a different system needs access to data - advice on what to use and how to secure it?

[WebDevGuy]

I have a system written in PHP and MySQL. The data entry is protected with login and SSL pages.

How can I make a subset of the data available for download to a system that will pull the data? In other words, I have a data another system needs to download. How can I make it available for that other system to get automatically without human intervention every time.

Thanks in advance!

[jplush76]

sounds like a good place to implement a FACADE pattern for the other system

http://www.litfuel.net/plush/?sectionid=8

you'll basically create a new API (class) that will wrap your existing functionality and offer it to the new system in a controlled way. To make it automatic you could set it up as a SOAP Server and have the system make a soap call which will output the data that system needs. Its what web services are all about.