CSS specializes in developing and implementing Custom Software Solutions and Support Services which deliver high value to our customers. Our skilled professionals help our clients/partners integrate technology that fits their business needs. We link the most cost effective, innovative and sensible solutions to our clients business requirements - this could even mean, in some cases, a recommendation to not automate if it doesn't make business sense or is not cost effective to do so.
We provide our clients with a full array of services, including:
- Project Management
- Identity and Access Management
- Full Life-Cycle Software Development
- Database and Data Management
- Operations & Maintenance
CSS has a proven track record of delivering the desired and expected results on time and within budget. We realize that it takes a team effort to successfully bring a project to successful completion. Our Project Managers (PM's) work closely with our clients to define the business needs, requirements and risks. Our PM's also know how to motivate our project teams - we realize that a motivated technically capable team is the fastest most efficient path to success. We know how to:
- Identify and manage risks right from the start (early and often);
- Include all stakeholders early in the project - this includes the
user community as well as other organizations which will be part
of the project (directly or indirectly) such as Security,
Infrastructure, Database, etc.;
- Strive to get all associated upper management buy-in (if not,
this can quickly become a risk);
- Define and manage project scope/requirements;
- Manage the project by a schedule and track progress (using a
tool such as Microsoft Project);
- Assign responsible parties to specific tasks;
- Deliver project results on time and within budget;
- Ensure deliverables meet or exceed users needs and
expectations through frequent user validation and
verification and thorough testing;
- Deliver products of high quality; and
- Deliver the benefits that justified your investment.
CSS managers employ proven work structures and methodologies that give the desired results.
We have solid experience in developing and implementing Identity and Access Management Systems. We have faced and overcome numerous challenges and risks in these implementations. This can be one of the Enterprises most cost saving decisions and at the same time the most challenging to implement. We bring with us lessons learned and hard earned experience on how to mitigate the inherent risks with Identity and Access Management Solutions. These include process and procedures, data validation, systems interfaces, data validation, environment (Dev, Qual and Prod) and oh yeah, did we say data validation. You can read more in our White Paper on Identity Management Systems Implementation.
CSS has experience in designing, developing and successfully implementing applications including Federal Financial Institution Regulatory Applications (such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Safety and Soundness, Information Technology and Compliance Examination Systems), Law Enforcement Systems (such as NYPD's Warrants and Investigation System), and Inventory Control and Monitoring Systems (Roses Department Stores) to name a few. We have expertise in the Rational Unified Process (RUP), Agile and the Waterfall Methodologies. Based on our experience working with multiple methodologies we know the short comings as well as the strengths of each. There is no one perfect methodology (at least based on our experience, and if someone out there has found it, please let us know) - but knowing how to use the customers chosen methodology (whether it be Agile, RUP, Waterfall or a hybrid) in the most cost effective, efficient and informative way possible (to the stakeholders and development team) is key to bringing a project in on time, within scope and within budget. There will be times, however, when changes in scope, cost or schedule may be valid due to a sudden change in business requirements. This is where our experience in tracking, prioritizing, determining risk of incorporating or not incorporating requested change, determining cost, and timing (i.e. does the change have to be incorporated immediately or can it wait for a later release after "go-live) will help our customers make sound educated decisions.
CSS provides Oracle, DB2 and SQL Server Database Management Support to it's customers. We have experienced and certified DBA's. Our DBA's oversee all aspects of a large scale business databases including initial database architecture design through implementation, administration, monitoring, tuning, backup, migration, and support. We perform the following functions for our clients:
- Design and document database architecture. Data Modeling.
- Design Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence platform
- Build database scheme, tables, procedures and permissions
- Set up data sharing and disk partitioning
- Develop database utilities and automated reporting
- Create shell scripts for task automation
- Create, test and execute data management languages
- Analyze and sustain capacity and performance requirements
- Analyze, consolidate and tune database for optimal efficiency
- Monitor systems and platforms for availability.
- Oversee backup, clustering, mirroring, replication and failover
- Restore and recover corrupted databases
- Install and test upgrades and patches
- Implement security and encryption
- Provide 24/7 support for critical situations
- Evaluate and recommend new database technologies
The CSS Team is capable of supporting all phases of the software development lifecycle including Operations and Maintenance and conversion activities. Our expertise with legacy mainframe systems as well as new Target Architectures (such as Unix/Oracle or Microsoft/MS SQL or combinations (as most installations have)) allows us to support the migration and data conversion efforts necessary as well as maintain both the legacy and target environment systems. Our unique understanding of application software and security infrastructure based on our experience with identity management solutions which must cross multiple platforms gives us an understanding of the inter-relationships of today's complex systems.