Linux-based database serving windows clients

hakova

Hi,

I don't have a technical background, so please be gentle with me Smile

. I would like to build a database for patient data in a private clinic. The clients have to be windows-based PCs, however I would prefer a linux-based server. The clients must have presentable forms with GUI features like buttons, check boxes, drop-down lists, etc. I know how to do this in a scenario using MS SQL server and MS Access frontend, which is what I want to replicate using a linux-based server here. I guess one option is to use a web interface for the forms, for data entry, etc. For this, I probably have to learn php, which I prefer to avoid just because of lazyness. I found an open source product called Bond database (http://www.treshna.com/bond/) but couldn't install it to try it out, because it fails to recognize my libglib2.0 version.

Because of the sensitive patient information, security is a major concern here and one of the main reasons why I would like the server to be linux-based. I don't mean military-grade or paranoid security here, but I don't fancy patient data to be easily reachable from the internet. I appreciate if anybody can give me some pointers like:

a) I know this great solution, it has a GUI so you don't need to learn any coding.

b) LAMP is the best solution to this, so bite the bullet and learn php. Here is an excellent way to learn it very quickly and easily.

c) The most secure solution is so and so, you shouldn't opt for any level of security below this.

And so forth.

Thanks for reading.

platinummonkey · Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2025 11:18 pm Post subject:

one small tip:
if you are hosting this in the building, and you have your own subnet (ie you have a router ;P and the computers will generally have a 192.168.*.* ip address) you can limit what the server listens to (ie only listen to local 192.168.*.* addresses and ignore everything else)
you can use iptables or more simply /etc/hosts.allow and/or /etc/hosts.deny
even if you aren't on your own subnet, you can use iptables or the hosts files to limit which computers can access that server. A good firewall between the server and the net would be good measure as well Wink

(most routers have a simple firewall you can use or if you can, install openwrt on it which will give you many more options.)

lamp is pretty easy to set up... but that would take a LOT of work by yourself to set up. Honestly it is safer imho for you and your company to obtain software from someone else like treshna.com mentioned. I would talk to their support team and try to get it to work first.

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melloe · Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2025 11:26 pm Post subject:

I taught Biomedical Instrumentation for a couple of years and got a preview of the mess . Good Luck. Some sources and ideas. But I am basically a hardware guy.

http://linuxmednews.com/

http://www.oemr.org/

http://www.hardhats.org/

http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/Medicine-HOWTO/record.html

http://www.oemr.org/modules/cjaycontent/?id=17

and much more

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bdquick · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2025 3:16 am Post subject:

MySQL would make a good database to run on LInux. You could use about anything to write a frontend. Not sure that access would do it. Visual Studio can easily create a screens from a database. I'm sure eclipse or Netbeans have a similar feature for Java, which could be cross platform. The treshna thing looks promising too.

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Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2025 3:41 am Post subject:

Sql is Sql.

and just about any language you can think of will happily interface with a MySQL installation. but if you want to get up and running quickly you sould consider a WIMN setup (Windows, IIS, MySQL, .net (VB or ASP)) or even a WISN setup (Windows, IIS, Microsoft SQL Server, .net (VB or ASP))

it's quick to get up and running, has an excellent GUI based IDE (VisualStudio express which is a free download from microsoft... or it was last i checked) several tools that allow graphical administration of the MySQL that means you don't have to be as good with the whole SQL stuff....

if you want to learn and administer a LAMP setup.... be my guest but you'll it a lot more work than a windows based setup, at least in a network that is already almost, if not completely, exclusively windows machines.

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mushroom · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2025 4:43 am Post subject:

Lamp is the way to go Exclamation

You can protect it completely from the outside world with a fully locked down firewall all you have to do is alter one line in the iptables configuration file to allow only the local subnet(s) to access the machine.

example.

hakova · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2025 4:27 pm Post subject:

Thank you for all the great ideas and recommendations. The key factor here are the forms. They need to be very intuitive and user friendly to minimize errors in data entry. I also think that if they look presentable, as in the case of MS Access forms, people like them better. I just don't have the background/knowledge to prepare php/html forms looking that way. However, I found this:
http://www.bigprof.com/appgini/
It looks like this application generates php codes for you. I need to figure out whether it supports sub-forms, which are kind of filtered/queried data visible within a form, e.g. to list previous procedures a patient had, in an H&P form.

I agree that using a WIMN or WISN solution is probably the quickest way for dummies to create what you need, but I really want to minimize the cost and not pay for MSN licenses. Do you think this would compromise the security? IMHO, if your server operates with SSL (https), and only allows connections from certain IPs as suggested, this may be reasonably safe. Do you agree? If the physicians request access from their home computers though, then that will be another issue to tackle I guess. I wonder if anybody has recommendations to enable that without compromising data security.

Another option is to use MS Access as a client to MySQL via ODBC despite its limitations. I need to lok into that too I guess.

Thank you all again.

Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2025 7:43 pm Post subject:

there is no great security risk in using LAMP versus WIMN and WISN

both can be set up securely with no risk of patient data leaking out.

it's slightly easier to do in a windows setup, but equaly possible and secure in a linux.

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VHockey86 · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2025 4:55 am Post subject:

mushroom · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2025 7:32 am Post subject:

Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2025 1:49 pm Post subject:

crouse · Site Admin Joined: 17 Apr 2025 Posts: 11833 Location: Iowa

"it's slightly easier to do in a windows setup, but equaly possible and secure in a linux."

I'm pretty sure that's what made mushroom laugh Wink

It gave me a chuckle as well tbh. Smile

Probably for those of use that use databases/linux daily, working with Windows is just a nightmare...
Linux makes is simple to install/use/secure databases. Securing windows is not "simple", perhaps this is just my personal opinion... but the only windows systems i feel secure about are the ones that are unplugged from a power source.

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Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn · Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2025 12:30 am Post subject:

well that does depend on your perspective and relative technical knowhow (your "geekyness" if you will)

for someone with a lot of geekyness linux will be easier.

for someone with not a lot of geekyness.... well not so much...

given Havoka's first post i placed him in the second category (sorry if that was incorrect, btw) and thus made my recommendations accordingly.

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hakova · Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2025 4:17 am Post subject:

crouse · Site Admin Joined: 17 Apr 2025 Posts: 11833 Location: Iowa

http://lamppix.tinowagner.com/

Live linux cd with LAMP installed.... . php/mysql tutorials are strewn throughout the net.

The live cd might also give you the added knowledge of how to remaster it with your own data already on there, which is pretty cool too.

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