Custom Database And Web Applications

It is a recurring pattern in software development that people scope out projects without the end-users in mind. They put in too much or too little validation. They demand input of pieces of information that are rarely used in reporting or are redundant. These decisions are often made in a vacuum without considering the effect of this on the usability of the application. They focus their development on rarely used difficult to program pieces and neglect on making the more common day to day tasks easy to do. In the end, despite the good intentions of the programmers and project managers, if the end user finds an application cumbersome to use, the application will collect dust.

When starting a project, we first consider:

The customer budget
Time constraints
Technical competency of the people that will be using the system as well as the way they currently work
What problems is this project trying to solve and what problems does the current application/workflow manage well

We then try to put all of this into perspective, weighing items based on criticalness, ease of implementation, dependency on other action items, and whether an item is really needed or can be achieved as a derivative of another piece of information.

We consider ourselves much better than most IT consultants at making these critical common sense decisions as well as having the knowledge to execute them. These fundamental skills are the main determinant of success or failure of a project.

We have proven skills with SQL Server, Microsoft Access, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, MySQL, and other relational database systems. We also offer development using Visual Basic, VB.NET, PHP, and C#. We can help you:

Increase productivity by upgrading your old applications
Migrate your site from ASP to ASP.NET or PHP
Design and develop custom database and intranet applications
Design and develop Web-based internet applications and e-commerce solutions
Continued support of database and application once in production
Upgrade an MS Access applicaton by moving file data storage of MS access application to a server DBMS while maintaining MS Access front-end
Database and server administration

Contact Us detailing your project requirements and we can provide a free ball-park estimate as to the pieces that need to be implemented and the cost and time of implementation.

Web Application Development and Prototype Hosting

Have an application you want to webify? Paragon can help you convert existing desktop applications to web based ones, design new web-based applications or enhance and upgrade existing ones. Our staff has expertise in the areas of database and web application development and deployment using technologies such as AJAX, AJAX.Net control toolkit, ASP.NET (1.1, 2.0), PHP (4,5), Active Server Pages (ASP), SOAP and REST Web Services, Web Mapping Applications using PostGIS, Google Maps, SharpMap, OpenLayers, and Mapserver.

Below is a sampling of services we have provided in this area

Conversion of MS Access Applications to ASP.NET and PHP web-based Equivalents
VC Portfolio Tracking application in ASP.NET with integration with ActiveReports.NET, Web-based Excel Workbook generation using Excel Basic complete with native excel charts
Custom web-based reporting
Web-based Flight Operations tracking and Web Mapping utilizing AJAX.NET control toolkit, SQL Server 2005, OpenLayers, and Virtual Earth
Aggregate Geographical Sales analysis reporting and mapping in ASP.NET based on consumer proximity to store locations, PostGIS support. Political district matching, geocoding, and mapping using PostGIS, U.S. Census Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing system (TIGER) Data, and ward precinct, census blocks, congressional, senate district and other political boundaries, and UMN Mapserver
Various Web apps in PHP utilizing PHP ADODB database abstraction layer and Smarty Templating Engine, with database backends PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQL Server, automated e-mail checking and processing, web scraping
Database structural and query optimizations

Union Membership, Payment and Dues Modules, and Union Organizing

We have extensive experience working with Unions. We have developed many Union Membership and dues tracking custom tailored applications and also provide On-Demand web application hosting for these applications. We can provide a standard application with minimum customization for low-budget shops and provide more advanced customizations as needed at our standard rates.

Website Relocation

Not happy with your current hosting company and want to move to a different one, or want to host your own website? Paragon has helped many companies relocate their websites and database applications. Below are a couple of reasons you may choose to move your website.

You want to host your own site with your T1 or DSL to save money or be more in control.
Your traffic has increased significantly and you now need a dedicated server.
Your current ISP is too expensive or unreliable.

Here are some of the functions we have provided in the past to other customers

Moving your database to the new server (Specialties - SQL Server (2000, 2005,2008), PostgreSQL (8.0-8.4+), MySQL (3-5.1)
Upgrading your database from SQL Server (6.5,7, 2000) -> to SQL Server 2005/2008, Upgrading to PostgreSQL 8.2+, Upgrading MySQL to MySQL 5
Transitioning from one database platform to another. We have extensive experience converting apps from MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL from and to MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL
Moving your website and website applications (ASP, ASP.NET, PHP)
Setting up mail server
Changing your DNS authority and reconfiguring your DNS records to point to the new servers
Importing your SSL certificates or registering new SSL certificates
Secure a domain name, locate an internet service provider, and configure your network for T1-T3, DSL, Cable.

Networking, Internetworking, Windows 2003, Windows 2008 / Linux server support, IIS/Apache Support and Database server administration

We have staff proficient in Windows 2003/2008, Linux (Redhat EL and CentOS), IIS, Apache, and PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and MySQL administration. We can provide 24/7 phone support.

Mentoring, Training, and Support

We have helped many companies and individuals across the country develop their own database and web applications. We provide one-on-one training usually via the phone, IM (such as Skype, AOL,MSN), Netmeeting, and/or GoToMeeting/WebEx. Mentoring works best when you have a project you are working on. We will help you get over the technical hurdles by either pointing you in the right direction or doing that technically challenging portion of the work for you and explaining the steps.

Below is a list of some of the areas we have mentored

Concepts in Relational Database Technology - how to use triggers, stored procedures, foreign key constraints effectively
PostgreSQL/PostGIS Spatial Training and Support - writing spatial queries, integrating with web applications
Using Microsoft Access Query Designer, Form Designer, Visual Basic
Writing SQL Queries, Stored Procedures, Views, and Stored Functions (PostgreSQL PlPgsql, SQL and SQL Server Transact SQL languages, MySQL, MS Access)
Microsoft SQL Data Transformation Services (DTS), SQL Integration Services (SSIS)
Writing ASP.NET/PHP/ASP applications and using PHP Smarty templating
Basic concepts in HTML, DHTML, Javascript, Jquery, Web Mapping
General software architecture concepts - determining where to build in flexibility and where not to, table driven design