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SQL Server Drivers

How to Rate SQL Server Drivers

In multi-tiered applications using an MS SQL Server back end, your SQL Server database driver can significantly impact service quality. For the benefit of application users as well as developers and administrators, give close consideration to these criteria when shopping for SQL Server drivers:

  • Performance. SQL Server drivers vary widely in their performance under load. Make sure you don’t introduce a bottleneck into your distributed applications.
  • Reliability. Your SQL Server driver will be in a pivotal position within your application architecture. Be sure you’re getting ultra-high availability and flawless execution.
  • Security. Depending on their engineering, SQL Server drivers can contribute to your overall application security architecture, or detract from it.
  • Manageability. Look for a SQL Server driver that’s easy to deploy and manage.

Progress DataDirect Delivers Superior SQL Server Drivers

Progress® DataDirect is the world’s leading provider of data connectivity solutions. Our Connect® line of database drivers is the most comprehensive on the market, with products for ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET connectivity, supporting SQL Server as well as every other major database including Sybase, Oracle, Informix, DB2, and MySQL.

Whether you need a JDBC SQL Server connection, ADO.NET providers for SQL Server, or SQL ODBC drivers, Connect SQL Server drivers easily surpass other drivers on the market:

  • Comprehensive benchmarking tests have proven that Connect drivers consistently outperform competing drivers on key performance metrics including throughput, response time, CPU efficiency, and memory efficiency. The superior performance of Connect drivers reflects innovative engineering such as a unique wire protocol design that enables the driver to communicate with the target database directly over TCP/IP; and in the case of JDBC connectivity, a breakthrough “Type 5” architecture that overcomes the performance limitations associated with conventional Type 4 JDBC drivers. And our ODBC for SQL Server driver is available in a 64-bit version that optimizes performance even further.
  • Connect SQL Server drivers are subjected to the industry’s most rigorous testing suites and have a long track record of reliable service in some of the world’s largest and most demanding production environments.
  • Among Microsoft ODBC drivers, only Connect drivers have built-in industry standard security features such as Kerberos authentication and SSL/TLS data encryption.
  • Connect database drivers are easier than competing drivers to deploy and maintain. For example, Connect’s wire protocol design eliminates the need for database client libraries; and our Type 5 JDBC drivers require only a single JAR file to support multiple JVM versions or database versions.

Our ODBC SQL Server drivers, JDBC SQL Server drivers, and ADO.NET SQL Server drivers are available for download from our Web site.

For mainframe environments, Progress offers a full range of mainframe enterprise integration solutions that control costs by leveraging the zIIP specialty engine.

Learn more about Progress DataDirect Connect drivers, or download a driver today to start your free trial.