Speaker: Robbie Clark
Candidate for Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Time: 6:35 PM
Place: Trustee Hall 216
Supervisor: Dr. Richard Kopec
Title: Designing for Scalability within a Large Corporate Intranet

Abstract: A common problem among large corporations is the vast amount of duplicated web applications residing on their intranet. This duplication adds unnecessary IT and personnel expense. The problem exists because intranet programmers do not design their software for scalability, the ability for one software application to solve the needs of many varied users. The Supplier Performance Rating (SPR) system, a web application used by Motorola, was not initially designed for scalability, and was unable to accommodate the requirements of the growing user base. The SPR system was recently rewritten into a fully scalable web application, which transformed it from a local departmental application into an application accessible to the entire company. The process of extending this application involved a redesign of the back-end Oracle database, implementation of a security model, web-based administration and thorough testing. User verification and SQL scripts were employed to ensure the new database and web interfaces were secure and accurate. The newly scalable SPR application has now been deployed world wide with a participating audience of over 5000 users.