Client Name: Cheryl (Founder, Humat.org)

Industry: Nonprofit / Humanitarian Database Management

Project Overview: Humat.org, a nonprofit platform aggregating data on humanitarian organizations, faced operational challenges after a server misconfiguration disrupted their live site. They needed emergency support to restore site functionality, configure database connectivity, automate backups, optimize SQL performance, and import complex data mappings from Excel to SQL Server.

The Challenge: Cheryl’s organization encountered a domain and server error that disabled their live search functionality, likely caused by misconfigured connection strings or permission errors. This initial issue revealed deeper structural problems including:

• Broken search functionalities linked to an unregistered API.
• Slow-loading profile detail pages.
• Manual Excel-to-SQL updates requiring complex mapping logic.
• Lack of automated backups, risking data loss during migrations.
• Stripe integration inconsistencies.
• Challenges with address geocoding and data completeness.

The Solution Provided by Database School:

1. Server Recovery & IIS Configuration

• Diagnosed and corrected corrupted IIS configurations on the Plesk panel.
• Updated web.config files and restored the MVC site.

2. Database Connectivity Fixes

• Restored database connection using correct authentication.
• Verified and tested application-level SQL connectivity and CRUD functionality.

3. Automated Backup System

• Developed a subdomain (backup.humat.org) hosting a custom app to create .bak files.
• Configured scheduled jobs to produce regular database backups.
• Ensured flexibility for future hosting migrations.

4. Excel-to-SQL Migration with Data Mapping

• Used IRS codes to map Excel records to humanitarian categories and subcategories.
• Applied logic to skip outdated or unclassified codes.
• Updated only new records to avoid overwriting modified existing entries.

 

5. Stripe Payment Flow Debugging

• Diagnosed legacy Stripe code inconsistencies.
• Aligned charging logic to business rules (token storage on checkout; charge upon status update).
• Validated SSL and data security adherence.

6. Geolocation Processing

• Integrated batch geocoding using U.S. Census API as an open-source alternative.
• Processed address datasets to generate latitude and longitude entries.
• Handled “No Match” results with fallback logic.

Technology Stack Used:

• NET MVC
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012 / 2019
• Plesk Hosting Panel
• Stripe API Integration
• Google & U.S. Census Geocoding API
• Excel Data Transformation via C#

Results & Impact:
a) Live site restored and stabilized within 48 hours.
b) Search functionality repaired, improving user engagement.
c) Automated daily backups prevented data loss during VPS migration.
d) Complex Excel data updates were imported without overwriting prior changes.
e) Stripe payment flow now aligns with Humat.org’s operational policies.
f) Location data accuracy significantly improved through batch processing.

Client Testimonial: “Thank you for sticking with this complex project. Your persistence helped us recover from what could’ve been a total disaster. The automated backup saved us during migration. I’ll definitely reach out again!” — Cheryl, Founder of Humat.org

Conclusion: This project demonstrates Database School’s expertise in handling full-stack database operations—from server configuration and data security to performance tuning and advanced integrations. The solution not only rescued a failing system but laid a reliable, automated foundation for future growth and data management excellence.