Want to access a file from remote location?

Hi
I want to do a application which can search and access a file in a Lan remotely.
Thanks

What kind of access does the server have to the file repository - HTTP, FTP, NFS, SMB, WebDAV, ...?

I want to achive following tasks :-
• A web like interface for the network based search engine.
• Give command through e-mail to search the network
• Sends results via server for the available files along with the computers of a network.
• Performs network search for a LAN.

i want to Read the inbox of the registered user consistently for checking the incoming mails to search.
& accordingly search for perticular file specified in BODY .
ALso Want to read SUBJECT field in the mail

Thank You

What do you have so far? If you haven't started yet, what are your thoughts on the matter, and where specifically do you have problems implementing them? Also, what's the answer to my previous question, and what exactly is a "field" in the file? Are the files in a special format?