SQL Server ODBC Drivers for 2000, 2005, and 2008

_{Friday, September 11, 2009 4:40 PM | 1 vote}

I have a database server running 64 bit Windows Server 2008, and it is intended to support all SQL server platforms.  I've installed them all and set the compatibility level of each database on each instance.  The application it is setup to support (in a qa environment) requires ODBC.  I am not sure which driver to use for which version of SQL in ODBC. 

The new SQL Server Native Client 10.0 is obviously for accessing the SQL Server 2008 databases. 

I have always asumed that SQL Native Client was intended for use with SQL Server 2005, but someone has questioned that and I'm unable to find clear guidelines online.  Would anyone be able to tell me whether I am correct with the following assumption?

SQL Server 2000 - SQL Server - SQLSRV32.DLL
SQL Server 2005 - SQL Native Client - SQLNCLI.DLL
SQL Server 2008 - SQL Native Client 10.0 - SQLNCLI10.DLL

Thanks!

_{Friday, September 11, 2009 4:53 PM ✅Answered}

SQL Server Native Client 10.0 (sqlncli10.dll), fully supports connectivity to and the functionality of all three of your versions of SQL Server: 2000, 2005, and 2008. I'd recommend that you use it for all three platforms.

That said, SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2005 also support connectivity from SQL Server Native Client (sqlncli.dll), and from the "SQL Server" driver (sqlsrv32.dll). However, you will not be able to access some new functionality of SQL Server 2008 using sqlncli or sqlsrv32, and you will not be able to access some functionality of SQL Server 2005 using sqlsrv32. Hence, just using sqlncli10.dll for all three is probably your best bet.This post is provided 'as is' and confers no express or implied warranties or rights.

_{Thursday, October 22, 2009 5:20 PM ✅Answered}

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=C6C3E9EF-BA29-4A43-8D69-A2BED18FE73C&displaylang=en
A little over half way down:
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Native Client

Rx

_{Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:12 PM}

Thanks for listing the SQL Server 2008 - SQL Native Client 10.0 - **SQLNCLI10.DLL

Note:** The Microsoft CompCheck tool for ODBC - see http://suupport.microsoft.com/kb/301202
checks for the lastest version of ODBC and other drivers.
Well, at least it use to.
I just ran it against two workstations. CompCheck shows the exact same version.
But, my development workstation with SQL Server 2008 Management Studio
has the SQL Server 2008 - SQL Native Client 10 on the ODBC selection.
While the typical User Workstation does not have the SQL Native Client 10 (just the old SQL Native Client) as a choice.

Important:
The Access 2003 Linked Table Manager using the older SQL Native Client gave a FALSE POSITIVE connected to the SQL 2008 database.
My SQL 2005 DB is live data. Once I used ODBC to re-connect (relink table manager) to the new test DB on SQL Server 2008, the wizard indicated and shows every thing is fine.
But, in reality it was still connected to Live Data of the same SQL Server 2005.
Darn good thing I did not start testing!!

Now my question is: What can I down load to get my average workstation updated with SQL Native Client 10.0 - **SQLNCLI10.DLL?
**Rx

_{Thursday, October 22, 2009 5:11 PM}

Article ID: 973601 - Last Review: September 21, 2009 - Revision: 1.2
Cumulative update package 7 for SQL Server 2008

SQL Server 2008 Native Client

Collapse this tableExpand this table  - (just a small part of one really large download)

Rx

_{Thursday, October 22, 2009 6:15 PM}

Validated that this is the right file for client workstations to have the ODBC updated.
When opening ODBC, it provides an entirely new windows interface - and includes the SQL Server Natiove Client 10.0

Be sure to delete all the old ODBC links with just the SQL Native Client - replace them with SQL Native Client 10.0

For Access 2003 users:
When you go to the Linked Table Manager - Beware!!!

If you simpley check to relink all tables - it won't change a thing - enven though your ODBC clearly points to a new SQL Server 2008 database.

If you select all the linked tables and check the bottom box to force the relink in Linked Table Manager:
The interface forces you to check each tab and ODBC one at a time.
Not good for me woth over 250 Linked Tables and Views to multiple SQL Server databases.

I need to look up one of my old scripts to use VBA to re-link my tables to the new ODBC connection.

Also:
I had an old windows script that would actually create the ODBC entry rather than manually doing it.
If any one has an updated version for the updated ODBC interface... please share.

Rx

_{Monday, November 2, 2009 3:42 PM}

SQL Server Native Client 10.0 (sqlncli10.dll), fully supports connectivity to and the functionality of all three of your versions of SQL Server: 2000, 2005, and 2008. I'd recommend that you use it for all three platforms.

That said, SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2005 also support connectivity from SQL Server Native Client (sqlncli.dll), and from the "SQL Server" driver (sqlsrv32.dll). However, you will not be able to access some new functionality of SQL Server 2008 using sqlncli or sqlsrv32, and you will not be able to access some functionality of SQL Server 2005 using sqlsrv32. Hence, just using sqlncli10.dll for all three is probably your best bet.

---

This post is provided 'as is' and confers no express or implied warranties or rights.

Are you sure there is a 100% compatibility between SQL Server 2005/2008 and SQL Native Client (10.0) (apart from the new specific 2008 functionality when using SQL Native Client)?

Because we had following problem with a customer: He was using SQL Server 2000 with sqlsrv32, then he migrated to SQL Server 2005 and kept using sqlsrv32. Our software didn't change in the meantime. But now he got some really strange bugs in our software and limited to only one case in the data. We tried a lot to find the bug but it didn't make any sense. In the end we found out that the customer was still using sqlsrv32 to connect to the DB and told him to upgrade to sqlncli which solved the problem.

The point that i tell this is thet you write those drivers and databases are compatible with the exception of new special features, but obviously there was a case that made problems with a simple select statement.

What i want to know now is if there is any possibility of uncompatibility when using sqlncli on SQL Server 2008 or using sqlncli10 on SQL Server 2005 as long as you only use normal SQL statements (select, update, insert and delete)?
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