDMS service is not affected by the project
highlight problems experienced with the IO server
define our requirements as users of the IO server, ie. to establish a common understanding of what was required of the server.
End of project
Project Tax and Funds ( 2 months)
Overview
Wrote and designed a complex system to accurately reflect the net reserves of the society at the end of a financial year. The users of the system were senior management and corporate auditors.
Received a letter of recognition from senior management congratulating me on the outstanding work produced on a project accomplished successfully from inception to completion independently. Refer to annexure for a copy of the letter.
End of project
Special Achievements
Individual Systems Division Quality Award
Received a quality award for my participation in the overall segmentation project and for exhibiting and repeating behavior that promotes the quality improvement process.
Tom Keanly Award
The Tom Keanly Award is an annual event recognizing individual(s) who have contributed towards excellence in a computing effort. Nominations for the award come from the various spheres (computer areas) within the society and are in a number of categories. I was nominated in the category 'Best Overall Performance by a New Employee’. I won the award in my category and took the overall award a week later. This is prestigious award within Old Mutual and is well recognized throughout the organization.
Individual Systems Quality Award (February 1992)
Reached the finals of the Individual .Systems Division quality award for my participation in the Stuck Cases project. Devised a technique of ensuring that a contract (policy) does not exceed IBM's 32K record size restriction. A more comprehensive description can be found in the nomination document attached to this CV. I received a silver award as it was the second time I reached the finals of the divisions quality award program.
I reached the finals of the next quality award ceremony (six months later). On this occasion I was presented with a gold award.
More personal details
Sporting Activities
Badminton
Squash
Swimming
Hobbies
Reading
Programming
Hiking (sight -seeing)
Religion and cultures Origins of man
Special Interest
Religion
The universe
Technology Awareness
References
Mr. Keith Jones
Years Known: 8 years
Position: Manager Individual Systems Division
Company: Old Mutual
Telephone +272*-*******
Mr. William Coleman
Years Known: 3 years
Position: Manager Business Solutions Group
Company: Amdahl South Africa
Telephone +2721 683 IO19
Employment history continues -second employer
Employer
Caltex Oil (February 1992 -April 1993) 15 months
Company Background
Caltex Oil is the oldest and largest petroleum company in Southern Africa. It is jointly owned by Californian Oils and Texaco Oils. Caltex operates outside the United Kingdom and the United States. Operations includes Africa, Asia and Australia.
Job Description
I joined Caltex Oil on the Information Engineering project. Caltex had chosen IEF (tool and methodology) as their strategic development tool 6 months prior to my assignment. Caltex wanted to create a core team of proficient information engineers. The company had for some time lagged in exploitation of new technology and they felt that IEF would give them the thrust they needed to propel them into the future and gain some kind of competitive advantage over their competitors.
Position Information Engineer (Systems Analyst)
Products Utilized
Information Engineering Facility (IEF) Case Tool
DB2 database
Platinum
DB2 Spufi
Courses Attended
Data Modeling (Entity Relationships)
IEF Business Area Analysis
IEF Construction
Project Fleet Management System
Description
The fleet management system is responsible for the administration and management of Caltex's fleet. Caltex operated a huge fleet force comprising mostly of petrol tankers. The tankers sole purpose was the delivery of fuel to the increasing demand of petrol stations. The system provided comprehensive information about their fleet. It was also used to schedule a tankers daily delivery route (based on the most efficient path).
The business area analysis (BAA) phase of the project involved the gathering of information from the users of the systems. These were typically area managers. Each area manager had a number of vehicles under his/her control and the administration of the fleet was their responsibility. Their objective was to ensure that their fleets were in readiness to service the needs of their customers (petrol stations). Much of the requirements were also establish through an existing traditional system (Cobol and Supra database).
After the information gathering phase, the design of the data model commenced. The entity relationship diagrams (data models) were designed and drawn in rEF. Once the models were designed, the data definition language (DDL) was generated. The DDL was used to define the database on DB2.
