Accessing hosted SQL remotely

[eric302]

I've inherited an application with a SQL Server 2005 database and both
a new PHP web-based frontend and an older, deprecated C# 2.0 Windows
frontend. Most people use the web frontend now, but there are a
sizable number of stubborn users who would rather switch applications
than abandon their Windows client. The app uses practically no
bandwith or disk space, so it's hosted on one of those cheap IIS
shared hosting accounts, that just happened to allow direct logins to
SQL Server for the Windows clients. But that host just decided it
would restrict SQL access to local connections only, so while my PHP
frontend still works, the Windows clients are now without service.

Does anyone know of an inexpensive shared IIS/SQL host I could switch
to that allows external connections to SQL? I'm assuming that's
pretty much a long shot in this age of (justified) security
paranoia....

So if that's a "no", my real question is - is it possible to get
around this using some sort of raw web interface to the data (most
likely from ASP.NET), so I can modify the C# code to retrieve/post to
that instead of using a connection string like it does now? I'm
proficient in C#, but don't know much of anything about ASP.NET, Web
Services, or WCF (or if those are even applicable), so a pointer in
the right direction would be much appreciated.

Thanks.
-Eric

 

[Guest]

When in doubt, "search":
http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&q=sqlwebadmin
Peter

 

[eric302]

When in doubt, "search":http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&q=sqlwebadmin
Peter
--

I'm not trying to administer the database, I'm trying to use a
database-backed application. SqlWebAdmin seems like a web-based
administration tool (like the phpMyAdmin I've used for mySQL)... are
you suggesting that I install this tool then use an HTTP scripter/
parser to extract the data I need? That seems a bit unweildy.

 

[Brandon Gano]

DiscountASP.NET allows external connections, but they are $20/month with SQL
Server 2005.

Other than that, web services would do the job nicely. Google for a tutorial
on writing web services for asp.net. It shouldn't be difficult if you have
any XML experience.

 

[eric302]

DiscountASP.NET allows external connections, but they are $20/month with SQL
Server 2005.

Other than that, web services would do the job nicely. Google for a tutorial
on writing web services for asp.net. It shouldn't be difficult if you have
any XML experience.

Thanks - these web services look pretty easy, and it looks like I can
access it natively from the C# app, so that's a huge plus. Do these
work with any ASP.NET host, or is it usually an added feature?

 

[Brandon Gano]

I think web services should work on any ASP.NET host.