Hi!

Please give me advice concerning the following matter:

We have SQL server, self-recording application server (Delphi),
self-recording client program (Delphi), used transport - Borland Socket
Server.
But this system provides only text reports. Now our company exhibits a
tendency to use web-based systems both for documents circulation and for
analytics. So we also want to turn to technology of using web-reports and
dynamic creating of menu and web-pages depending on access permissions.
To my mind, the best choice is PHP language. But we don't know how to
substitute application server and if it would be necessary when site
appears.

So we have doubts as to following:
1) What strengths and weaknesses of such a system?
2) How to build it and where to find information regarding this topic?
3) What web-server to use and how to connect it to Sybase? Is there need of
any transitional application server anyway or site will be its substitution?
4) By means of what this should be written and how to begin studying of
this subject? It is interesting to find out more about both languages and
engineering environment.
5) What characteristics should have an appropriate server in intranet?

At present application server works with SQL server up to 10-15 connects.
Some procedures work from 3 to 40 minutes. Analytics and historical base is
on Sybase ASE with space170 GB.

Thank you in advance for your answers. If it is possible please sent answers
to emk[dog]ua.fm too.

Eugene