I was setting up the System DSN (64 bit) for my database in SQL server 2016 with Windows 10 64 bit pro. While I was asked to choose the driver to set up a data source, there are the following selections:
ODBC Driver 13 for SQL Server
SQL Server
SQL Server Native Client 11.0
SQL Server Native Client RDA 11.0
It seemed I can set up the data source with all of these drivers. Then which one should I choose in terms of speed and efficiency? What's the difference between them?
Thanks,
Jason
ODBC Driver for SQL Server
ODBC is the primary native data access API for applications written in C,C++, PHP, Python and others for connecting to SQL Server.
It's widely used in data integration scenarios.
Also, it's preferred if you are developing application on Windows and deploying it to Linux .
SQL Server
The full name of SQL Server Driver is SQL Server ODBC Driver. It’s an old driver since sql 2000.
You can use it to connect to SQL Server 2016, but you will not be able to access new features and functionality of SQL Server 2016
SQL Server Native Client
SQL Server Native Client is containing both the SQL OLE DB provider and SQL ODBC driver to support native connectivity to SQL Server and support all features of sql server 2016.
It's the best in windows environment
SQL Server Native Client RDA
Remote data access (RDA) in Microsoft SQL Server Compact 3.5 lets an application access data from a remote SQL Server database table.
It can also store, read, and update that data in SQL Server Compact 3.5, and then update the original SQL Server table.
RDA will be removed in the future release, so avoid using it.
So choose sql driver based on the criteria above.
Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server (MSODBCSQL)
This driver was announced in 2013 as the successor to SQL Server Native Client. It is installed with recent SQL Server versions. There are standalone installers for clients. Driver history for Microsoft SQL Server recommends this driver in preference to "SQL Server" and "SQL Server Native Client" for ODBC. Added features over "SQL Server Native Client": driver-aware connection pooling, connection resiliency, asynchronous execution (polling), support for Always Encrypted, recent SQL Server compatibility (including Azure SQL), and more supported operating systems (including Linux and macOS). You can follow current development on the SQL Server Blog (with previous posts on the SQLNCli team blog).
Driver={ODBC Driver XX for SQL Server} (XX replaced by driver version. See System Requirements, Installation, and Driver Files.)
SQL Server Native Client (SQLNCLI)
Introduced with SQL Server 2005 and ships with SQL Server (also installable via sqlncli.msi from SQL Server feature packs). Added features over "SQL Server": Multiple active result sets (MARS), user-defined data types (UDT), query notifications, snapshot isolation, and XML data type support. The version for SQL Server 2008 also added support for the new date and time types.
Driver={SQL Server Native Client} (SQL Server 2005)
Driver={SQL Server Native Client 10.0} (SQL Server 2008)
Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0} (SQL Server 2012 and later)
SQL Server Native Client RDA
Remote Data Access (RDA) is a SQL Server Compact feature which "lets an application access data from a remote SQL Server database table." I can't find much documentation, but it appears this driver was intended to support replication scenarios with Compact Edition.
SQL Server (SQLSRV32)
Included in Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) (now called Windows Data Access Components (WDAC)). This driver is available by default on Windows (since 98 and NT 4.0).
Driver={SQL Server}
To check which drivers you have installed, fire up an powershell (32/64 bit - depending which driver architecture you want to use) and run
OLEDB
(New-Object System.Data.OleDb.OleDbEnumerator).GetElements() | select SOURCES_NAME, SOURCES_DESCRIPTION
ODBC
Get-OdbcDriver | select Name,Platform
Overview
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/connect-history#odbc
There are three distinct generations of Microsoft ODBC drivers for SQL Server.
The first "SQL Server" ODBC driver still ships as part of Windows Data Access Components. It is not recommended to use this driver for new development.
Starting in SQL Server 2005, the SQL "Server Native Client 10.x/11.x/12.x" includes an ODBC interface and is the ODBC driver that shipped with SQL Server 2005 through SQL Server 2012. It is not recommended to use this driver for new development.
After SQL Server 2012, the Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server is the driver that is updated with the most recent server features going forward.
SQL Server
It's the old one from the MDAC-package (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/899456) which now (since XP/2003) comes with the Windows-OS.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/connect-history#mdacwdac-releases
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/native-client/applications/updating-an-application-to-sql-server-native-client-from-mdac
...starting with Windows Vista, the data access components are now called Windows Data Access Components, or Windows DAC). Although both provide native data access to SQL Server databases, SQL Server Native Client has been specifically designed to expose the new features of SQL Server 2005 (9.x), while at the same time maintaining backward compatibility with earlier versions.
