Nikolai Pilafov

Summary of Experience Professional Accomplishments Personal Details Education and Training Resume in DOC format

Summary of Experience

 

Platforms (OS):

Windows (XP, 2000, NT), UNIX (SCO, DEC), Linux, Solaris, OpenVMS, MS-DOS

 

Platforms (HW):

PCx86, VAX 6610 - CI cluster, DEC Alpha 2100, Unisys 2200

 

Programming Languages:

C/C++, Perl5, CGI, ASP, Java, HTML, Java/VB Script, SQL, PL/SQL, Transact-SQL, XML, MSH, WMI, VB/VBA, Pascal, COBOL, Batch, Ant, UNIX shells

 

Databases:

Oracle 9i to 6.2 (9i RAC; RMAN), SQL Server, ODBC compliant, Access, FoxPro

 

Networks:

TCP/IP, NetWare, WfW, DecNET

 

Packages/Tools:

All Oracle utils, Developer 2000, VisualC++, JDK, Jdeveloper, MS-Office, IIS, PVCS VM/Tracker, InstallShield, OpenVMS, UNIX and Windows; Internet utils

Professional Accomplishments


May 2006 - to date

chessdiscussion.com, chessgames.com

Ø Project: Chess Viewer Deluxe (CVD) - A full featured Java applet, designed to present chess games on the Web. Supports important chess related features like recursive variations, annotations and glyphs.

Ø Role: Software architect and developer.

Ÿ Responsibility: Carried out thorough analyses of several existing Web-based chess viewers to determine their strengths and weaknesses. The very first CVD release implemented a number of features never seen in similar chess viewers before. The game navigation is innovative and intuitive. Context menus, keyboard navigation and copy/paste support are essential part of the GUI design. Users can use drag and drop to make their own moves which are validated to comply with the rules. The parsing of source data strictly follows the PGN specification. Trees of recursive variations are supported to any depth. Advanced error-handling helps users resolve every possible mistake in the input format.

Ø Project: Modular Chess - A network based chess playing software featuring highly modular design.

Ø Role: Project leader, software architect and developer.

Ÿ Responsibility: The Java applet implements all of the chess game knowledge in a way similar to CVD. Communication component uses Ajax to transport moves to/from the server. Time management component, written in Javascript, provides the chess clock. The back-end comprises of several modules implemented in PHP and ColdFusion connected to a MySQL database. Key features include advanced PHP session management and transparent integration with phpBB software. Each component has simple and well defined interfaces allowing smooth integration.


Jul 1999 - Jul 2004

Cover-All Technologies, Inc.

Ø Position: Software Integration Expert, Oracle DBA, Release process supervisor, Installation engineer.

Ø Project: TAS2000 - Complete Insurance System supporting Property/Casualty lines of business.

Ÿ Responsibility: Configuration and release management leader, DBA. Multi-customer, multi-versions product support was provided by integrated PVCS Tracker/VersionManager usage. Designed and implemented a robust sub-systems for applying patches and loading of Product Definitions. High DB performance was achieved by re-organizing the DB changes and SQL, PL/SQL optimization/tuning. Proficient usage of SQL and PL/SQL. Meeting deadlines and working under pressure to provide efficient solutions to customers. Developed several user-friendly installation projects using InstallShield. Promoted for team-leading performance before the first year-end.

Ø Project: Classic - Complex Product supporting Property/Casualty lines of business - CA, CPP, BOB.

Ÿ Responsibility: Configuration and release management leader, DBA. Oracle expert - DB, SQL and PL/SQL. Designed and developed a release assembling/packaging system including a definition language for multi-customer support (Perl, HTML, JavaScript). Wrote several document generation utilities and an automated system for e-mail notifications (MS-Office 2000, VBA, ADO, ActiveX).

Ø Project: Calligo - Integration between TAS2000 and the document generation engine. Calligo is a complete document management solution (DMS) deployed on several (>two) machines. Functions included job dispatching, load balancing, document generation and storing/retrieving (browser based).

