query SQL db hosted on a dedicated server with ISP ?

[scott]

what is the best way to send data to and query SQL 2005 server express
edition db hosted on a dedicated server with ISP ?

i need to query it directly from an application on my LAN (asp site on same
machine as sql db also needs to query db)

i can obviously use port 1433 but what other option do i have ? i.e ssl
port, xml web service ?

Any information is helpful
Scott

 

[Cowboy \(Gregory A. Beamer\)]

I need to bone up on SQL Server Express. It is limited, so it does not have
all of the features of SQL Server 2005 Enterprise/Standard. One option is
SQL Server Service Broker, but this requires a local instance to communicate
to the hosted instance, as well as some set up. The cool thing is you can go
offline and it will communicate when it next comes back online. True asynch.

Not sure if SQL Express has HTTP Endpoints, but they are a nice option.
Basically a web service portal to your service. I would examine carefully,
however, to ensure you have the proper security set up.

For straight querying, the port option is probably the best, although a
hosted database does not generally have a domain login. This is not as bad
as it sounds, but there are potential risks, esp. if your passwords are easy
to guess at.

--
Gregory A. Beamer

*************************************************
Think Outside the Box!
*************************************************

 

[Mark Rae]

what is the best way to send data to and query SQL 2005 server express
edition db hosted on a dedicated server with ISP ?

i need to query it directly from an application on my LAN (asp site on
same machine as sql db also needs to query db)

I suppose it really boils down to what your ISP allows / supports,
specifically whether your ISP's database server is available over the public
Internet, or only to your ISP's web server(s)? E.g. the public (i.e. you!)
can connect externally to the web server and the web server can connect
internally to the database server, but the public cannot connect externally
to the database server...

If the former, then you should be able to connect to the database via its
public IP address, supplying userid and password as required. If the latter,
then you might be forced to build a webservice to deploy on your website.

i can obviously use port 1433 but what other option do i have ? i.e ssl
port, xml web service ?

Again, that will depend on how your ISP has configured access to its
database servers... Port 1433 is the default port for SQL Server, but that
can be easily changed, in which case you will need to include the specific
port number in your connection string...

 

[scott]

Again, that will depend on how your ISP has configured access to its
database servers... Port 1433 is the default port for SQL Server, but that
can be easily changed, in which case you will need to include the specific
port number in your connection string...

thanks for reply mark.

so 1433 (or changed port number) is an ok way to connect to a remote db ?
(i.e other people use this method) ?

(note: i would only allow a restricted user to connect this way i.e to run a
stored procedure)

 

[scott]

I need to bone up on SQL Server Express. It is limited, so it does not have
all of the features of SQL Server 2005 Enterprise/Standard. One option is
SQL Server Service Broker, but this requires a local instance to
communicate to the hosted instance, as well as some set up. The cool thing
is you can go offline and it will communicate when it next comes back
online. True asynch.

Not sure if SQL Express has HTTP Endpoints, but they are a nice option.
Basically a web service portal to your service. I would examine carefully,
however, to ensure you have the proper security set up.

For straight querying, the port option is probably the best, although a
hosted database does not generally have a domain login. This is not as bad
as it sounds, but there are potential risks, esp. if your passwords are
easy to guess at.

thanks for reply. i think i will need to go with the port option as its the
only one i know how to setup to be honest. As i said to mark i will only
allow a restricted user to execute a limited stored procedure so hopefully
this will help security .... although im not sure i can stop the SA user
connecting via the same method. mmmm needs some thought.

 

[Mark Rae]

so 1433 (or changed port number) is an ok way to connect to a remote db ?

Port 1433 is the default port for SQL Server, the same way as port 21 is the
default port for FTP, 23 is the default port for telnet and 25 is the
default port for SMTP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TCP_and_UDP_port_numbers

SQL Server can be configured to work over other ports if necessary...

(i.e other people use this method) ?

I guess they must! But the tone of your question suggests you think there
might be a problem with this...?

 

[scott]

"I guess they must! But the tone of your question suggests you think there
might be a problem with this...? "

: )

it just seems too easy too me - i thought it would be more complicated to
be honest.

many thanks for the advice and your time.
Scott