Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 24 Hours, Third Edition By Ronald R. Plew, Ryan K. Stephens
Table of Contents
Hour 23. Extending SQL to the Enterprise, the Internet, and the Intranet
Accessing a remote database through a Web interface is very similar to accessing one through a local network. The main difference is that all requests to the database from the user are routed through the Web server (see Figure 23.3).
Figure 23.3. A Web interface to a remote database.
You can see in Figure 23.3 that an end user accesses a database through a Web interface by first invoking a Web browser. The Web browser is used to connect to a particular URL, determined by the location of the Web server. The Web server authenticates user access and sends the user request, perhaps a query, to the remote database, which may also verify user authenticity. The database server then returns the results to the Web server, which displays the results on the user's Web browser. Using a firewall can control unauthorized access to a particular server.
A firewall is a security mechanism that ensures against unauthorized connections to and from a server. One or multiple firewalls can be enabled to patrol access to a database or server.
Be careful what information you make available on the Web. Always ensure that precautions are taken to properly implement security at all appropriate levels; that may include the Web server, the host server, and the remote database. Privacy act data, such as individuals' Social Security numbers , should always be protected and should not be broadcast over the Web.
