Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
system, but the database vendor does not offer its database client software on
that operating system, the database driver vendor cannot develop a 64-bit
Linux driver.
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In the case of Java and ADO.NET, the database driver/provider must make
calls to the client software, which is Java native libraries or ADO.NET
unmanaged code. See the following section, “Database Wire Protocol
Architecture,” for details.
Database Wire Protocol Architecture
Database wire protocol drivers communicate with the database directly, elimi-
nating the need for the database's client software, as shown in Figure 3-4.
Application
Standards-Based Calls
Database
Driver
Database Wire Protocol
Figure 3-4
Database wire protocol architecture
Today, few ODBC drivers and ADO.NET data providers on the market use
this architecture. Many JDBC drivers, known as Type 4 drivers, use this architec-
ture.
Databases have a proprietary API that allows other software components to
communicate with them. In a client-based architecture, the client software
makes the wire protocol calls to the database. In a database wire protocol archi-
tecture, the database drivers generate the required wire protocol calls, thereby
communicating directly with the database.
The benefits of choosing a database driver that has a database wire protocol
architecture are many. First, the database driver can be installed with your database
application and can immediately connect to the database without configuring
