What Is The Full Form Of ODBC?
ODBC stands for Open Database Connectivity.
Open Database Connectivity is an Application Programming Interface that provides access to the database management systems. The client-side and the server-side both can access the application written using ODBC. The ODBC driver is used as a translation layer between the DBMS and the application and accomplishes the DBMS independence.
History
Microsoft introduced the ODBC standard in 1992. ODBC was a standard designed to provide access to SQL databases.
The ODBC standard was introduced in 1992 to accomplish a motive to provide access to SQL databases. Further, OLEDB was introduced as the broader data access standard. It was an extended data access standard beyond many different types of tabular data representation like SQL. Another data access standard was introduced by Microsoft called ADO. ADO was more object-oriented and meant to work further than OLEDB. In every attempt, ODBC has proved that it is the most common and best data standard for SQL data sources.
ODBC Architecture
- Application: The application level is responsible for calling ODBC functions to submit the SQL statements and retrieve the results.
- Driver Manager: It requests the ODBC function call or passes them to the driver. Also loads and unloads the drivers on behalf of an application.
- Driver: The driver is responsible for the ODBC function call. It submits the SQL request and returns its results to the application.
- Data Sources: The data that the user wants to access comes under data sources. The operating systems, DBMS, and network platform associated with data sources are used to access the Database management systems.
Advantages of ODBC
- Without any concern to the database server used, the ODBC provides a consistent interface.
- The ODBC allows interoperability which means a single application can access different database management systems.
- The ODBC allows editing multiple objects at the same time.
- The ODBC uses relevant functions mentioned in the database to apply a filter to sort the information.
- It provides simplicity and speed to application development.
Disadvantages of ODBC
- ODBC keeps evolving just like the other Microsoft products. The companies using ODBC have to cope with it and need to pay for the latest versions.
- It is a bit complicated to build and maintain the ODBC drivers.
- It is tough in ODBC to maintain speed when it comes to large databases.
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