Ø Role: Project Leader/Manager, Oracle8i and SQL Server DBA.

Ÿ Responsibility: Oracle database was designed and optimized to meet performance goals and efficient storage. In charge of communication to vendor's customer service. Team of three finished and deployed the project in four months. Acted as a Calligo administrator to support our customers. Acquired detailed system knowledge and strong troubleshooting skills. Advanced usage of IIS (ASP, VBScript).

Ø Project: Calligo - Performance tuning and optimization.

Ÿ Responsibility: Customer specific DB performance analysis and fine-tuning of their on-site DB. Acted as an Oracle9i production DBA to meet the goals and ensure customer satisfaction. Advanced Oracle features were used (materialized views, query re-writes). Efficient remote communication with the customer saved us time and money. Project was finished in a week and the overall performance improved over 3 times.

Ø Project: VersionManager/Tracker (PVCS) - System administrator.

Ÿ Responsibility: VM Software installation and configuration upto v8.0. Design and implementation of VM databases, user access/security according to our SCM policies. Monitored and analysed daily activities. Developed a trigger-based system enhancement introducing role-based user security. Designed and implemented customized usage of branching to support our patch releases. Developed an automated system for overnight archive integrity and backup consistency verification. Completed several VM database migrations and software upgrades. Documented "best practices" guidelines and helped enforce them. Supported developers by means of SCM presentations and individually.

Ø Project: MIC7.0 - Configuration and release management. Software installations engineer.

Ÿ Responsibility: Defined and documented company-wide SCM policies, introduced them to developers and enforced their usage. The core of the SCM system was the integrated use of PVCS Tracker/Version Manager. User roles and tight security ensured a process flow compliant with the SCM policies. Fully automated release process was designed for both regular and patch releases. Developed a set of utilities (C++, WSH) for tight integration between SCM databases and to support built process. Wrote many Batch and Ant scripts, developed Ant tasks (Java, XML).

Ÿ Responsibility: Design and development of a complex rule based system capable of pre-release assembling, release packaging and multi-customer installation of several products (lines of business). Written in Java using Jdeveloper. Product definition language used XML.

Ÿ Responsibility: Software installations. Engineered many installations of CTI products and solutions. Customized and enhanced build-in InstallShield dialogs. Through careful design and by implementing advanced features (NT services, ODBC data sources, system PATH, etc.) the interaction with the installer was smooth and intuitive. Detailed attention was paid to ensure clean un-installation.


Jan 1998 - Jun 1999

Unisys - Bulgarian Skill Centre

Ø Position: IS consultant (Unisys Financial Services), assigned to several client-site projects in UK.

Ø Project: LOUISE - Senior SQL Server administrator/developer for Norwich Union Insurance Company.

Ÿ Responsibility: All aspects of SQL Server 6.5/7.0 database administration and development. Database and system design, implementation and integration. Intense programming in Transact-SQL (server) and Access / VBA (client). Responsible for project level information backup strategies. System deployment and support with close client interaction. Promoted to a higher Unisys consultant level.

Ø Project: Migration of 150 Oracle applications (developed using Oracle Tools - Forms, ReportWriter, Menu, Developer 2000, Pro*C, PL/SQL and SQL*Plus) to achieve Year 2000 compliance.

Ÿ Responsibility: Renovation process demanded extensive analytical skills and expert knowledge of both RDBMS technology and business specifics. Involved in redesigning/programming apps and documenting remedy code. Took part in development of some specific tools for analysis automation.

Ø Project: A software factory (in Milton Keynes) addressed over 300 applications of Abbey National developed in 16 different languages. Highly formalized approach ensured the quality of the result.

Ÿ Responsibility: Involved in each of inventory, analysis and renovation stages using several proprietary Unisys tools. Gained good experience with Mapper language and Unisys 2200 computers. A centralized repository of PVCS was used to control the workflow of every document and source code.


