Home Profile MIDI & Music Links

S. J. Karam's Professional Experience

Qualifications Summary
Computer Equipment Experience
Software Packages
Networking - Relational Database Systems - Client/Server Experience
Work Progress Summary
Work Progress Details
Personal Skills

Qualifications Summary

• Oracle 8 Certified Database Administrator
• Working as for present for Droguerie De L'Union and Algorithm SAL, leading pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors in Lebanon, as Information Technology Manager, and System abd Database Administrator in an Oracle Applications site.
• Two years experience in a leading oil company in Abu Dhabi, as an Information Systems Engineer, analyzing and developing client/server applications.
• Four and a half years experience in the Department of Organisation and Management, Abu Dhabi, in government HR systems.
• Academic Experience for more than two years
• One year and a half experience in Abu Dhabi private computer companies.

Top of Page

Computer Equipment Experience

• All IBM PC and compatibles - in single user and multi-user configurations, and Multimedia PC's..
• Apple Macintosh.
• IBM 4341 Minicomputer.
• HP-9000 series 800/Model E35

Top of Page

Software Packages

1-IBM PC:

• MS-Windows 95/98, MS-DOS V.2.00 - 6.22, and Microsoft Windows 3.1, Arabic and English, Windows NT 4.0
• Programming Tools & Languages: Oracle Server 8, Devlopper/2000, MS Visual Basic 6.0 Enterprise, MS-Access, Sybase System 10, SQL, MS SQL Server 6.0, PowerBuilder 4.0-6.0, Personal Oracle 7.1, Pascal, BASIC, COBOL, DBase III+, Clipper, C, LISP, 8086 Assembly Language, and HTML.
• Packages: Microsoft Office Pro. 4.3 -97 Arabic, FrontPage 97, Windows 3.1, Norton Utilities, Lotus 123, Lotus Symphony, WordStar 2000+, Windows 3.0, Microsoft Word Under Windows, Microsoft Excel Under Windows, Professional File, PC Tools V 4.11 - 6.0, Virus Scan and Clean (McAfee), Norton Disk Doctor, Clipper, Nafitha 4.0 Arabization System, and much more, with some personal knowledge of Oracle 7 RDBMS..

2- Apple Macintosh:

• Mac Finder and Multi finder.
• Programming Languages: 4th Dimension RDBMS, Object Pascal under MacApp, Basic, Turbo Pascal, MacApp Operating System Shell Language.
• Packages: Microsoft Word, MacWrite, MacPaint, Ready-Set-Go, HyperCard, Resource Editor, Wintext 2.7, a multitude of virus scanners, MacApp Development Environment, Macintosh Arabic Finder, Video Works II, Arabic Ready-Set-Go (Al-Nasher), All-Page, and others.

3- IBM 4341:

• COBOL Environment and Compiler
  

Top of Page

Networking - Relational Database Systems - Client/Server Experience

Networking:

• Manging Oracle 8 Server and administering and troubleshooting Oracle Applications Rel. 11.0.3
• Preparing for Oracle Cerified DBA Certification.
• Getting Formal Microsoft Training on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (Administering and Supporting), and administering Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0, and Microsoft SQL Server 6.5.
• Working as System Administrator on UNIX on an HP-9000 / E35 for 6 months, where I was able to fine-tune and solve a lot of problems in a short time after getting formal HP-UX training from EMITAC.
• Expertise in installing and troubleshooting Novell LAN Workplace 4.1 and 5.0 in TCP/IP mode, for connecting the IBM-PC compatibles for use with UNIX, and in a client/server environment.
• Knowledge of Novell Netware 3.12, and its administration.

Relational Database Management Systems and Client Tools:

• Oracle 8: More than one year of intensive on-hand experience on Oracle 8 server running in an Oracle Applications (including Financials, Sales and Distribution, and Manufacturing)
• Microsoft Access 2.0-97: More than two years of professional experience on this flexible and powerful relational database system. I developed professional applications using the Professional Access Developer's toolkit, with complete on-line, context-sensitive help under Windows, in both Arabic and English, being always in direct touch with Microsoft through Internet for debugging and troubleshooting. Used Access successfully in Client/Server environment, connecting it to Sybase SQL Server 10, and Personal Oracle 7 (with Arabic data), using ODBC technology.
• Microsoft SQL Server 6.5: More than 8 months experience in developing applications and administering MS-SQL Server 6.5. Exposed to administration and troubleshooting many problems. Developing mission-critical applications using PowerBuilder 5.0 as client development tool. Expertise in preparing client PC's to work properly with SQL Server.
• Sybase System 10: Six months experience. System Administration of Sybase System 10, both on the server and on the client level. I gained a lot of experience installing Sybase Open Client 10.0.1 and 10.0.3, and troubleshooting it in an Arabic environment. Part of the System administration tasks included opening accounts, giving security privileges, creating, backing up and restoring databases, and preventing any lock contentions. Self-experience determined by real-life problems and by being in touch by the Internet.
• Personal Oracle 7: Seven months of personal training on this Oracle 7 RDBMS, during which I was able to create my own database, administer it, and to develop a small application under Oracle PowerObjects 1.0, and under MS-Access, and to connect to it!
• PowerBuilder 4.0: Five months experience at working with the PB environment, during which I was able to work in it on different configurations. Underwent a personal university training on PowerBuilder using the Internet. Connected PB to Sybase and Personal Oracle 7.
• PowerBuilder 5.0: This is the client tool which is used in ADNOC starting June 1997. I benefited from the above experience, and underwent a self-training using Sybase official curriculum. Currently developing one human resources module with PB 5, using MS SQL Server 6.5 as back-end database.
• Oracle PowerObjects 1.0, 2.0: During my training on Personal Oracle 7, I was able to develop a small application connecting to Personal Oracle 7, and containing Master-Detail forms..
• Oracle Developer/2000: I underwent a training course in a institute in Abu Dhabi, managed by an Oracle Partner company. The course was 50 hours long, and it gave me a lot of insight on Oracle Developer/2000 different components, and enhanced my knowledge of Oracle Server 7.3
• Visual Basic 4.0, 5.0: This was the standard development environment that is used in ADNOC companies in Abu Dhabi, and I was developing client/server systems using this development environment. I gained quite a bit of experience with VB 5.0.
• 4th Dimension: Five years experience on the 4D RDBMS for the Macintosh, in single-user, file-sharinand client/server mode, using 4D Server 1.0.5. During this time, I was able to arabize a great part of the 4D client, and develop and administer several applications.
  

