Programming & Integration

Datalink use a best-of-breed approach to deploy state of the art web solutions. Our practices are customer-focused and provide high visibility, rapid development and high quality using open standards.

Whether you need to integrate a database with a website or build a complex solution from the ground up, Datalink has the capability to deliver.

Open standards

Datalink applies these standards in combination with the following as our core solution technologies:

CGI –Common Gateway Interface, the open standard for building interactive websites
PHP – a cross-platform CGI language that runs on a wide range of platforms including Microsoft Windows and UNIX.
Apache - a reliable, world leading open source web server that is capable of running on multiple platforms including UNIX, Windows and NetWare and powers over 60% of the world's websites (source Netcraft).
ANSI SQL – the open standard database query language which maintains compatibility with a wide variety of database platforms including Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL.
XHTML and XML – the latest version of the Hypertext Mark-up Language, the language of the web, and the eXtensible Mark-up Language, the open language of databases.
HTTP – the Hypertext Transfer Protocol, the standard for client-server communication
Freestyler – Datalink’s content management framework
ESMTP/POP3/IMAP4 – the combined open standards for email transport and storage
LDAP - the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, which provides directory services and user information databases.
SOAP - the Simple Object Access Protocol, which is the basis for building interoperable web services that talk to multiple vendor technologies.
CSS - Cascading Style Sheets, a standard for separation of style from content on the web
RSS - a widely used format for syndicating news and the content of community and portal websites powered by XML
AJAX - The term for dynamic HTML that is able to access databases to generate powerful, quicker loading web interfaces such as drag-and-drop functionality

Proprietary Technologies

Datalink also use proprietary technologies and third party products when required, and commonly include:

IIS - specific features of Microsoft's Internet Information Server can be used to provide advanced features such as unified login.
.NET - Microsoft's .NET Web Services Framework is a SOAP-compatible message transport.
Lotus Notes - a messaging and collaboration solution by IBM.
Microsoft Exchange - a messaging and collaboration solution by Microsoft.
MAPI - a Mail Application Programming Interface by Microsoft.

And of course we use our own range of software solutions and products when appropriate.

Best practices

Datalink has specific knowledge and experience on many formal and best-practice standards, including:

W3C Accessibility Guidelines – building websites for disabled users
SCORM – A sharable content model for online education and learning management systems
AGLS – A sharable content model and metadata standard for Australian government information
Dublin Core - interoperable online metadata standard that supports a broad range of business models
EdNA - metadata model to support interoperability in education and training
CERT – guidelines for internet security
VERS – A documents archival protocol and standard
ACSI 33 – A comprehensive list of approved security products and practices for government information aimed at data centre operations
VISA Global Data Security best practices
AGIMO - The Australian Government Information Management Office
CM Pros - International content management community of practice

Tailored solutions to individual needs

Different projects require different solutions - this is why Datalink offer solutions tailored to your requirements.

Datalink aim for cross-platform development where possible to insulate customers from changes in technology or vendor dependence. The choice of technology also considers customer support requirements, such as in-house skill sets and corporate outsourcing requirements.

Our projects are delivered in full source code and conform to open standards to ensure the projects are compatible, configurable, adaptable, and work with all applicable open standards.