SQL Server Native Client
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/connect-history#odbc
SQL Server Native Client is a stand-alone library that is used for both OLE DB and ODBC. SQL Server Native Client (often abbreviated SNAC) was included in SQL Server 2005 through 2012. SQL Server Native Client can be used for applications that need to take advantage of new features introduced in SQL Server 2005 through SQL Server 2012. (Microsoft/Windows Data Access Components are not updated for these new features in SQL Server.) For new features beyond SQL Server 2012, SQL Server Native Client will not be updated. Switch to the Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server or the Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server if you want to take advantage of new SQL Server features going forward.
SQL Server Native Client RDA
Came with .NET Compact Framework 3.5
ODBC Driver for SQL Server
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/connect-history#odbc
After SQL Server 2012, the primary ODBC driver for SQL Server has been developed and released as the Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server.
MSOLEDBSQL - Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server
This driver has been deprecated and later undeprecated:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/oledb/oledb-driver-for-sql-server#3-microsoft-ole-db-driver-for-sql-server-msoledbsql
The new OLE DB provider is called the Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server (MSOLEDBSQL). The new provider will be updated with the most recent server features going forward. To use the new Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server in existing applications, you should plan to convert your connection strings from SQLOLEDB or SQLNCLI, to MSOLEDBSQL.
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlnativeclient/2018/03/30/released-microsoft-ole-db-driver-for-sql-server/
Summary
Try to use the future proof drivers:
ODBC - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/odbc/bug-fixes
OLEDB - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/oledb/release-notes-for-oledb-driver-for-sql-server
SQL Server Native client vs .NET Framework Data Provider for ODBC
It seems that for last version for SQL Server Native client, the Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012 Native Client also named as SQL Server native client 11.0.
Doesn’t support new feature in SQL Server 2014 or later
Note that SNAC 11 does not support features released with SQL Server
2014 and SQL Server 2016 that were not available as part of SQL Server
2012, such as Transparent Network IP Resolution, Always Encrypted,
Azure AD Authentication, Bulk Copy and Table Value Parameters.
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlreleaseservices/snac-lifecycle-explained/
You have to use Microsoft® ODBC Driver 11 or 13 for SQL Server to enjoy new feature in SQL Server 2014 or later
As mentioned earlier in this post, the later version of the ODBC driver (13 and after) give you access to the more advanced features available in SQL Server 2014, 2016, etc.
However, there are conflicting Microsoft posts on whether the ODBC Version 17 driver supports SQL Server 2012 or not.
This link says you have to use ODBC 13 for SQL Server 2012:
SQL Server Driver Versions
However, if you look at the download for the ODBC Version 17, it indicates it support for SQL Server 2012 (and older versions of SQL Server).
Microsoft® ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server® - Windows, Linux, & macOS
So perhaps the ODBC Version 17 driver is (at least) backwards compatible with older versions of SQL Server.
Hope this helps!
Jon
Related
I am using CDatabase in VC2008 to connect to SQL Server via ODBC.
I want to use a common connection string that can work for SQL Sever 2005 and all higher versions.
I check https://www.connectionstrings.com/microsoft-sql-server-odbc-driver/ and see there are many different kinds of connection strings.
Whether I should use:
Driver={SQL Server};Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;
or
Driver={SQL Native Client};Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;
Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;
Pwd=myPassword;
Update:
Based on my test, using Driver={SQL Server} or Driver={SQL Server Native Client 10.0} can both connect to SQL Server 2008. I guess the former will works for all SQL Server versions, but the latter will only works for SQL Server 2008. Please confirm my guess.
Both driver will connect to Sql Server.But purpose of both drivers are different.
Driver={SQL Server} :
It is called Windows Data Access Components (WDAC).
It do not support new feature of Sql server 2005+ like xml data type,Multiple active result sets (MARS), user-defined data types (UDT), query notifications etc.
It support only Read Committed transaction isolation.
Driver={SQL Native Client}
This driver is suitable for application that need to take advantage of new feature of Sql server 2005+.
It support both Read Committed transaction and snapshot transaction isolation level.
System.Data.SQLClient
SQLClient is optimize for .NET and database Sql server 2000+.
It give maximum performance.
So if your application is new or existing then use SQL Native Client.It can access all feature of connected version of Sql server 2005,2008 etc.
ODBC :Use ODBC when application is connected to multiple database or it is expected that database may change.DAL code is written in such a manner it will work for any database.
Suggested Reading
Common Connection : I don't think there can be any common connection.Suppose in my system SQL server native client 10 is install then I know that I cannot connect to Sql server 2016 + .SQL server native client 10 will work for Sql Server 2016 and below.
Of course by programming we can make dynamic connection string which will accept driver as parameter etc.
To connect to higher version ,s I will hv to upgrade my driver and do minor change in connection string.Or if you don't want to touch code then Use DSN.
