| SQL can be embedded or used in conjunction with programming languages such as C and COBOL. SQL can also be embedded in Internet programming languages, such as Java. Text from HTML, another Internet language, can be translated into SQL to send a query to a remote database from a Web frontend. After the database resolves the query, the output is translated back into HTML and displayed on the Web browser of the individual executing the query. The following sections discuss the use of SQL on the Internet. Making Data Available to Customers Worldwide With the advent of the Internet, data became available to customers and vendors worldwide. The data is normally available for read-only access through a front-end tool. The data that is available to customers can contain general customer information, product information, invoice information, current orders, back orders, and other pertinent information. Private information, such as corporate strategies and employee information, should not be available. Home Web pages on the Internet have become nearly a necessity for companies that want to keep pace with their competition. A Web page is a very powerful tool that can tell surfers all about a companyits services, products, and other informationwith very little overhead. Making Data Available to Employees and Privileged Customers A database can be made accessible, through the Internet or a company's intranet, to employees or its customers. Using Internet technologies is a valuable communication asset for keeping employees informed about company policies, benefits, training, and so on. However, great caution must be taken when making information available to Web users. Confidential corporate or individual information should not be accessible on the web if possible. Additionally, only a subset, or copy of a subset of a database, should be accessible online. The main production database(s) should be protected at all costs. Front-End Web Tools Using SQL There are several tools that can access databases. Many have a graphical user interface, where a user does not necessarily have to understand SQL to query a database. These front-end tools allow users to point and click with the mouse, to select objects that represent tables, manipulate data within objects, specify criteria on data to be returned, and so on. These tools are often developed and customized to meet a company's database needs. |
