Supporting custom data structures within the database. 2. Version History and Support Status
The primary purpose of SQL Native Client was to consolidate and specialize. It combined the SQL OLE DB provider and the SQL ODBC driver into a single, native dynamic link library (DLL). By doing so, it stripped away the abstraction layers that slowed down general-purpose drivers. SNAC was "native" in the sense that it communicated directly with the SQL Server Tabular Data Stream (TDS) protocol, allowing it to take full advantage of SQL Server's specific features without the overhead of generic data translation. This resulted in faster performance and reduced complexity for developers building applications strictly for the SQL Server environment.
using System.Data.Odbc; string connStr = "Driver=SQL Server Native Client 11.0;Server=localhost;Database=Test;Trusted_Connection=yes;"; using (OdbcConnection conn = new OdbcConnection(connStr)) conn.Open(); sql native client
The evolution of SNAC peaked with the release of . Associated SQL Release Support Status 9.0 SQL Server 2005 Fully Unsupported 10.0 SQL Server 2008 Fully Unsupported 11.0 SQL Server 2012
: Microsoft has deprecated the SQL Server Native Client (SQLNCLI). For new report development, Microsoft Learn recommends switching to the Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server (MSOLEDBSQL) or the newer ODBC drivers. Supporting custom data structures within the database
SQL Native Client was first introduced by Microsoft as a standalone data access provider, designed specifically for use with Microsoft SQL Server. Its arrival marked a significant shift in how developers connected their applications to the database. Prior to SNAC, developers typically relied on a patchwork of technologies, often using MDAC (Microsoft Data Access Components), which included OLE DB and ODBC providers. However, MDAC was a general-purpose library designed to support a wide variety of data sources, from text files to spreadsheets. While versatile, it lacked specific optimizations for the unique features of SQL Server.
is a standalone data access API (library) used for connecting to Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL Database . It combines: It combined the SQL OLE DB provider and
using:
“SQL Server Native Client is deprecated and should not be used for new development. For new applications, use the latest Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server or ODBC Driver for SQL Server.”