title: What is the best way to expose a SQL Server database through a web service
body: <p>We have a SQL Server on an internal network. Now however, we want to create a public web site that allows users to access some of the data on the SQL Server. To avoid giving the public web server direct access to the SQL Server, we have decided to write a web service to expose the necessary database objects. The service (and consuming web site, for what it is worth) is to be written in .NET. It seems to me we have two options here.  </p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>We already have IIS on the SQL Server for reporting services, so I could just build a web service that is hosted by IIS.</li>
  <li>We already have a Windows service that performs other maintenance functions for the database in question, so I could use WCF and embed the web service functionality in the existing service.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>I am leaning toward the IIS approach, as that one seems simpler. Am I wrong?</p>