Determining the best method for granting World Wide Web (Web) users access to remote relational databases is difficult. Choosing the best supporting Web/database link method for implementation requires an in-depth understanding of the methods available and the relationship between the link designer's goals and the underlying issues of Performance and Functionality, Cost, Development Time and Ease, Serviceability, Flexibility and Openness, Security, State and Session.

This thesis examined existing methods for enabling Web-client access to remote relational databases and found that most fall within the general categories of Common Gateway Interface scripts, Server Application Programming Interfaces, Web-enabled Database Management Systems exporting query results in Hypertext Markup Language, and independent client-based processes such as Java applets. To determine the best database access category we compared each one to the underlying link issues and conducted a case study for the IEEE Signal Processing Society.

The results of this thesis are: (1) a taxonomy of existing Web\database linking methods, (2) a thorough listing and examination of the underlying issues as they relate to each link method, (3) recommendation and specification of the proper link method and hardware/software support system for the case study linkage problem.

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