Database Management/ODBC
This lesson introduces Open Database Connectivity (ODBC).
Objectives and Skills
[edit | edit source]Objectives and skills for this lesson include:
- Understand ODBC concepts
- Use ODBC to connect front-end applications to a variety of back-end data sources
Readings
[edit | edit source]Multimedia
[edit | edit source]Activities
[edit | edit source]- Install the ODBC driver(s) for your selected database management system:
- MySQL: MySQL: Connector
- SQL Server: Microsoft: Download ODBC Driver for SQL Server
- SQLite: Devart: ODBC Driver for SQLite
- Configure an ODBC data source to connect to the Northwind database on your selected DBMS.
- Select a database application to use for this lesson. LibreOffice Base and Microsoft Access are recommended.
- Use your selected database application to connect to your DBMS Northwind database. Run queries against the Northwind database to test connectivity.
- Create forms and reports in your selected database application to interact with the DBMS Northwind database.
Lesson Summary
[edit | edit source]- Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is a standard application programming interface (API) for accessing database management systems (DBMS).[1]
- ODBC was originally developed by Microsoft and Simba Technologies during the early 1990s.[2]
- ODBC remains in wide use today, with drivers available for most platforms and most databases. It is not uncommon to find ODBC drivers for database engines that are meant to be embedded, like SQLite, as a way to allow existing tools to act as front-ends to these engines for testing and debugging.[3]
Key Terms
[edit | edit source]- device driver
- Provides a software interface to hardware devices, enabling operating systems and other computer programs to access hardware functions without needing to know precise details about the hardware being used.[4]
- Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)
- A standard application programming interface (API) for accessing database management systems (DBMS).[5]