DataSplice Releases Mobile Integration Suite 3.0
Reference - ODBC
Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is a widely accepted application programming interface (API) for database access. Databases use proprietary data access schemes that require the use of different database languages. ODBC eliminates the need to create code specific to each database, instead providing one standard set of calls. The calls are translated to the appropriate language by the ODBC drivers. Utilizing ODBC, databases are referred to by their Data Source Name (DSN).
Acquiring ODBC
ODBC is required for DataSplice and is standard on many installations of Windows. To verify that ODBC is installed, open the Control Panel (Windows 95, 98, NT, and ME) or Administrative Tools in the Control Panel (Windows 2000). If ODBC appears in either location, it is already installed. ODBC is available to download for Windows from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/data/download.htm.
Data Sources
The three types of data sources:
- User DSN
- An ODBC User Data Source Name stores information about how to connect to the indicated data provider. A User data source is local to a computer and is accessible only by the current user.
- System DSN
- An ODBC System Data Source Name stores information about how to connect to the indicated data provider. A System data source is local to a computer but is not user-dedicated. Any user can access a system DSN. In most cases, this is the preferred type of data source for use with DataSplice.
- File DSN
- An ODBC File Data Source Name allows you to connect to a data provider. A File data source need not be user-dedicated or local to a computer.
Creating a Data Source in Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator
Before creating an ODBC data source, be sure the database server is configured. For more information regarding configuration of the database, consult the documentation that was provided with the particular database.
To create an ODBC data source:
- Launch the ODBC Data Source Administrator by selecting Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC).
- Select the appropriate DSN tab. In most cases, you will want to use a System DSN:
- Click Add to begin creating the data source. This will open the Create New Data Source dialog box:
- Select the appropriate driver for the data source, and then click Finish. A dialog box will appear to allow you to configure the data source. Each data source driver has a different installation interface. Consult the documentation provided with the data source for more information about how to complete the fields.
- After you have entered the appropriate information for your data source, click OK to finish. You can make modifications to the data source later by highlighting the data source from the list on the System DSN tab and then clicking Configure.
Drivers
Databases use proprietary data access schemes that require the use of different database languages. ODBC provides an interface that standardizes the syntax necessary to communicate with ODBC-compliant databases. The ODBC drivers are responsible for translating the syntax into the database-specific language, which allows one set of code to access many different databases. Each type of database utilized must have its own ODBC driver installed.
Installing ODBC Drivers
In order to add or remove an ODBC driver, the setup utility that is specific to the particular driver and database must be run. The Drivers tab in the ODBC Data Source Administrator only displays information about the drivers already installed. Drivers may not be installed from this location.
Connection Pooling
When an application needs a particular driver, it first requests a connection handle with which to identify the driver and then requests that the Driver Manager load the driver. Connection pooling places these handles in a pool so that they may be reused without having to re-establish a connection, thus saving round-trips to the server and improving performance.
Connection Pooling Tab
The Connection Pooling tab sets the connection pooling timeout, retry wait time, and enables or disables performance monitoring.
- Connection Pooling Timeout - This specifies, in seconds, the time that unused connections will remain in the pool. To set the connection pooling timeout, double click the appropriate driver. The Set Connection Pooling Attributes dialog box appears:
- PerfMon - Enable or disable performance monitoring by selecting the appropriate radio button for this option.
- Retry Wait Time - This specifies, in seconds, the interval at which the ODBC Driver Manager retries to make a connection to the database server.
