With the new release of the SQL Server JDBC Driver, Microsoft is bridging JAVA applications with its data platform. The Redmond company explained that SQL Server JDBC Driver 2.0 is an example of its continuous commitment to building interoperability between its proprietary technologies and third-party software products. The driver went live on the Microsoft Download Center on April 3, 2009 and is now up for grabs. Defined as a Type 4 JDBC driver, SQL Server JDBC Driver 2.0 is designed to enable database connectivity by making use of the standard JDBC application program interfaces (APIs) in Java Platform, Enterprise Edition 5.

“This version of the JDBC driver supports features introduced in the JDBC 4.0 API, including: national character set data types: NCHAR, NVARCHAR, LONGNVARCHAR, NCLOB; SQLXML data type; Wrapper interface to access SQL Server JDBC Driver specific methods; client info properties; new database metadata methods; and LOB creator methods,” revealed a member of the Microsoft JDBC Driver team.

In addition to the enhancements enumerated above, SQL Server JDBC Driver 2.0 also plays nice with SQL Server 2008, bringing to the table support for collations in the latest release of the Redmond company's data platform. At the same time, Microsoft has tweaked the driver, promising that the new release offers enhanced performance, and increased reliability via fixed bugs. Customers will now be able to take advantage of improved tracing and adaptive response buffering behavior.

SQL Server JDBC Driver 2.0 “provides support for the JDBC 4.0 API, including new national character set conversion methods, new metadata methods, and new data types like SQLXML, as well as a host of performance improvements and bug fixes. The latest version also enhances the tracing operation by logging the entry and exit points of public methods and by providing better distinction between the trace levels,” a JDBC Team representative added.