Yes I forgot, Driver={SQL Server Native Client} it can connect to Sql Srver 2005 only.if you try to connect to higher version then it will throw error.
I can't get my SSIS package to connect to a SQL2000 database - I keep getting
SQL Server does not exist or access denied.
I've tried connection strings like the following:
<ConfiguredValue_1>Data Source=xxx;Initial Catalog=xxx;Provider=SQLNCLI10.1;User ID=xxx;Password=xxx;</ConfiguredValue_1>
<ConfiguredValue_2>Data Source=xxx;Initial Catalog=xxx;Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Integrated Security=SSPI;</ConfiguredValue_2>
<ConfiguredValue>Data Source=xxx;Initial Catalog=xxx;Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;User ID=xxx;Password=xxx;</ConfiguredValue>
Actually, the SQLNCLI10.1 option gives:
The requested OLE DB provider SQLNCLI10.1 is not registered
For the Integrated Security option, I have set up a proxy & credential that the step is using, which is the same as my login.
However, I can connect to the database using Windows Authentication or a SQL username via an SSMS query window. What am I missing?
I will try to give some suggestions:
(1) Download SQL Server 2008 Native client
To download SQL Server Native Client 10 you should download and install the following package which is a part of the SQL Server 2008 feature pack:
Download SQL Server Native Client
Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 Feature Pack
Also try removing .1 from provider name: SQLNCLI10
(2) Use Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server
OLE DB Driver for SQL Server is a stand-alone data access application programming interface (API), used for OLE DB, that was introduced in SQL Server 2005 (9.x)
This provider can be used to connect to SQL Server 2000 instance.
Official documentation: Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server
Download link: Microsoft® OLE DB Driver 18 for SQL Server (i think it can be found in SSIS providers list without the need to download)
Connection string example:
Provider=sqloledb;Data Source=myServerAddress;Initial Catalog=myDataBase;User Id=myUsername;Password=myPassword;
(3) Use ODBC connections
Another way to connect to SQL Server 2000 is using ODBC Driver for SQL Server
The Microsoft ODBC Drivers for SQL Server are stand-alone ODBC drivers which provide an application programming interface (API) implementing the standard ODBC interfaces to Microsoft SQL Server.
Official documentation: Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server on Windows
Download page: Download ODBC Driver for SQL Server
Connection string example:
Driver={SQL Server};Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;
(4) Using SQL Native Client 9.0 OLE DB Provider
Try using the version 9.0 of OLEDB provider which works only for SQL Server 7.0, 2000, 2005 version.
Connection string example:
Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;
References
SQL Server 2000 connection strings
Microsoft SQL Server ODBC Driver connection strings
One of my laptops still has Windows XP and SQL Server ODBC driver version 2008.85.1132.00.
Unfortunately this laptop has a software that I can't put on the machine where I have SQL Server 2012 and it looks like there is no ODBC driver for WinXP anymore for Server 2012.
So, I'm wondering if I can get a connection with that driver to my Server. Or the driver will be incompatible.
Thank you.
All versions of Windows ship with a legacy SQL Server ODBC driver named "SQL Server". That ODBC driver may be used to connect to SQL Server 2012 as well as older and newer versions of SQL Server. However, it may nto fully support the newer SQL Server data types.
According to the SQL Server Native Client Support Policy, the most recent Microsoft-supplied ODBC driver supported under Windows XP SP2 is the SQL Server 2008 R2 Native Client.
Question
How is ADO related to OLE DB and what does mean the annoucement of Microsoft to drop OLE DB Providers for SQL Server mean?
Does it mean that if we switch to ADO it will not work with SQL Server 2014 and never?
Microsoft has announced the deprecation of the SQL Server Native
Client OLE DB provider, and that SQL Server 2012 is the last version
of SQL Server to support the provider.
Context
We are a Delphi shop. We are on Delphi 7 and BDE and want to migrate away from BDE, possibly also move to Delphi XE2 or newer. Our DBMS of choice is Microsoft SQL Server. We consider to move to ADO but are worried about it's future proofness in context of the above announcement.
Is this thinking of the relation ok? :
Delphi <---> ADO <---> OLE DB <---> DBMS
Do i understand correctly that Microsoft wants to move to?:
Delphi <---> ADO <---> OLE DB-bridge-ODBC <---> ODBC <---> DBMS
What they mean is that they will no longer be creating the SQL Server Native Client OLEDB Provider. There are a number of OLE DB Providers that you can use to access SQL Server:
Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server (SQLOLEDB)
This is the SQL Server 2000 era OLEDB Provider that ships with the operating system itself.
