DB Access/Manipulation Module

[spudRay]

So I am using Visual Studio .NET 2005. I have implemented a database in SQL Server 2005. The database has multiple tables employing normalization techniques. I have Views and Stored Procedures. I will be creating tools that will read, insert and update records into the database using the Views and SPs. My question is this, what would you recommend for a software architecture?

On first thought, I am exploring creating a C# Windows Service that will be a proxy in between the front-end C# utilities and DB. I sort of hit some complexity in terms of how to return data from Windows Service to Windows Application. In no way am I stuck on this particular design. Please suggest an alternate design if you think it is better. I am guessing that many players on DevX have had a similar scenario in which they are implementing a system that has a DB requiring data access/manipulation.

My current functional implementation involves giving the front-end utilities access to DB. That is undesirable as DB code will have to be maintained in multiple tools. Second, tools will most likely run on a remote system. I prefer to have DB code centralized and localized into one component that front-end tools can communicate with.

I look forward to receiving your input.

[Hack]

What will the database be used for?
How many people will be using it?
What kind of access/manipulation do you foresee?

[spudRay]

The end product will be a data mining system for the medical community which will look at historical data and predict a likely outcome. I am now working on phase I. So focused on storing patient demographical information, prescriptions, medications, lab tests and images information such as MRIs and XRays. For this first phase, I am focused on database schema, data capture/entry tools and data transfer tools. My vision for phase I is multiple data entry and update utilities/capabilities will be used to prime the database. Currently, I have Visual C# Windows Applications connecting directly to DB via ADO .NET. In the future, there'll be some type of AI expert system that would predict outcomes.