Abstract: A relational database residing on a second computer, and is accessed by a user interface via a global information network such as the Internet. The relational database is accessed through four intermediate processing layers: an interaction layer, an application layer, a business object layer, and an information model layer, each located on a second computer, with the information model layer logically adjacent to the database, and the interaction layer logically adjacent to the user interface operating on the browser. The information model layer maintains a first relational tree of the information in the relational database. This relational tree appears as a plurality of entities in a mark up language (such as XML) to the business object layer and the information in the relational database is accessible via the relational tree.

Abstract: A system for transferring information between a user interface and a database over a global information network such as the Internet is provided. A plurality of user interfaces are located on a plurality of user computers. In this regard, the user interfaces are preferably implemented on a browser using a mark up language such as HTML. The database is a relational database residing on a second computer, and is accessed by the user interface via a global information network such as the Internet. The relational database is accessed through four intermediate processing layers: an interaction layer, an application layer, a business object layer, and an information model layer, each located on a second computer, with the information model layer logically adjacent to the database, and the interaction layer logically adjacent to the user interface operating on the browser. The information model layer maintains a first relational tree of the information in the relational database.