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Microsoft SQL Server Native Client

Microsoft SQL Server Native Client contains the SQL OLE DB provider and SQL ODBC driver in one native dynamic link library (DLL) supporting applications using native-code APIs (ODBC, OLE DB and ADO) to Microsoft SQL Server. SQL Server Native Client should be used rather than Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) to create new applications or enhance existing applications that need to take advantage of SQL Server features such as Multiple Active Result Sets (MARS), Query Notifications, User-Defined Types (UDT), and XML data type support.

The SQL Server Native Client Redistributable Package

The redistributable installer for SQL Server Native Client installs the client components needed during runtime by applications relying on SQL Server Native Client and optionally installs the SDK components needed to develop an application that uses SQL Server Native Client. The package can be independently downloaded as part of the SQL Server feature pack (Feature Pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - February 2007 or Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, August 2008).

SQL Server Native Client Documentation

Native API for SQL Server 2005 FAQ

This FAQ answers some basic questions about SQL Server Native Client and about ODBC and OLE DB in general.

SQL Server Native Client Programming
Microsoft SQL Server Native Client contains the SQL OLE DB provider and SQL ODBC driver in one native dynamic link library (DLL) supporting applications using native-code APIs (ODBC, OLE DB and ADO) to Microsoft SQL Server.
Features of SQL Server Native Client

In addition to exposing features contained in the most recent version of the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC), SQL Server Native Client also implements many other features to take advantage of functionality provided by SQL Server.

Building Applications Using SQL Server Native Client

The topics in this section include upgrading from MDAC to SQL Server Native Client, using the SQL Server Native Client header and library files, and an overview of the various connection strings that can be used with SQL Server Native Client.

SQL Server Native Client (OLE DB)

The SQL Server Native Client OLE DB provider is an OLE DB version 2.0–compliant provider. The SQL Server Native Client OLE DB provider exposes interfaces to consumers wanting access to data on one or more computers running an instance of SQL Server 2008 or earlier supported versions.

SQL Server Native Client (ODBC)

The SQL Server Native Client ODBC driver is 3.x compliant. SQL Server programs that are written using the SQL Server Native Client ODBC driver communicate with SQL Server through C function calls.

Blogs

Microsoft SQL Server Native Client Blog
Discussions for native data access APIs - ODBC and OLE DB - for SQL Server 2005 and later versions.
SQL Server Protocols Blog

Discussions related to Microsoft's SQL Server Protocols: Netlibs, TDS and (new for SQL Server 2005) SOAP.

Forums

SQL Server Data Access

SQL Server Native Client, OLE DB, ODBC, Native HTTP Support, and any other data-related SQL Server questions.

Newsgroups

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