With IBM's Net.Data product, you can create dynamic Web pages using data from both relational and non-relational database management systems (DBMSs), including DB2 databases that can be accessed through DRDA, and using applications written in programming languages such as Java, JavaScript, Perl, C, C++, and REXX.
Net.Data is a macro processor that executes as middleware on a Web server machine. You can write Net.Data application programs, called macros, that Net.Data interprets to create dynamic Web pages with customized content based on input from the user, the current state of your databases, other data sources, existing business logic, and other factors that you design into your macro.
A request, in the form of a URL (uniform resource locator), flows from a browser, such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer, to a Web server that forwards the request to Net.Data for execution. Net.Data locates and executes the macro and builds a Web page that it customizes based on functions that you write. These functions can:
Net.Data passes this Web page to the Web server, which in turn forwards the page over the network for display at the browser.
Net.Data can be used in server environments that are configured to use interfaces such as HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Common Gateway Interface (CGI). HTTP is an industry-standard interface for interaction between a browser and Web server, and CGI is an industry-standard interface for Web server invocation of gateway applications like Net.Data. These interfaces allow you to select your favorite browser or Web server for use with Net.Data. Net.Data also supports a variety of Web server Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for improved performance. The Net.Data family of products provide similar capablities on the OS/400, OS/390, Windows NT, AIX, OS/2, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, Linux, and Santa Cruz Operating System (SCO) operating systems.