James Allman / JA Technology Solutions LLC
Services for business-critical systems
I provide practical technical services for organizations that rely on long-lived systems, customized workflows, and integration between operational platforms. The focus is on keeping those environments useful, maintainable, and adaptable without unnecessary disruption.
Support & Enhancement
Ongoing support includes troubleshooting, targeted application changes, workflow improvements, SQL and database work, and technical support for specialized business systems. This often includes working directly with business end users to design workflows that improve productivity and better align systems with how people actually work.
Infrastructure and application support includes security hardening, operational best practices, and attention to compliance requirements including PCI DSS for environments that handle payment card data.
Migration
Migration is approached as a business continuity problem, not just a technology change. The goal is to move systems, data, workflows, and integrations toward more maintainable environments while reducing operational risk.
This may include phased data conversion, validation, interface migration, and recovery of undocumented behavior before change. ETL processes are often central to migration work, handling data extraction, transformation, and loading between platforms.
Where applicable, migration planning considers vendor lock-in reduction through technologies like JDBC for database-portable application code and open-source JDKs to eliminate proprietary licensing dependencies.
Modernization
Selective modernization of front ends, back ends, interfaces, and deployment environments — without unnecessary full replacement. Free-format conversion of legacy RPG code. Java and Kotlin services alongside existing IBM i applications.
When modernization or integration projects need a web front end, I build that too — web applications using React, Vue, and modern frameworks that connect directly to existing business logic and data through APIs, JDBC, and web services. The web layer is part of the modernization, not a separate project.
I help organizations reduce licensing costs and vendor lock-in by transitioning from proprietary platforms to open-source alternatives where practical, including open-source JDKs, Linux-based infrastructure, and open database platforms.
Integration
Integration work connects ERP, POS, warehouse, finance, and external systems through practical, supportable data flow. A strong networking and communications background, including IP, synchronous and asynchronous protocols, and low-level data exchange, supports this work at every layer.
This includes EDI for invoicing and ordering, database connectivity through JDBC, ODBC, OLEDB, and ADO.NET, API development, payment gateway integration (Stripe, Authorize.net), and real-time and batch data exchange. For environments that handle payment card data, integration design includes PCI compliance considerations.
Custom Development
Custom business applications, workflow-specific tools, and extensions to existing systems across IBM i, Linux, Windows, Apple, Android, and web environments. Building software tailored to how your organization actually operates — not adapting your operations to fit packaged software.
This includes green-field application development, spreadsheet-to-database conversions, automation of manual processes, and cross-platform applications that connect with existing enterprise systems.
Reporting & Analytics
Custom reporting, report automation, operational and management reporting, data visualization, dashboards, reconciliation, and report modernization. Reports are treated as part of the business workflow, not just output formatting.
See the BI dashboard in action to visualize the same spreadsheet data across twelve different chart types in real time.
IBM i
I provide IBM i consulting for support, enhancement, migration, modernization, integration, custom development, and reporting in environments where continuity matters.
Linux
Linux application development, infrastructure architecture, security hardening, containerization, build and deployment automation, and development tooling. Linux-first platforms for web applications, services, and enterprise integration.
I bring a systems-level understanding of Linux that goes beyond application code — networking, security, deployment design, and the architectural decisions that keep production environments reliable.
Windows and Microsoft
Windows application development using C#, .NET, Visual Basic, VBA, C++, and related Microsoft technologies. Microsoft Access databases, SQL Server development, Excel and VBA automation, and integration between Microsoft platforms and other systems.
Banking and payment integrations including NACHA Positive Pay file generation, ACH automation, bank reconciliation, payment gateway integration (Stripe, Authorize.net), and custom interfaces between accounting systems and financial institutions.
Grocery Merchandising
I support grocery retail merchandising platforms, including Grocers Support Systems (GSS) and similar software, with reporting, enhancement, workflow support, integration, and modernization-related planning.
Engagements
Engagements may be ongoing or project-based, including support relationships, reporting initiatives, integrations, migration projects, targeted enhancements, and architecture guidance.