Mar 1997 - Dec 1997

ISI-BG Ltd., Internet Securities Inc.

Ø Position: Web Application designer/developer and Database Administrator.

Ÿ Responsibility: Strong financial background was required by the nature of the employer business. Built several DBs using Oracle (Linux) and SQL Server 6.0 / FoxPro (Windows/NT). Developed Web applications to handle clients' requests. Data design and index utilization provided the needed performance. Proficient in Perl5 for CGI programming and down to OS level. Good working knowledge of HTML. Extensive SQL Server 6.x administration and Web server integration experience.

Ø Project: Client-server applications for multi-platform inter-process communication (IPC).

Ø Role: Project Manager and team leader

Ÿ Responsibility: Implemented IPC through TCP/IP sockets and OLE automation. Used Visual C++/Visual Basic on Windows/NT and GNU C/C++ on the Linux server.


Feb 1994 - Jan 1997

BULBANK Ltd., Bulgarian Foreign Trade Bank

Ø Position: Oracle DBA in "Application Software" division.

Ÿ Responsibility: In charge of design, creation and operation of several databases - both production and development. Oracle software installation, configuration and maintenance (Client & Server) on the platforms VAX/OpenVMS, Alpha/DEC UNIX, SCO UNIX and Windows. Used Oracle Parallel Server running on a hardware cluster of two VAX 6610 computers. Promoted to the rank of leading specialist (Senior DBA) in Nov 1994.

Ø Project: Installation and bringing into operation of new modules of the bank's information system.

Ÿ Responsibility: The tasks demanded ability to make quick decisions and efficiently complete them within limited time frame. System integration was a primary duty, owing to the variety of hardware and software solutions. Developed strategies for database backup and recovery. Day-to-day monitoring and analyses of DB operation. System performance improving by regular tuning and appropriate Oracle parameters adjustments, as well as changes to the physical DB structure. Wrote many DCL procedures for OpenVMS and Shell scripts for UNIX.

Ø Project: Migration of a large legacy DB and applications. Team of twenty.

Ÿ Responsibility: Team leader in charge of the whole project. More than 20 applications developed using Oracle Tools (Forms, ReportWriter), Pro*C, SQL*Loader, SQL*Plus were converted. On the database side we migrated 2GB Oracle 6.2 DB to Oracle7.

Ø Project: Bank's shareholders information system. Team of four.

Ÿ Responsibility: As a project leader acquired excellent knowledge of Developer 2000. It enabled us to produce platform independent software. Extensive knowledge of relational data models and languages (SQL, PL/SQL) was beneficial to the project. Programming in C/Pro*C for OpenVMS, UNIX and Visual C++/Pro*C for Windows.

Ø Project: The heterogeneous network comprised DecNET, NetWare, TCP/IP and WfW networks.

Ÿ Responsibility: The specific features of each of the networks presented a lot of challenge. Built up several Oracle DB servers which formed an efficient Client/Server system capable of distributing DB data and operation using the SQL*Net product based on TCP/IP.

Personal Details

 

Name:

Nikolai Atanassov Pilafov

 

Address:

261 Lincoln Place, 2th floor; Garfield, NJ  07026

 

Phone:

(973) 246-5529

 

E-mail:

pilafov ‹at› hotmail ‹dot› com
 

Education and Training

 

Technical University, Radio-Electronics major;

Sofia, Bulgaria

BS degree

 

Center of Applied Mathematics; Technical University;

Sofia, Bulgaria

Post Graduate

 

Oracle Database Administration course;

Bucharest, Romania

Certificate

 

MAPPER course; Unisys Education Centre;

Milton Keynes, UK

Certificate

 

PVCS Version Manager Administration course;

New York City, US

Certificate

 

Development with InstallShield course (advanced);

New York City, US

Certificate

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