The construction phase involved the design and coding of business applications identified in the BAA phase. Business procedures broken down into individual processes are represented within the IEF repository. Construction involves the design of screens and the coding of logic that drove the user interfaces. Coding was done in a high level pseudo language intelligible only to IEF (propriety) .After construction, an equivalent and corresponding computer program in a chosen language was generated. The language of choice in our case was Cobol.
My experience in IEF extends from the business area analysis phase to the actual construction phase. This also involved preparing the application for mainframe (MVS) deploy. This included the generating of equivalent Cobol code on MVS and the packaging of applications into executable load modules. The application had to thereafter be loaded onto a CICS environment where the user could run comprehensive tests. User involvement was consistent throughout the analysis and construction phase.
Employment history continues - third employer
Employer
Amdahl South Africa
Company background
Amdahl is a leading international Information Technology company offering products and services that span the entire IT spectrum including hardware, software, and management consultancy.
Amdahl’s hardware product offering included:
IBM compatible mainframe machines (competed with IBM mainframe)
Disk Drives for both mainframes and servers.
NT servers (PC’s)
Amdahl’s leading software product offering to the market was Objectstar. Objectstar is a complete applications development environment with its own propriety rules language and relational database for development and execution of Objectstar applications.
Position Objectstar Development Consultant
Roles Developer (lead)
Team Leader
Development Consultant
NT System Administrator (part time)
Support Consultant
Training (SAA and Swiss Air)
Adhoc short-term projects (as required)
Marketing and Sales (as required)
Certificates Certified Antares Trainer
Certified Application Developer
Environment Proficiency
NT, Windows 2000
MVS
Job Description and experience
I've been involved with Objectstar for more than 8 years now. I have solid and in-depth understanding of the product. My experience covers all facets of the product ranging from development to actual implementation to operations.
These include:
installations and configuration on NT
systems administration (NT and MVS)
promotions and security admin.
peer to peer connectivity configuration (NT)
performance tuning with large databases
database administration
database design
development and transaction design
development (GUI and text based)
standards and guidelines management
etc...
My CASE and relational database background enable a smooth transition to Objectstar familiarization and exploitation. I quickly became very competent and proficient with the product. Working with different application development tools enabled me to understand the different areas that various products were trying to address. It also identified areas where Objectstar excelled over CASE technology. Objectstar lacked the rigor you get with CASE but enabled rapid application development.
I am also a certified Antares trainer and a certified application developer. To qualify I was scrutinized by an Antares trainer and sat in on the Objectstar application developers exams. Training was not a full time role but more like training on demand. I've trained Objectstar developers from South Africa Airways, Autonet, Old Mutual International and Swiss Air.
The courses I ran include:
Introduction to Objectstar Development
Developing an Objectstar Application
Advanced Objectstar Programming Techniques
Report Writing
Promotions and Security
MVS Administration (very little)
Database design and implementation
On joining Amdahl, I spend 3 months in the UK training. Objectstar was new in South Africa and Amdahl lacked the necessary workforce to support and promote the product. To this end I was seconded to the UK to upgrade (expedite) my skills on the product. I spent time with various Objectstar teams in the UK. This included the marketing and support team. I also had exposure to some systems development at Marks and Spencer. I worked I month in the Huron support centre familiarizing myself with the internal workings (technical) of the product.
I've worked on several implementation projects. My involvement was focused on blending the new product into the existing information systems environment (legacy integration and renewal). In essence preparing the Objectstar environment for full utilization and exploitation. Configuring, infrastructure planning, QA management were all part of this phase. The product had to also gain the commitment of senior management. To this end, high-level presentations were delivered. Headed many pilot projects with key developers. This served to induce a selected group of developers into Objectstar by mentoring and guiding them to correctly use the product.
