14 DAY TRIAL // New software to help Microsoft SQL Server customers benefit from a better experience when their infrastructure includes Linux-based computers is now available for download.
We’re referring here to the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC Driver for Linux that was just released in a Community Technology Preview.
With it, keeping computers running Linux connected to a Microsoft SQL Server infrastructure to access various data is far simpler than before.
“The Microsoft SQL Server ODBC Driver for Linux CTP provides native connectivity from Linux to Microsoft SQL Server,” The Redmond-based company explains.
The SQL Server ODBC Driver for Linux arrives as a 64-bit driver for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. In this release, it offers support for SQL Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2012.
“The 64 bit version of the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC Driver for Linux CTP provides robust data access to Microsoft SQL Server,” Microsoft notes.
“It allows native C and C++ applications to leverage the standard ODBC API and connect to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2. Microsoft SQL Server ODBC Driver for Linux CTP also comes with powerful tools - sqlcmd and bcp.”
The driver requires for the 64-bit Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.x to be running on computers, and 64-bit UnixODBC 2.3.0 Driver Manager, built for 64-bit SQLLEN/SQLULEN.
For Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.x, the following packages are needed: glibc 2.5, the GNU libc libraries; libgcc 4.1.2, GCC version 4.1 shared support library; libstdc++ 4.1.2, GNU Standard C++ Library; e2fsprogs-libs 1.39, Ext2/3 file system-specific static libraries and headers (provides /lib/libuuid.so.1); Krb5-libs (Kerberos shared libraries); Generic Security Services Application Programming Interface (GSS-API); OpenSSL.
Specific info on what the installation of this driver requires can be found on Softpedia via this link. A download link for the driver is available there as well, as well as references to various other articles on it.
The new release is meant to prove Microsoft’s commitment to provide interoperability. At the same time, it shows the company’s alignment with ODBC as its preferred way to access SQL Server.