Top of Page

Work Progress Summary

Top of Page

Work Progress Details

Position No. 1: Information Systems Engineer

• Analysing. Designing and Developing client/server applications as per the requirements of different ADNOC directorates.
• Development using Visual Basic 4.0 Enterprise Edition, and MS SQL Server V 6.0, along with MS Access 7.0 for some of the prototyping tasks, and now using PowerBuilder 5.0 (from June 1997).
• Work involved task and resource management (using MS-Project 4.1), writing user requirements documents, dataflow and entity relationship diagrams, and prototyping was used mainly as design methodology for the projects.
• Currently working on a Contracts Follow-up System for the Contracts Department, and on a human resources module (developed in PowerBuilder 5.0)

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 2: Data Management Supervisor.

• I was responsible of all software development, troubleshooting, and installing for the computers, doing the job of a full computer technical section until recently.
• System Administration on HP-UNIX
• Developing and maintaining many software applications, out of which some are used now, e.g. the In-Out mail recording and tracking system, which is working on a Mac network, in a Client-Server Architecture configuration under 4D Server.
• Maintaining all packages developed under 4th Dimension, including the Appointments and Promotions system.
• Helped in the Systems Analysis and Design of the System with the company doing the job, gaining by this good experience in analysis and design, especially in governmental Human Resources systems.
• Experience in developing and training on Microsoft Access V 2.0 RDBMS, Sybase System 10, and in Database Administration (including Personal Oracle 7)
• Familiar with all the phases of the project in O.M.D., including imaging, wide area networks, and so on...

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 3: Freelance Systems Eng. / Database Developer

• Analyzed and developed a full database package under MS-Access 2.0, ultra user-friendly, with context-sensitive help in Arabic, for the Zayed Charity Foundation - Abu Dhabi.

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 4: Computer Engineer

• Mainly responsible for software development, systems installation, expansion, troubleshooting, and training (individuals/courses).
• Installed different types of hard disks and memory expansions.
• Solved many deep software problems and superficial hardware problems.
• Have an idea about image storage/retrieval systems.
• Was also involved in sales activities, quotation preparation, tenders, prices, etc...
• Was given the first responsibilities while the manager is out of the country.

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 5: Systems Developer

• I took advantage to write a user-friendly library for Clipper (pull-down menus, scrollable lists, context-sensitive help...) which was arabized later under Nafitha 4.0. A package was written for company use (Filing, Payroll, Stock,...). That program had auto-detecting capabilities for expiry dates!
• Operator on the Data General DG-10. I was responsible of entering accounting data, which gave me a closer look on how an accounting package works.

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 6: Systems Engineer

• I was responsible of software development and troubleshooting. I developed for the company an automatic quotation package connected to stock control. It was all user-friendly menu driven under Clipper.
• Experience in PC LAN networking under Novell. I took experience in the software and hardware aspects after installing a network in an important company. Knows how to work on Novell console and Supervisor mode.

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 7: Computer Instructor/Research Assistant

• I worked on the Apple Macintosh II. I was responsible of developing a Finite Element Research Program, written in Object Pascal under MacApp. It was at this stage that I acquired knowledge of the important utilities of the Macintosh.
• Teaching Position. I was responsible of giving an introductory Pascal Programming course for Computer Science Students. The results among students were satisfactory.

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 8: Freelance Programmer

• I developed modules of an Accounting Package under FoxBase Plus.

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 9: Computer Instructor/Research Assistant

• Instructor at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences. I gave an introductory computer course as lab coordinator and lecturer at the same time.
• Research Assistant in the Computer Engineering Department. I was involved in performing a database project which was important for the university.

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 10: Trainee Engineer

• Summer Training Period. During this period, I gained a thorough experience in Assembly Language Programming, and wrote a TSR (memory resident) program called by keyboard (like SideKick).

Work Progress Summary Table

Position No. 11: Lab Instructor

• Instructed and helped students in the Turbo Pascal language. I was still in my second year of Computer Engineering when I was offered this position by the university.
• Instructor in BASIC language for children at the A.U.B. Alumni Association Club.

Work Progress Summary Table

Top of Page

Personal Skills

• Open communicator. Easy to deal with people.
• Fast learner concerning computers in software and hardware.
• Hard worker.
• In addition to the above, I have built an experience in dealing with the Internet, and installing communication software dealing with it, plus HTML knowledge and Web design knowledge!

Top of Page