Database-driven web site deployment offers the ability to separate content from presentation. Development costs are reduced by first storing the desired information in a database or accessing existing databases. Then, a limited number of templates are created to display different categories of information. Finally, the web pages are generated automatically using the defined templates and data from the database. This approach is much more efficient than creating every individual web page and link 'by hand'.
The burden of ongoing site maintenance is also greatly reduced using database integration technology. Web pages can be updated dynamically by changing the information in the database itself. Changing information in the database takes much less time than manually creating new web pages or editing web pages by hand. Creating an web-site template once and merging it with new content is a more reliable way to publish information with a consistent layout no matter how many times the content of the page may change.
Database integration technology also enhances web interactivity. For example, an automated search agent can search your database periodically for information of interest to your customers, and it can e-mail the results. Your database-integrated site can automatically alert customers to new product releases or price changes, or forward web-generated leads to sales representatives and distributors instantly.
