RDS User Monitor for MyTutor

At MyTutor, we aimed to ensure that the application database was accessed only by authorised user accounts for legitimate reasons. This project involved analysing AWS CloudWatch logs for the AWS RDS instances to extract relevant information. A list of users and their executed queries was compiled, excluding certain allowed users. The accounts that did not meet the criteria were then posted to a Slack channel for review.

NHS UHNM legacy PHP systems

A prominent developer at the Trust had left leaving over 2 million lines of unsupported PHP code spread across numerous inter-related applications. The trust needed someone who could quickly become proficient at maintaining the code, develop new functionality, and offer advice on redeveloping the systems to their in-house standards.
This involved:
• Supporting the applications for the 8,000 Stoke Hospital users. This later became 12,000 when the Hospital merged with Stafford Hospital.
• Developing and maintaining a Virtual Machine to emulate the live system in isolation. This was then used for development and testing of changes to the live system.
• Making database updates to the live database to keep the system up to date and functional.
• Implement an authorisation system which integrates with the Hospital’s MS Active Directory structure.
• Developing a backup solution for the code and data, and preparing for disaster recovery.
• Responding to helpdesk requests, liaising with users to identify problems and provide solutions either by code changes, database updates or training.
• Redeveloping the import process for Staff-In-Post data from HR systems. This was a new PHP/MySQL application to parse the incoming data, and load it into the live database. I used jQuery UI to add a user friendly front end.
• Active Directory group maintenance. The BI team needed a way of easily managing users Active Directory groups. I wrote a suitable utility in C# .NET.
• Supplies & Procurement required management reports and graphs. I coded some pages using PHP/MySQL, jQuery and Google Charts.
• Other ad-hoc development such as developing Report Builder 3.0 reports for SQL Server.

HOPS Text Messaging Promotion

As part of a marketing campaign, HOPS invited potential candidates to engage in a text message dialogue to determine their eligibility for a government-endorsed training scheme. I developed a system to send messages and process replies according to a predefined script, ensuring it could handle accidental and intentional misuse. PostgreSQL was chosen for the database, and was accessed via PHP’s PDO extension.

PHP Support for HomeServe

I joined HomeServe as one of two contractors hired to support their legacy PHP application developed in the CakePHP framework. The decision was made to refactor the code in ASP.NET. Along with the other contractor, I collaborated with the existing PHP team to wind down the current application, address imminent issues, and assist in the early design stages of the new .NET solution. During my two years at HomeServe, I eventually led a team of two other PHP developers.