Objectstar Assignment Old Mutual International (OMI) (12 months)
Job Description
I was based full time at Old Mutual International. Old Mutual International is a subsidiary of Old Mutual, responsible for the rolling out of life and pensions applications to their various international operations. This includes a number of African operations, United Kingdom and Hong Kong. Old Mutual International Business System was inaugurated last year. Their aim was to have the ability to build and deploy life and pensions systems to any new business venture. This enables them to penetrate the international (global) insurance market. A strategy they adopted, to be a global player in the insurance industry. Objectstar was chosen as the development environment because of its ability to rapidly build and maintain systems in response to the rapid changes of a already very competitive market. All development was GUI based running under Windows-NT.
The methodology in use is an hybrid methodology based on Amdahl's RAD and Sherwood's Amarta workflow architecture. Amarta is a workflow architecture OMI purchased from Sherwood (UK). It is based on entity state processing. Old Mutual International purchased only the intellectual component of the architecture as the run time version of the product was only available on a UNIX environment running an Informix or Oracle database. We had to convert and redesign the system for a Objectstar, NT platform.
A project was initiated last year in the UK to convert and rewrite the system in Objectstar. I was seconded to the UK as an Amdahl consultant on the project for a period of six months. In that time we had to master the new methodology and participate in the design and development of the system. So this was both a skills transfer (focused on workflow architecture) and development exercise. The project was scheduled to move back to South Africa at the beginning of 97. The deadline was met and project kicked in South Africa in January 97.
I have played a key role in establishing the new methodology and its exploitation in an Objectstar development environment. When I arrived in the UK the workflow engine together with its process models were not built to a high level of completion. I was responsible in evolving the engine to final product. This was important as we were trying to incorporate new functionality into the engine without comprising its intricate design. Any engine upgrades could not deviate significantly from the base model. We had to retain as much alignment as possible to the base model.
Some of my responsibilities in the UK included
overall management of the Objectstar development environment
database design
standards and guidelines management
refining the methodology
development support and guidance
Please find attached my role on the OMI project in the UK
I am currently working on deploying the application in Zimbabwe. This is a major task as Old Mutual Zimbabwe runs a ICL machine and Amarta will only replace fifty percent of their existing systems ru1ming on the ICL box. The other 50% would have to be converted to Objectstar. We, Amdahl have to provide a migration plan to move the existing systems of ICL and exploit the possibility of integrating VME with NT. Old Mutual Zimbabwe have every intention of moving of the ICL platform. So this is a full on new customer for Amdahl (although they fall under Old Mutual for licensing reasons). Amdahl is also responsible for preparing Old Mutual Zimbabwe to absorb Amarta into their organization. I will be involved in infrastructure planning, configuration of the environment, training of developers, running of pilot projects, consultant and team leader on conversion projects, enabling a fault tolerant service and the overall implementation of Objectstar in Old Mutual Zimbabwe.
I am now also responsible for training new developers joining the project in both Objectstar and the methodology in use. I was also responsible for demonstrating the system to prospective clients.
Proficient in administrating Objectstar in an NT environment include:
Installation and configuration
Backup and recovery
TCP/IP
Peer to peer connectivity (NT and MVS through SNA server)
Promotions (change control) and security
GUI build
QA management
Objectstar Open Interface (OAI)
With Amdahl been short staffed in South Africa, we have an agreement with Old Mutual that allows me to work on that projects and campaigns on a short term basis.
Objectstar Assignment Autonet (3 weeks)
Company Background
Autonet is autonomous business company responsible for a city-to-city bus operation. They belong together with South Africa Airways to South African Transportation Services. Autonet have their bus reservation system written in Objectstar.
Job Description
The bus reservation system was originally written in Objectstar on MVS. This formed part of the South African Airways implementation. Autonet wanting to be totally independent of SAA moved their system to a NT environment. I was responsible in moving the system to an NT platform.
