Custom Web Application Development
Web Application Development for Business
Today, a public-facing website is just the tip of a data iceberg. In order to get the right information to the right people, applications delivered through the web are increasingly integral to the way businesses need to operate. NetReach has years of experience architecting and building web-based applications to meet these needs. Since 1998, we've provided advanced web application development services to businesses with a holistic approach to compatibility and upgrades. A consultative process and our coordinated team of engineers, designers, and developers has delivered hundreds of technologically-complex custom .NET web-based business solutions on time and on budget for:
- Knowledge management and dissemination systems.
- Help desk systems.
- Sales and order management.
- Patient data management and reporting.
- Multi-currency e-Commerce systems.
- Lead generation and Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
- Video signage systems.
- Corporate intranets and extranets.
- Member organization/association portals.
- Data and document management.
- Interactive learning/training and certification system.
Please see our web case studies for specific examples.
Rapid Application Development Framework
All of our current development projects are built upon our premier Content Management System (CMS), cmScribe. Our clients enjoy sophisticated pre-built functionalities in their projects, like user forms, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, video/audio upload with built-in player and complete CMS control of their web property; and if required, we can customize the web-based software to address specific business needs and/or integrations. This provides our clients with several distinct competitive advantages:
- The cost efficiencies of an off-the shelf software solution.
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Combined with the functional advantages of a custom programmed application:
- cmScribe allows complete flexibility for business logic customizations. Customizations are made outside of the underlying code base allowing us to upgrade without compiling, which eliminates code maintenance costs. Our network specialists are able to provide seamless, hassle-free upgrades to the CMS software, without disrupting the system’s customized operations.
- Delivered on a Rapid Application Development (RAD) schedule.
Our clients get a smart web application, one that is both a valuable business tool and a sound technology investment.
Addressing Web Application Security
There is exponential demand for businesses to bring more and more of their operations online, for their customers, their vendors, and their bottom line. Not only are businesses looking for ways to offer their products and services online to customers, they are also looking for ways to efficiently integrate with vendors, suppliers, and partners. So increasingly, sensitive data is also moving to the web, and along with it, issues of security and confidentially that must be addressed.
As stated, getting the right information to the right people at the right time is the key. Ease of use and familiarity with computers may engender a false sense of security online. Experts in the field mock this with the phrase "security through obscurity," which is no real security at all!
NetReach has worked with clients in the Pharmaceutical and Medical, Financial Services, and Banking industries; as well as supplying e-Commerce solutions across industries as diverse as Education and Manufacturing. These applications required a high degree of security sensitivity. The medical community (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)) and the credit card industry (Payment Card Industry (PCI)) have laws and standards in place which require that close attention to security be a part and parcel of every project, not just an afterthought. We address security throughout our systems and build solutions that pass the rigorous tests of the PCI and random attacks that we see daily.
While we are extremely confident in our security position, we believe the Microsoft Developer Center’s philosophy is worth noting: “Security is a path, not a destination… The solution to Web application security is more than technology. It is an ongoing process involving people and practices.” As you analyze your website and applications for threats and vulnerabilities, NetReach can help. There is a balance that can be struck between cost, convenience, and risk associated with compromise. Our experience with building these systems and tuning the security of an application to meet your needs is extensive.
Testing, Stability, and Maintenance
Since our web applications are built upon cmScribe CMS, client-specific code and unit testing would only apply to customizations – where standard procedures are followed. Our client sites are built in a development environment on a stable installation of cmScribe, with a separate development branch devoted to the custom code. If needed, once the new application is finished it can be migrated to a sandbox environment where testing for integrations with third-party applications and proprietary databases can be completed.
cmScribe’s code base itself follows QA and regression testing procedures, where it travels through three levels of development as shown in the diagram below.
(Click image to view larger)
cmScribe is installed in hundreds of different real world use case settings across diverse industries. Should a bug emerge the built-in, automatic error reporting function sends an email notification report instantly to development staff where it can be quickly addressed.