SQL Native Client 9.0 OLE DB provider (SQLNCLI)
shipped with SQL Server 2005
must manually install on client PCs
can connect to SQL Server 7, 2000, and 2005
can connect to SQL Server 2008, but they recommend you use the new native client
SQL Server Native Client 10.0 OLE DB Provider (SQLNCLI10)
shipped with SQL Server 2008
must manually install on client PCs
can connect to SQL Server 2000, 2005, 2008, and 2008 R2
SQL Server Native Client 11.0 OLE DB Provider (SQLNCLI11)
shipped with SQL Server 2012
must manually install on client PCs
can connect to SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2008 R2, and 2012
will throw an error if used to connect to SQL Server 2000
Microsoft is going to cease creating new SQL Server Native Client OLEDB providers. All along they have been creating:
SQL Native Client OLE DB provider
SQL Native Client ODBC provider
They are going to stop creating the OLEDB provider drivers, while continuing the release the ODBC drivers. Meanwhile, the original SQLOLEDB driver still exists (even in Windows 10). You can continue to use ADO to access SQL Server. ADO is friendly wrapper around OLDDB (and ungainly beast of an API).
And inside OLE DB you can still use the old SQLOLEDB OLEDB driver.
You can also use the OLE DB provider that wraps an ODBC driver (MSDASQL):
ADO
OLEDB
SQLOLEDB: Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server
SQLNCLI: SQL Native Client 9.0 OLE DB Provider
SQLNCLI10: SQL Server Native Client 10.0 OLE DB Provider
SQLNCLI11: SQL Server Native client 11.0 OLE DB Provider
MSDASQL: Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers
{SQL Server}: SQLSRV32.dll
{SQL Server Native Client 10.0}: sqlncli10.dll
{SQL Server Native Client 11.0}: sqlncli11.dll
If you do move away from the old SQLOLEDB provider, and towards the ODBC drivers, you do have to beware of a subtle gotcha:
SQL Server does not support multiple open recordsets on one connection. For example, if you had some sort of master-detail:
sql := 'SELECT * FROM Orders';
qry := DatabaseHelper.Execute(sql);
while not qry.EOF do
begin
//...
//Oh, this order needs to be frobbed.
DatabaseHelper.ExecuteNoRecords('UPDATE ORDERS SET Frob=1 WHERE OrderID='+IntToStr(orderID));
qry.Next;
end;
You've just tried to do a second thing on a connection where a recordset is still being iterated. SQL Server doesn't support that. Fortunately the OLEDB provider knows this, and will silently open a second connection for you (a new spid and everything) to perform the action.
The ODBC drivers have no such helping hand. If you switch to using the ODBC driver, and didn't realize you have these subtle "issues", your app will very quickly fall over dead.
UPDATE: Thanks to Dan Guzman, the problem has been solved.
I'd made a mistake and used the old legacy Driver={SQL Server}; assuming it is the new driver. Instead, I should have used Driver={ODBC Driver 11 for SQL Server} which is the actual new ODBC driver.
I can connect to (Localdb)\v11.0 with the new driver.
TL;TR: Why I can not connect to (Localdb)\v11.0 using the new Driver={SQL Server}; in connection string, but I can connet if I switch the driver to the old Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0}; ?
The remaining connection string parameters I use are (if used in C++ code, backslash escaped):
Server=(localdb)\v11.0;Integrated Security=True;
I'm trying to access SQL Server via ODBC and calling SQLDriverConnect with DSN-less connection string. If I switch the driver to SQL Server Native Client 11.0, then I suddenly can connect.
I have also tested generating FILEDSN using %systemdrive%\Windows\System32\odbcad32.exe and I observed exactly the same issue.
The only local database I can connect with the new Driver={SQL Server} is Server=DEVBOX\SQLEXPRESS (if used in C++ code, backslash escaped, of course).
I couldn't find any confirmation that the new ODBC Driver for SQL Server does not support LocalDB.
It is only indicated in the FAQ of ODBC Driver for SQL Server for Linux
Which features of SQL Server 2012 does this version of the driver
support?
The ODBC driver on Linux supports all server features in SQL Server 2012 except LocalDB.
How can I connect to LocalDB with the new ODBC driver on Windows?
UPDATE:
I'm using Windows 10 Pro + VS2015.
I can connect to both, (localdb)\v11.0 and DEVBOX\SQLEXPRESS with SQL Server Management Studio 2016 (CTP).
(The same question has been asked on MSDN Forums, here.)
The ODBC driver SQL Server is the legacy SQL Server ODBC driver that ships with Windows for backwards compatibility. The latest SQL Server ODBC driver is ODBC Driver 11 for SQL Server. I believe this ODBC driver is installed with SQL Server 2016 CTP. The released version is available as a separate download.