Requirement to have an ASP.NET website up and running

[SF]

Hi,

I am new to ASP.NET design and programming. I am an MS Access database
developer for my organization (for my LAN). Recently, my boss require other
staff to start acessing to the database from the internet which is not
possible for Access to handle this. I start researching and know that only
ASP.NET could solve the problem. The first thing I want to know is:

1 - How to enable user to access the project database from the internet
(What I should have/update my LAN) for that porpuse)
2 - How can I restrict the security (Can I use AD to limit user accessing to
the project database)

Right now, I have 2 server on a windows 2003 server, 1 database server (SQl
server) , internet connection

I would appreciate any comment from the post.


SF

 

[Mark Rae [MVP]]

I am new to ASP.NET design and programming. I am an MS Access database
developer for my organization (for my LAN). Recently, my boss require
other staff to start acessing to the database from the internet which is
not possible for Access to handle this. I start researching and know that
only ASP.NET could solve the problem. The first thing I want to know is:

1 - How to enable user to access the project database from the internet
(What I should have/update my LAN) for that porpuse)
2 - How can I restrict the security (Can I use AD to limit user accessing
to the project database)

Right now, I have 2 server on a windows 2003 server, 1 database server
(SQl server) , internet connection

1) The Jet database (which MS Access uses) is not a good choice as the RDBMS
in a web-based solution - it's just not designed for that architecture.
Since you already have SQL Server, I would advise you to upsize the Jet
tables to that platform and then add them to the Access solution as linked
tables - you can still continue to use the Access objects (queries, forms,
reports etc) if you like...

2) How is your LAN connected to the Internet currently? Since the data needs
to be accessible over the Internet, you will need to either move it onto a
public website, or create an extranet.

3) You can certainly use ActiveDirectory with ASP.NET / SQL Server. However,
if you decide to move the whole thing to a public Internet site, this may
not be the best solution.

Since you're new to ASP.NET, I would strongly suggest that you get a copy of
this:
http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-ASP...=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272441735&sr=8-7
and work your way through it.

 

[Guest]

Hi,

I am new to ASP.NET design and programming. I am an MS Access database
developer for my organization (for my LAN). Recently, my boss require other
staff to start acessing to the database from the internet which is not
possible for Access to handle this. I start researching and know that only
ASP.NET could solve the problem. The first thing I want to know is:

1 - How to enable user to access the project database from the internet
(What I should have/update my LAN) for that porpuse)
2 - How can I restrict the security (Can I use AD to limit user accessing to
the project database)

Right now, I have 2 server on a windows 2003 server, 1 database server (SQl
server) , internet connection

I would appreciate any comment from the post.

SF

Usually, it's recommended to separate the untrusted network (with a
public web site) from the trusted network (LAN). Ask your system
administrator about "DMZ" for more information. I understand your
concern about security, but I think this is not the main problem here.
Speaking about migration from the desktop MS Access to a web based
application means, that we speak about totally new approach which
would require not only user access, but also development and network
configuration. You can't simply publish Access database using IIS and
ASP.NET. Most likely you would need to "convert" Access forms to web
forms for data entry and Access queries to web based reports.

 

[Andy O'Neill]

Hi,

I am new to ASP.NET design and programming. I am an MS Access database
developer for my organization (for my LAN). Recently, my boss require
other staff to start acessing to the database from the internet which is
not possible for Access to handle this. I start researching and know that
only ASP.NET could solve the problem. The first thing I want to know is:

1 - How to enable user to access the project database from the internet
(What I should have/update my LAN) for that porpuse)
2 - How can I restrict the security (Can I use AD to limit user accessing
to the project database)

Right now, I have 2 server on a windows 2003 server, 1 database server
(SQl server) , internet connection

I would appreciate any comment from the post.

Well I think the first thing to do is ask your boss how much resources he
wants to allocate to servicing this requirement.
Because it's far from trivial and I wonder if he appreciates this.

Assuming you have no full sized rdbms implemented at the moment and you
asked me how I'd service this request.
You need a server to stick a database on and you need one to run IIS on.
These could be the same one.
I'd install sql express on the server and look into using the MS sql server
migration assistant to convert the tables from access and copy over.
Then copy your code mdb, point the copy at the new sql server database and
connect to the tables.
Get that working.
I'd now have a more reliable back end storing my data - which is a good
thing of itself.
I'd then look at what functionality needs to be available remotely and from
who.
I'd use the asp.net membership provider and forms level security on asp.net.
I might look at using silverlight depending on functionality.
If you don't do web development already then silverlight is much more like
windows development and you won't need to learn javascript and worry about
maintaining state.