I started off with an Access database. Then we split the JET DB backend out from the front end and put that on a shared drive. Then we replaced the backend with SQL Server (without changing the front end.) Then eventually it all got migrated to an ASP.Net backend + single page application. It's still running 8 years later. Access is an incredibly flexible tool.
ServiceStack is just plain awesome when it comes to developing web services, though it's gone commercial for v4 onward. Nancy is another popular alternative - it's basically Sinatra for .Net. Every time I go back to WCF I want to stab myself in the face.
It would be nice if the alerts appeared in the centre of the screen though... I find that jerking my eyes up to the top of the screen and then back down to what I was looking at quite intrusive.