Generous experts:

My intention is to set up an order tracking system with the following
features:
1. Records can be edited locally (Windows Server in office)
2. Records can be viewed remotely (in branch offices with Windows
machines)

The conditions are:
1. the local network is:
a. a Windows Server connected to WinXP workstations
b. connected to the internet via cable modem (i.e. the IP changes
from day to day)
2. there is an external hosted unix server

My idea is to run mySQL on the Windows Server & do partial backups to
the hosted Unix server. I am an experienced C++ programmer, but am new
to DB, web programming, so feel free to suggest something completely
different and also comment on my idea.

Thank you for your listening!

Sean DeNigris

lotusny78 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com wrote:
and these are the only machines allowed to do the editting, right?

hmm.

the UNIX server is what kind of server? Files? DB? WEB? Email? FTP?

Knowing nothing about your UNIX server, my initial assumption is the
UNIX server handles hosting the web application. One question is: why
send backups (full DB) as opposed to update (changed data) files?

so you have WINXP machines in the office that will run the C++
edit/uopdate app. They connect (ODBC) to the WIN server running mySQL.

A batch job (must be on the WIN server) sends the backups to the UNIX
Server (must also be running mySQL to accept backup files)

the UNIX server allows connections from the web. Web applications for
viewing the data written in (just so many choices here).

not bad. The updates are isolated and from a restricted environment
(fewer chances of the web view getting hacked. There is an issue of
securely connecting to the UNIX server. (I'm assuming the UNIX server
is somewhere out on the internet (outside any firewalls at your office,
fixed IP address. Is that server hoted by an outside company? If so,
they may have some suggestions.

HTH,
Ed

Thanks! In answer to your questions: