My Exiting Journey of PhD in Oracle APEX

     It was 5 years journey with some hurdles and with lots of new learning while pursuing my Phd on Oracle APEX. I thought to write this blog so that those who are planning to pursue PhD and in a search of a good topic they can get some idea.

 

Where the idea come from? Through a simple Online Test Application in LAN on Oracle APEX.

 
First ever I thought to pursue my PhD on Oracle APEX was in 2011-12 when I was working in one of the M.C.A College of GTU. I have developed one application which was to conduct an Online MCQ test of the students and was planned to run in the LAN. At that time I have a normal Computer with minimal configuration and I have install Oracle APEX on that PC. The plan was all the students will access the MCQ Test in the Intranet and we can generate results instantly. When I have started using the Application in LAN with the class of 60 students, I have observed that the application is running without any problem and all are able to get data smoothly. So that time a though came in mind that the Performance of Oracle APEX is far better than other available technologies. But to convert this thought in a PhD title was very difficult and it took 2 years to frame a PhD title. 

 

Meanwhile i have start working on my Certification of Oracle SQL in the 2014. And i got my SQL Certified Expert Certificate before i start my PhD.

 

To pursue PhD or Not… Do I have a Choice? No I have to do my Phd as I am in the Academic Field

As I am in the Academic field I have to do the PhD for my personal as well as academic growth. So I have started my PhD in the year 2014 with the titled “Performance Evaluation of Development Platform Architecture and Implementation of ALM (Application Life Cycle Management) and VCS (Version Control System)”. During the initial Literature review I have analyzed the underlying architecture of Oracle APEX with all its internal views and tables on which the architecture was developed. I have selected .NET and PHP technology to be compared with Oracle APEX for the Performance Evaluation with different available parameter.

 

Does it was easy to write a Research Paper?

It was very difficult to write any research paper for me as it was first time I was doing such work. But got help from my guide Dr. Priya Swaminarayan, regarding how to write a research paper and I have started doing so. After the Initial Literate review I was searching for a Testing tool which I can use to test the performance of all the Technologies and get some parameter with output. So I have searched for some open source tools and at the end I find Apache JMeter tool to test the performance of all the Technologies. Initial plan was to test the performance of all the Technologies in a local computer with minimal configuration. So I have tested all three with different parameters and recorded the results. Further to enhance the scope of Research I have developed a LAN with 2 PC and executed the same performance evaluation with all the selected technologies and recorded the results. Till this time I have tested all the technologies with minimal virtual user load from 10 to 500. But during the RDC I have suggested by the committee to enhance the performance evaluation over the cloud and I have also understand that this will give me a lots of data with plenty of repots which I can showcase as  a result of performance evaluation.

For all the technical problems I was having a one stop solution is Mr.Jaydipsinh Raulji who have helped me a lot during my PhD in all the technical difficulties on Oracle APEX which I face. And At that time during the implementation of my work on Oracle APEX I have come across one issue where I need to work on underlying view of Oracle APEX so I didn’t get any solution so Jaydipsinh suggested me to convey this to Joel Kallman and I have connected with Joel and have mailed him for the help. And very soon he reply me and then I have continue to my work.

 

In the year 2018 I have started attending events of AIOUG (All India Oracle User Group) and Odev Yatra of Oracle where I get the chance to meet some of the speakers like Chaitanya Koratamaddi, Mr. Connor McDonald, Mr. Satyendra Pasalapudi, Mr. Sandesh Rao, Mr. Basheer Khan.In all these events I just attend due to the Oracle APEX sessions so that I can get some advance information regarding the technology. During this time I have got chance to discuss lots of things with Mr.Chaitanaya regarding Oracle APEX.

Meet Chaitanya Koratamaddi at Odev Yatra

Attending Sessions of  Chaitanya Koratamaddi with my Students

Meet Sandesh Rao at Odev Yatra

   

Meet Satyendra Pasalapudi at Tech-Day

  

 

Meet Connor McDonald at AIOUG Event

Get APEX Sticker from Chaitanya at AIOUG Event.

APEX Signature in Chaitanya's Session at AIOUG

Does pursuing PhD for a degree only? Certainly not,  i have explored many new aspects in Oracle APEX by connecting with experts across India and globally. Slowly but my PhD work on Oracle APEX take me towards some great opportunities.

