Now an application is connected to a database server in the same LAN and performs selects and inserts. The database will be moved to a remote location accessible throughout internet. Performance degradation will be addressed reducing the number of operations to the db. It is not possible to use vpn or configure access-in rules based on client IP on the firewall of the net where the database server will be moved. So it seems to me it is necessary to create a database front end in order to protect it. I suppose one way to achieve this goal is to create a web service.
Are there easier alternatives?
I'm new to web services: it should run into Glassfish server while the client would be a c# application. I read a bit about securing a web service but I'm a confused. One method I found in internet is to use Glassfish built-in authentication mechanism and configure web.xml limiting the access to the web service URL to a group of users.
It seems an easy approach, are there any drawbacks?
Is it easy to use this type of authentication in the C# client?
Other existing web services wants a parameter key in the request. Then this key is compared with valid ones and if the check is successful the request will be accepted.
Is this approach more secure than the previous one?
Another alternative is to use WSIT but at a first glance it seems over-complicated and all the security mechanisms need a server certificate. Anyway it looks more secure; does it fit well with JAX-RS and restful web services?
