August 22, 2013 at 8:24 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Cool Projects
August 23, 2013 at 4:12 am
Is the dearth of responses an indication that we are all just working on mundane projects?! Or is it too early?!
I would like to get into seeing how SQL Server plays with NoSQL...I think that there is some implementation of Hadoop in SQL Azure?! Only if I had more time!
- Chris
August 23, 2013 at 5:58 am
I work at a biorepository and we have around 700-800 extreme- and ultra-low temperature freezers (mostly -80C for mechanical and -185C for liquid nitrogen). They're monitored 24/7 by two separate servers running third-party software developed by GE/Kaye systems.
I created a solution that exported data from these two servers, imported it into an operations database in SQL Server and updated where necessary. It also serves as the data source for a Visio-based layout that we use as a map of our repository. The map displays the status of the units, their associated alarm points and will display further data about the unit or alarm tag by clicking on it. We also installed Visio Viewer on our workstations to display it in Internet Explorer so we saved on licensing costs.
Finally, it checks to be sure that units containing samples have their assocated alarm point turned on and emails a number of people if they aren't.
Prior to starting that project, I knew some SQL, but had no exposure to SQL Server. Needless to say I've learned a thing or three.
Right now I'm working on a solution to centralize production data that is currently kept in around 40 separate Excel spreadsheets (each staff person has one they fill out manually and the data is currently collected by using DDE in an Access application). Data consistency is, as you can imagine, a challenge. I'm creating a single application for data entry that will serve as the front-end for a SQLServer database. SSIS plays a role doing some additional data validation but eventually will include a component to transfer the data to a to-be-created data warehouse. That data warehouse is my personal Everest at the moment.
Our business unit collects a lot of data, but it isn't always the right data and it's not collected and stored in a structure that enables us to leverage it. And a fair amount of this data is mission-critical as in determining how much we bill our clients, labor costs, etc.
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Just my $0.02 from over here in the cheap seats of the peanut gallery - please adjust for inflation and/or your local currency.
August 23, 2013 at 6:15 am
I'm experimenting with an old fashioned technique of dealing with strings using SQL CLR to see if it still has benefit.
I'm also trying to blend in test driven development.
August 23, 2013 at 6:21 am
We just went productive with a debit card authorization system. This a very high performing solution and I have been involved from the conceptual design, several years ago. This is like a version 3.0 of the original product. This has been the toughest test we have passed, due the the very high transactional volumes and we passed it, not without some minor adjustments.
August 23, 2013 at 6:24 am
Cool project! I've always been intrigued about using Visio to visualize data from SQL Server...
August 23, 2013 at 6:39 am
On the tech side, I'm trying to learn more about BIML, PowerPivot, and PowerQuery. Seeing some of the built-in functionality in Excel 2013 has given me a handful of ideas about how we could possibly use that for some short-term solutions for our customers.
Personally - we're prepping for a newborn within the month. That has led to painting, purchasing, and fixing stuff around the house as we get ready. Not necessarily cool in the things I'm doing, but excited about the reason behind those projects. 🙂
August 23, 2013 at 6:49 am
My project is a client/server .NET application that supports electronic warfare (EW) mission data for US Air Force combat aircraft, particularly the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The application currently consists of 59 individual .NET projects in a single solution and is “modularized” so that the individual projects implement certain pieces of functionality. We can distribute the DLLs for individual projects to only those users who need the module’s capabilities. The data is stored in SQL 2008 R2 (two separate servers) and currently consists of 10 individual databases with about 35GB of data right now. What the application does is collect Intelligence data from a myriad of sources and lets EW engineers analyze and manipulate the data to develop “mission data” that gets loaded onto the aircraft and drives systems such as radar warning, countermeasures, threat identification, etc. The majority of users are located at a single location in Northwest Florida, so the app is loaded on their PCs and links to the SQL Server, but we do have remove users in California. The network the application resides on isn’t capable enough to allow client install on their PCs – the data connections timeout, so we installed the application on a terminal server and those users connect via Remote Desktop, so the only data being passes is the graphical data. Works pretty well.
August 23, 2013 at 6:51 am
My cool may be your mundane. One of the contractors here refactored a couple of my projects into OO written in C#. I am now learning this and am finding it very cool.
August 23, 2013 at 6:54 am
Peter Schott (8/23/2013)
On the tech side, I'm trying to learn more about BIML, PowerPivot, and PowerQuery. Seeing some of the built-in functionality in Excel 2013 has given me a handful of ideas about how we could possibly use that for some short-term solutions for our customers.Personally - we're prepping for a newborn within the month. That has led to painting, purchasing, and fixing stuff around the house as we get ready. Not necessarily cool in the things I'm doing, but excited about the reason behind those projects. 🙂
The Inquire tab in Excel 2013 is :smooooth:
August 23, 2013 at 7:13 am
fificito (8/23/2013)
Cool project! I've always been intrigued about using Visio to visualize data from SQL Server...
It's not terribly difficult, as Visio can be linked to a number of data sources (it was originally designed for visualizing data in Excel). Google VisioGuy for a look at what Visio can do - and it's a LOT more than you're thinking. I've seen some rather amazing stuff.
If you really want to make Visio sing, delve into the ShapeSheet. Anybody who has programmed an Excel spreadsheet will pick it up in no time. The tricky part is there are a lot of properties and different objects can have different properties and knowing what does what takes some research and practice.
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Just my $0.02 from over here in the cheap seats of the peanut gallery - please adjust for inflation and/or your local currency.
August 23, 2013 at 7:25 am
milzs (8/23/2013)
My project is a client/server .NET application that supports electronic warfare (EW) mission data for US Air Force combat aircraft, particularly the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Very cool
August 23, 2013 at 7:27 am
I am working on a tool, that does some pretty heavy number crunching, too help managers decide if it’s cheaper to repair or replace sludge pumps.
I work at a Wastewater Treatment Plant and they can wear out quickly.
August 23, 2013 at 8:00 am
We work in (don't yell) Real Estate - we are using GIS functions to compare what county, city and zip that a realtor claims a listing is in and send them a notice to fix the listing if they don't want to be fined.
August 23, 2013 at 9:13 am
I work for a manufacturer of automobile parts (specifically brakes and master cylinders) and am currently implementing a SQL Server based machine data collection system that will feed multiple business systems ---
barcode labeling of shipping containers
production completion recording in ERP/inventory systems
OEE
lot tracking
I am learning a lot as I go...never a dull moment.
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