While pursuing my PhD i have started conducted webinars/workshop across different colleges and universities and aware the students of undergraduate and postgraduate about this amazing technology so that they can build their career on Oracle APEX. 

I have also started a Dedicated YouTube Channel for Oracle APEX and till date have uploaded 50+ videos and with 1.24k subscribers. Visit the youtube channel on following link.

https://www.youtube.com/c/UpSkillXperts

https://www.youtube.com/c/UpSkillXperts 

So Following are some glimpse of the events on Oracle APEX which was conducted while i pursue my PhD.

Started in the end of 2014 i have conducted an Webinar at NVPAS College. First event title was "Oracle APEX- A Rapid Application Development Tool and Unity Game Engine".

Oracle APEX Session at NVPAS College December - 2014

 In January-2015 I have invited for a Session on Oracle APEX at Rai University, Ahmedabad.

 

Oracle APEX Session at Rai University, Ahmedabad January - 2015

      In June-2016 and August- 2018 I have invited for a Guest Lecture on "Oracle APEX" at Kadi Sarva Vishwavidyalaya, Gandhinagar

 

Oracle APEX Session at Kadi University,Gandhinagar August- 2018

 

So at that time I was suggested by RDC Committee to use Amazon cloud to conduct the performance evaluation test. So I have installed all the technologies one by one on Amazon cloud account and evaluated the performance of all the technologies and recorded the results. So by the completion of this I have a lots of reports and data which I can use to show the performance evaluation of the selected technologies which help me to complete my Thesis with sufficient data and comparative study reports. During my Phd I have published 7 research papers in different journals and also attended 3 conference to present my research work.

In the year 2019 I have defended my PhD final viva and completed my PhD. 

What I get after doing research on Oracle APEX Technology from 2014 to 2019.? From 2020 fruits were coming one by one.

 After completion of my PhD i have never stop conducting events  on Oracle APEX Technology.

Have organized and conducted Oracle APEX Session at NVPAS College, Sardar Patel University.

Oracle APEX Session at NVPAS College, Sardar Patel University, V.V.Nagar

    Mean while one of the greatest thing I came across is the INOAUG (India Oracle APEX User Group) and have got chance to communicate and share many aspects with Chaitanya Koratamaddi, Senior Principal Product Manager and Richard Dalvi, President of INOAUG.

I was given an opportunity to share my research work in the 3rd Annual APEX Conference and I was very exited to share and work with INOAUG. From the group I came to know that I was the first person to complete PhD on Oracle APEX.

3rd Annual APEX Conference, Chennai INDIA

Year 2020 bring more for me and I got the place in the Board of India Oracle APEX User Group as a Regional Leader which boost me up and I have start working on spreading Oracle APEX Technology in my region at larger scale by conducting an International Events at different colleges and Universities. 

      In the same year I have also got APEX Challenge coin and became first person to get it in India. These update I have got from the INOAUG Group president Mr.Richard Dalvi and was very proud to have it.

2020 also bring COVID pandemic so it was difficult to conduct seminars for students in physical mode but still I have work on it and find some way to conduct it online as it was very new for students to sit back at home and attend lectures and webinars. In the end of year 2020 I have organized an International Event on Oracle APEX at NVPAS College, CVM University the first virtual webinar.

In the starting of 2021 due to pandemic I have continue to conduct webinars online. So after I get place in the board of INOAUG I have got constant support for conducting events in my region. In the month of Feb. 2021 I was invited for a session on "Oracle APEX" at Parul University. 

In a gap of a month I have organized an International Webinar with OracleAPEXConsultant and in association with INOAUG at Parul University. 

Third webinar on "Oracle APEX" in the year 2021 was delivered at Kadi University. 

Forth event of 2021 was an International Event at Ganpat University. 

And the show is going on n on. During my PhD i have face difficulties but after completion of it i am getting rewarded with lots of things. It feels great to work on such technology which have gave me lots of things in returns of time invested on it.

Overall making a decision of pursing PhD on Oracle APEX brings lots of things in my life and help me a lot to get connected with the leaders of the Technology and get a change to bring the great technology to the students in my region. Its been more than decade with Oracle APEX Technology started in way 2009 with APEX 3.1 version and currently using 21.1. It's been an amazing journey. 

Soon some more events are under process and some more updates also.  

 

 

Have a Happy Learning

Regards

Digvijaysinh Virpura