Shared Database between Desktop and Web Application?

I'm implementing a booking system for an assignment and have a couple of design-type questions.

First of all, I'm looking to have the actual booking side of the system on the Web, thus it can be accessed anywhere. The second part of the system is the admin side of things. Where staff (theoretically) can monitor bookings, availability and such. This will be a .Net application.

I'm obviously going to need to have a shared database. I'm just not sure which technology to go with. I was thinking using a MySQL database stored on the web server, and then have the .Net appli开发者_运维技巧cation talk to that Database using the MySQL .Net connector.

Would this be the best approach to go with?

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I usually use a MS SQL Server Database (There is also the Express edition of the SQl Server which is free) on the Server and a SQLite Database (also free) as mirror for offline Database on the client.

Both Databases can be accessed from .NET.

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Well, at first, I would consider if there really is a need for desktop application for admin side - isn't possible to implement both parts of the app as a web application?

If there really is a need to have a desktop application for administration, I would really consider to have my desktop application talking to a web application - for example, you could implement the web part with REST in mind, using some framework (e.g. Symfony) and just exchange serialized data (e.g. JSON between the desktop and web parts.

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Is there a reason why you need the back office to be a desktop application? You could use web screen for back office operations as well. This would keep your application simple. For database you could use MySql or use MS Sql Server Express edition. Both DB will be suitable for desktop/web application and both are free.