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Ralph M. Churchill
Work Experience
Williams Resource Group, HPC Cluster, 11/03-Present
Participated in successful endeavor to redeploy 600-node HPC (High Performance Computing) Linux Cluster as a smaller, but multi-processor-enabled cluster. New cluster was smaller, thus greatly reducing licensing costs, and more stable, due to new custom Linux kernel and Operating System distribution. Helped research application issues related to scalability, performance and stability (in particular, issues related to NFS-based message passing system). Improved monitoring solution and implemented historical performance-data gathering system (based on RRD and cricket).
Created numerous utility and administration applications in Perl. Continuing efforts to take advantage of Linux platform and other Open Source solutions (including JBoss). Also created application for synchronizing HPC cluster.s vast hardware information with company-wide server database.
Skills and Tools:
Linux (RedHat 9), Perl (5.8.* and various CPAN modules), Postgres and Oracle databases, cricket (RRD), mon and Nagios (monitoring systems).
Williams Resource Group, TAS Linux Port, 05/03-11/03
Sole developer on project to port Terminal Automation System from antiquated HP-UX/Oracle7 platform to modern Linux Operating System and better-supported Oracle Version 9. Tasks involved moving source code into a standard, .autotools.-compliant structure, creating and documenting build procedures, porting and making platform-neutral C and Pro*C code. Ported control programs and hardware Device Drivers. Researched and configured Operating System, database and various hardware devices (including replacement Serial-Multiplexer).
All source code changes, system documentation and porting instructions were assembled into a community-editable website (or Wiki), providing basis for future porting efforts. Porting from a proprietary system running on out-of-date hardware to a standardized, modern operating system on readily available desktop systems helped to greatly reduce hardware, software, maintenance and support costs.
Skills and Tools:
C, Linux (RedHat 8), Pro*C, GNU autotools (including autoconf, automake and libtool), gdb Debugger and Valgrind memory debugger, POSIX Operating System API and Oracle 9.
Williams Information Technology, Energy News Live, 02/01-05/03
Responsible for leading a team of developers who designed, implemented and
maintained the Web Application, Energy News Live. Included creating a
J2EE-compliant web site, leveraging many heterogeneous technologies. The
application was comprised of real-time data transfers, XML-based web services,
content-ingestion and redistribution systems and in-depth activity tracking and
reporting. Additionally, developed automated build process and release
management tools that resulted in quick, easy and effective deployment to a
high-availability, clustered environment. Pair Programming was used extensively.
Open Source technology was incorporated whenever beneficial.
Later, converted WebLogic-based web application to Open Source, JBoss application server to significantly reduce hardware and licensing costs and decrease maintenance and enhancement requirements.
Skills and Tools:
Java (J2EE: Servlets, EJBs, JSP), BEA WebLogic and JBoss, XML, Perl(5.6.*), Java Application Servers
including BEA WebLogic (5.1, 6.1) and JBoss (3.0.x), UNIX Shell scripting,
Relational Databases (including Oracle and MySQL). Platforms include Linux and
Solaris. Additional tools include CVS (version control), Ant (build management)
and Python (for rapid prototyping), and Bugzilla (issue-tracking).
Williams Energy Services, Terminal Automation System, 06/98 02/01
Lead member of a team that designed, implemented and maintained multiple
automation systems that interfaced with a variety of external hardware devices.
Responsibilities included adding functionality to existing systems and
designing, developing and testing new systems. Worked with the business to
determine requirements, scope and project expectations. Worked with engineering
group to develop software and hardware interfaces and perform system
installations. Successfully implemented next-generation, C++ based automation
system installed at more than a dozen 24x7 sites around the country. Additional
duties included software maintenance and modification and user support and
training. Object-oriented design methodologies and refactoring techniques were
used to improve software
Skills and Tools:
C/C++, Pro*C, SQL, Perl, shell scripting. Platforms included HP-UX and Linux
using Oracle database. RCS was used for version control.
Dowell-Sclumberger, 06/97-04/98
Designed and implemented a reservoir data testing application. Gathered
specifications from the lead engineer, turned those specifications into a
software package and worked with engineering staff to test and refine
application. Documentation was then created for the purpose of incorporating the
application into a larger software system.
Skills and Tools:
FORTRAN, Visual Basic, Visual Basic for Applications, Excel. Platform was
Windows.
Personal Interests
* Linux and Open Source Development: including contributions to KDE projects, Mozilla extensions and various Perl utility programs.
* Game Development: including SDL, Pygame, KDE, OpenGL and others.
Education
* Bachelor of Science, Computer Information Systems, University of Tulsa, 1998
* Bachelor of Arts, History, University of Tulsa, 1996
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