A computing system provides database access to a plurality of users, for example, over a computer network such as the Internet. The computing system includes an established database engine and accompanying database files containing data that the users may query. The computing system further includes an alternate database engine that may intercept and execute such database commands submitted by the users. The alternate database engine may translate and recognize commands submitted in the format of the established database engine. The alternate database engine may further provide results in the format of the established database engine. In this manner, an alternate database engine can be implemented to provide further or more efficient processing capabilities. At the same time, users may continue to interact with the data maintained by the established database engine in a manner with which they are familiar, and data providers may switch to the alternate database engine without reformatting the data stored in the established database engine.