Interbase ODBC or Driver OLE DB. Review of Data Access Ways

Many people do not understand the differences between Firebird OLE DB and ODBC technologies. In this article we'll compare an ODBC driver with an OLE DB provider and review Interbase components.Interbase ODBC driverFirebird ODBC driver - is the ODBC API realization with C. ODBC API calls are sent to the definite Interbase, Firebird database API.ODBC drivers were the Microsoft first attempt to provide a standard of data accessing.Advantages of the ODBC techology is cross platform featuresUnixODBC development lets ODBC drivers' use on Unix platform.Interbase and Firebird ODBC manufacturesGemini InterBase/Firebird ODBC Driver - project is not supported since March, 2005 Easysoft ODBC drivers spread separately for Firebird and InterBase:
- Easysoft ODBC-InterBase Driver - declared about Interbase 6, IB 7.5, IB 6.5, IB 7 support
- Easysoft ODBC-Firebird Driver - declared about FB 1.5Firebird 1 supportThere is a large list of ODBC drivers but no information about drivers' last update for Firebird and InterBase. If to look at the numbers of supported versions, the changes were long ago.Interbase and Firebird OLE DB component - IBProviderOLE DB (or OLEDB) - Object Linking and Embedding, Database.OLE DB technology was created after ODBC and became the Microsoft Corporation idea about standard data access interfaces.It allows connection to the Firebird and Interbase SQL Server applying the Firebird and Interbase provider in Visual Studio 2008, 2005, c#, C++ and other environments.Advantages of standard interfaces use
The technologies goal is to isolate the client from data source providing him with standard data access interface.There are some pros of such approach:
- independence of client application from data source.
- easy update of SQL Servers versions.
- application connectivity with many SQL Server.
- Multiple development tools' support.The idea is that it's easier for developers to realize 1 standard interface than to support multiple database servers with different API.

Article Source: Andrew_Merkulov