Howard Abrams

  Senior Software Engineer and Architect
 
www.howardabrams.com

Summary
Senior software engineer with 25 years experience in full-lifecycle software development, from gathering requirements through implementation.

Special, extensive expertise in all tiers of 3-tier J2EE systems. Extensive background in Java based UI-design with comprehensive portfolio. Excellent design and communication skills. Favor Agile engineering methodologies.

Engineering Skills
  • Computer Languages— Java (J2EE), SQL, Groovy, C, C++
  • Scripting Languages— Perl, Unix Shell (sh), Javascript (Node.js)
  • Operating Systems— Linux, Mac OS X and multiple flavors of Unix.
  • Java Standard Extensions and Libraries—
    Server-side: Servlets, JSP, Grails, JDBC, EJB, Struts, Freemarker, Spring
    Client-side: Swing, AWT, JavaBeans, JavaMail, and well as Java-XML parsing libraries like JAX, JDOM, SAX and DOM
  • Web Technologies— Grails, Flex, XML, XSLT, JavaScript (node.js, jQuery, YahooUI), Web Services (SOAP, REST), HTML, JSP, Style sheets (CSS), DOM
  • Databases— MongoDB, MySQL, Postgresql, Informix, Oracle as well as ORM tools like Hibernate and iBatis.
  • Development Tools— IDEs (Eclipse), Code Control (Git, Subversion, Perforce, Clearcase), Unit Testing (JUnit and Mockito), Java build technologies (Maven, Ant, Jenkins)

Experience

Huawei's Innovation Center (via Workforce Logic)

www.huawei.com - Santa Clara, California
November 2010 to Present
  • Project lead for creating a web interface to a PaaS cloud product. Including product architecture and managing remote team in China. ( JavaScript / Node / Express / MongoDB )
    • UML class diagrams and wireframe mockups
    • Created project frameworks and communication
    • Developed build process for the JavaScript projects
    • Create a documentation generation tool
  • Project lead for building an SMB SaaS Framework on top of an internal cloud product offering. Also integrated the FuzzyToast JavaScript Framework (an open source project that I started). ( Java / Guice / MongoDB / JavaScript )
  • Managed partner companies and contractors for delivering a mobile application with server-side components.

iovation, Inc.

www.iovation.com - Portland, Oregon
July 2009 to October 2010
  • Project lead for maintaining and expanding company web application interface from gathering customer input to feature implementation. ( Java / Spring / JSP / jQuery (AJAX) / Oracle )
  • Worked on company-wide directive to migrate from single OLTP database to distributed cloud-based data storage. ( Java / ActiveMQ / REST Web Services / Postgresql )
  • Led project to automate user interface and integration testing. ( Groovy / Selenium )

Joule Labs

www.joulelabs.com - San Jose, California
December 2008 to July 2009
  • Created an online portal for gathering energy usage and analyzing data in order to generate analysis reports, e.g. Carbon Disclosure Project. This was developed for a large electronics manufacturer. ( Grails / Groovy / GSP / jQuery (AJAX) / MySQL / Web Tech (HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc) )
  • Worked with sales team to find and support customers.

Cordys, Inc.

www.cordys.com - San Jose, California
October 2007 to December 2008
  • Created the user interface for H&R Block's very successful Ask for Tax Advice portal. See my initial prototype on my website. ( Javascript / YahooUI / AJAX / Web Tech (HTML, CSS, and all the graphics) )
  • Created a repository for storing company-specific software components (this included storing scripts, documentation and other supporting files). The repository supporting versioning, searching, etc. See my website for details. ( Groovy / Grails / GSP / MySQL / Web Tech (HTML, CSS, Javascript) )
  • Built a connector to interface company product with Cisco's high-end router. This adapter allowed workflows to configure and control IOS. ( Java )

uXcomm, Inc.

