ODBC is an API for programs that use SQL statements to access data. The ODBC drivers can provide access to more than relational databases. ODBC defines the client side of database connectivity but not the server side. ODBC drivers typically rely on the presence of a proprietary driver. ODBC drivers transform ODBC calls into access requests and responses. You must install and configure an ODBC driver on each client and install the vendor-specific proprietary driver on the server side.

This section covers the following topics: