[AccessD] Serving reports to the web

Nick nick at frasiervan.com
Wed Dec 21 20:45:16 CST 2005


This is pretty much what I do all the time. There's a range of approaches,
but a lot depends on the details. How many external users, how often you
need to create accounts, how many internal users. What information gets
provided to the claimants, what information is exposed internally. 

For example, with ASP or even better, ASP.NET, there are ways to build
something that would allow the internal users to essentially navigate
through the entire database on an ad hoc read only basis.

What kind of infrastructure is available for this system? There's a
difference in what you can do if you have to build onto stuff already there.
At first glance based on the initial 40+ internal users I think I would like
a SQL server box, and internal IIS box, and an external IIS box, would this
kind of hardware be made availale?

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of John Colby
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 2:16 PM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'; Tech - Database
Advisors Inc.
Subject: [AccessD] Serving reports to the web

Does anyone have any knowledge of what is required to serve reports to users
on the web.  

The scenario is the Disability Insurance call center, a new client, which
wants to get access to summary information on insurance claims being
processed for management, but eventually to allow claimants to see the
status of their claim live, online.

I need a feel for how the security issue is handled, how users / passwords
can be created automatically, and once created how reports can be generated
and displayed based on the user logged in.  Details are sketchy, but I am
guessing that a secure area would be created where users log in.  The first
pass would segment the users into claimants and managers.  Once logged in, a
selection of possible reports (assuming that once demonstrated, the reports
will grow uncontrollably).

The BE is currently an Access BE approaching 500 mbytes, pounded on all day
by ~40 users live in-house entering claims and answering calls.  How does a
web enabled app get data out.  The "boss" has already pretty much nixed
emailing reports and downloadable predefined PDF files.  Which to me
indicates they are looking at "configurable" reporting out of live data,
straight to html, with strong security to keep the wrong people out.

Anyone out there with experience in doing this kind of stuff?

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com 

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