www.uxcomm.com - Beaverton, Oregon
September 2004 to October 2007
  • Recognized and engineered fixes for a number of usability defects in core product, including implementing a new scripting language, adding security, authorization features, and redesigning its plugin interface. ( Java / JavaCC )
  • Developed Xen hypervisor management application for controlling virtual machines as well as controlling processes on the VM. This was done for Fortune 500 company. ( Xen / AJAX / Dojo Toolkit / XSLT / SOAP / SBLIM / CIM-XML )
  • Created a UI framework for web-based user interface that took XML data received from remote agents and reformatted for web display. ( Java (J2EE) Servlets / XML / XSLT / Web Tech (HTML, CSS, Javascript) )
  • Wrote a number of reusable plugin components for product's service architecture for customer applications. ( Java / XML / Encryption (JCE) / CIM and WBEM / VMware's Management API )
  • Worked on many of the company's deliverable applications, including front-end and back-end work. ( Java / XML / XSLT / Javascript / Hibernate / Ant / Eclipse / Web Tech (HTML, CSS, etc.) )
  • Engineered nightly builds and code control processes. Helped migrate code base to take advantage of the Eclipse build process and automated test suites. ( Eclipse / JUnit / CruiseControl / Ant )

DigiSlice Corp. / Opus 41

www.opus41.com - Portland, Oregon
December 2002 to September 2004
  • Established core architecture and IT for nascent startup including an intranet portal architecture (see my web site for details).
  • Recovered under-served product from WebGain to create AppComposer (a Java development tool suite) which was licensed and branded for OEMs and software vendors. (Client-side Java (Swing) / Ant / CVS / Eclipse / EJBs / Weblogic / Websphere / JBoss )
  • Used component technologies to build a web-based CRM application for realtors. (Java servlets / JDBC / MySQL / Freemarker / Web Tech (HTML, CSS, Javascript) )
  • Built an online ordering system that would fax orders to Internet-limited offices (like the kitchens of restaurants). Go to e-santhai.com to see this application in action. (Java / Spring Framework / JSP / JSTL / Web Tech (HTML, CSS, Javascript) )
  • Built a B2B web service for OEMs to license product to their customers. Included both the server component and client beans. (JAX-RPC / WSDL / Tomcat)
  • Created a number of Java components for specific vertical markets. (JDBC database access / XML Parsing / Date and Internationalization / Mail)

Immunix Inc. (was WireX)

www.immunix.com - Portland, Oregon
August 1999 to December 2002
  • Built secure, web-based server administration product that was licensed to Dell for their PowerEdge server series and HP/Compaq for their Proliant servers. Product was translated into many languages and branded for each OEM. ( Java servlets / My own template engine / Perl / Linux ).
  • Developed web framework for creating wizard-oriented applications. It integrated Java data in the UI with Perl scripts for administrating low-level server functions.
  • Designed several portals for interfacing with customers as well as a general back-end support for automatically upgraded deployed Linux servers. ( Java / Cocoon )
  • Managed the engineering team and was the engineering interface to the business units as well as to customers.
    (See my web site for more details and examples of my work with this company).
  • (Note: This company was purchased by Novell and integrated into the OpenSUSE Linux distribution.)

Informix Software

www.informix.com - Portland, Oregon
March 1997 to August 1999
  • Built a distributed GUI installer for their distributed database server that was included in version 8.2. The installer would push files from the GUI client running on a workstation to each node, configure the database, and then start it. (Java client using AWT / RSH / SSH / Clearcase)
  • Create node-to-node communication module through Unix shared memory. (Unix / C)
  • Built dynamic intranet portal to coordinate engineers over project status, build results and test regressions. (Perl / CGI )

ADP (Advanced Data Processing)

www.ds.adp.com - Dealer Services - Portland, OR
March 1995 to March 1997
  • Developed a multi-tiered, database interface between PCs and legacy systems.
  • Debugged legacy embedded micro-code and Unix Streams modules.

Unisys Corporation

www.unisys.com - Salt Lake City, Utah Site
March 1992 to March 1995
  • Developed user level interfaces, stream analyzers, and kernel modules for X.25 communications protocol. (SVR4 Unix / C)
  • Part of Unisys' effort to standardize X.25 extensions with X/Open subcommittee to XTI.

Onyx Graphics Corporation

www.onyxgfx.com - Salt Lake City, Utah
January 1991 to January 1992
  • Developed multimedia database system capable of storing photos, thumb prints, etc. Work was primarily on the graphical interface and data manipulation.
  • Worked on an imaging enhancement package.

DreamPark Development

Salt Lake City, Utah
June 1983 to January 1991
  • Worked on a variety of computer platforms with many different languages for companies on short-term software development projects.
    • SNMP Query VBX for Visual Basic for DreamPark Development
    • Bi-Sync Data Acquisition Driver for National Semiconductor
    • Office Software Development for Cascade Industries
    • Educational Programs for Washington County School District
    • Computer Instructor for Dixie College

Education