The entire system was moved to NT. However 20% of their users were still mainframe based and had to access the reservation system on NT via peer-to-peer connectivity. This means that the execution environment still ran on MVS with the data object broker running on NT. Peer to peer connectivity via SNA server was used to enable execution from the dumb mainframe terminals.
I was responsible in moving the entire system to the NT environment. Objectstar on NT had to be configured to handle the high contention against high volume system. Two quad 200 MHz Pentium Pro NT servers were used as the server environment.. One of the machine served as the backup server to provide a fault tolerate, non-stop service. The Life keeper software was used to provide the failsafe processing requirements. In the event of the main server coming down, the dormant server kicks it and takes control of the service. This was based on an operator free implementation.
Objectstar Assignment OLD MUTUAL-IBU (Investment Business Unit) – 16 months
Project Background
The IBU project essentially comprised of 2 phases. An initial proof of concept phase and a development phase that generated the actual system destined for live production. Dara Yavari, a well-known and respected knowledge-modeling consultant was the chief architect and designer of the models and the core business system. I worked as part of a development team prototyping the concepts of knowledge modeling and the business it intended to administer.
My work involved ratifying the business (knowledge) models, developing applications (processes) that the models were designed for and providing a consultancy service to other developers working on the project. Objectstar together with its RAD prototyping methodology was extensively used throughout the project. My involvement in the initial phase of the project afforded me an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the business of IBU and the processes necessary to administer the business.
The second phase of this project involved prototyping and developing the core administrative components of the system, into a production ready system that today is the IBU system. I was responsible for delivering (developing) the entire new business applications component. The components main objective was to capture new business cases from application forms onto the mainframe computer system. It was designed to mimic the layout and order of the actual IBU application form as presented to a client and at the same time remain loyal to the knowledge models (data and processes), which were the products of the prototyping phase. The project was critical to Old Mutual business with a very tight deadline.
Personal Achievements:
Delivery of a complete, fully functional new business system responsible for sheparding new cases (business) from application forms onto Old Mutual’s mainframe computer system.
Development of all the client (IDMS database) interfaces required by the IBU system residing on Objectstar to the corporate’s client database residing on IDMS database. These included client searches, the addition of new clients and, modification of client’s details. These interfaces are still an integral component of the IBU system.
A broad and in-depth understanding of IBU business, the nature of the business, the processes around the business and the administration of the business.
Thorough understanding of the technical infrastructure on which the IBU system resides on and operates under.
Familiarization and understanding of IBU’s information system (applications) that are responsible for the electronic management and administration of the business.
Familiarization of knowledge models, data driven programming and prototyping methodology with real live implementation and execution using Objectstar toolset.
Received a personal letter from Paul Hanratty (General Manager) thanking and congratulating me for my involvement in the project.
Provided solutions to problems and issues picked up during the development phase of the project.
ENB OF IBU
Objectstar Assignment Investment Horizons and Green Light - (32 months
I worked on 3 different projects during this 32 months contract period. This included:
Pilot project
Investment Horizons
Green Light
Pilot Project
It was a basically a thorough business analysis of the life assurance business (operation) of Individual Life. Knowledge models together with business rules that represented the life assurance business and administrative processes around the business were the by products of this phase of the project. Dara Yavari played a pivotal role as chief architect and designer of the project. The project was housed offsite at the printing press.
I was one of six developers selected to work on this project. My main objectives included:
Sitting in on JAD (analysis) sessions in order to understand the life assurance business together with the different life products and their underlying practices. This represented the system we were busy embarking on building.
Coding of business rules that reflected the administrative processes of the business and at the same time ensuring that they were loyal to the knowledge models. This was done using the RAD prototyping methodology and the Objectstar toolset.
Liaised on a continuous basis with Actuaries to ensure that the system accurately reflected the business practice of the various life assurance products.
This project afforded me the opportunity to gain insight and understanding of the life assurance industry and the various life products. It also equipped with the necessary skill set to work competently on the next phase of the project.
Investment
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