Most companies that have a need for Web Applications have already approached manageability issues with their product line. Usually, a company will keep large amounts of information regarding their products in a database. In a perfect world, and with a little planning and know-how, a company could manage products in one database and access/display this product information internally or over the internet, across multiple applications, web sites and situations - from a single source. This is the most efficient way to manage products.
With database driven information, products can populate the page sorted by name, category, cost, sizes, colors, date, etc. You can also give users the ability to sort the products to their choosing. You can't do this without a web application.
By displaying products in a database, you are allowing the site user the opportunity of getting to the information that they need quickly. Also, instead of making one page for each product display (for 50 products, this means at least 50 pages), imagine making one page for 50 products to display through. That's easier and cost less in the long run.
Web Applications are smart. They can perform calculations, they can remember a user and keep track of his preferences, they can connect to other applications and process information such as credit card verification, checking a bank account, checking inventory at a warehouse, checking on the status of your order, viewing statistical analysis on data, etc.
A Web Application contains the most current content available from a data source. For example, every time you check your bank account or credit card balance online, you are using a web application that accesses the information contained in the bank or credit card company's database. Any new transactions are displayed on the site immediately after the event takes place.
As discussed above, the power of a database is that you can, for example, keep track of all of your inventory in one place and display that information in multiple places. An interface displays content from the Inventory Database. Users from multiple company locations can log into the secure database and update inventory. Graphical reports of usage of a product at certain locations can be displayed, and so can the amount of product usage across locations, etc.
Data from a central source can be accessed restrictively through secure measures, such as using an HTTPS protocol, which has a security layer set up to scramble any incoming and outgoing transmissions of data so that the data can't be stolen while being sent across the web. Another layer of security can be achieved with login credentials - using a username and password to access database administration areas or confidential data areas. And Hardware/Software devices, such as Firewalls/PIX, are common protection to prevent intrusion at source level.
More application examples are posted on the Portfolio page. |
