Web-Based Electronic Commerce: Three-tier Client-server Solutions

Three-tier Client-server solutions

In all of these situations, a client application is used to communicate with a "middleware" application running on an application server, which then communicates with a database server. While custom clients written in Delphi, Java and C++ will become increasingly common for scenarios involving repeat customers, the thin HTML client is likely to persist for some time on the public Internet.

Consider bandwidth and client operating system in order to determine which options are viable for your situation.

This paper focuses on scenario (A).

(A) CGI (B) Java (C) Active/X (D) Custom client

Network Public Internet Public or Corporate Corporate Corporate

Bandwidth Wide range. Wide range. Medium to Fast Medium to Fast

Client O/S Any Any Win 95 or NT Win 95 or NT

Client must download: HTML, multimedia. Java applet to run inside web browser. Active/X to run inside web browser. EXE, multimedia, plus required DLLs, DPLs

Language Delphi 2/3,C++,Perl, JavaScript Java Delphi 3, VB, C++ Java, Delphi 2/3, VB or C++

	(A) CGI	(B) Java	(C) Active/X	(D) Custom client
Network	Public Internet	Public or Corporate	Corporate	Corporate
Bandwidth	Wide range.	Wide range.	Medium to Fast	Medium to Fast
Client O/S	Any	Any	Win 95 or NT	Win 95 or NT
Client must download:	HTML, multimedia.	Java applet to run inside web browser.	Active/X to run inside web browser.	EXE, multimedia, plus required DLLs, DPLs
Language	Delphi 2/3,C++,Perl, JavaScript	Java	Delphi 3, VB, C++	Java, Delphi 2/3, VB or C++