The upcoming iterations of the Windows client and server operating systems will feature version 3.80 of the Open Database Connectivity Driver Manager. Microsoft revealed that ODBC DM 3.80 was scheduled for release in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. According to Pak-Ming Cheung, Microsoft developer, WDAC team, Data Programmability, no less than four major improvements differentiate ODBC 3.80 from previous releases ODBC 3.5x: Streamed Output Parameters; ODBC C-Type Extensibility; Asynchronous Connection Operation; and Better Management In ODBC Connection Pooling. Of course that developers can already get a taste of the Open Database Connectivity Driver Manager 3.80 by accessing the Release Candidate build of Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.

“Application compatibility was our highest priority when the ODBC 3.80 features were designed. Since the new features in ODBC 3.80 introduced new behavior, we upgraded the version to 3.80 from 3.5x (shipped on Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008). This guarantees that: existing ODBC drivers and applications (ODBC 2.0 or ODBC 3.x) will still work properly under Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. [And] ODBC 3.80 is optional for new development of drivers and applications,” Cheung revealed.

Microsoft underlined the fact that developers could already start leveraging the new diver manager for open database connectivity with the RC Build 7100 releases of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. According to the Redmond company, the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is an application programming interface designed to allow the accessing of data in heterogeneous environments. In this regard, ODBC plays nice with both relational and non-relational database management systems, the software giant added.

“For application developers, please read the SDK (link above) to better understand how these features may fit within your environment. At the moment, ODBC 3.80 drivers are not available; however, we are in contact with several driver vendors about supporting ODBC 3.80. Please work with your driver vendor to better understand their plan for ODBC 3.80 support,” Cheung explained. “SQLODBC is now in maintenance mode. Its sole purpose is for backward compatibility.”

Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1: RC and Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1: RC (ISO) are available for download here.