Manage Connections Tool

The Manage Connections tool enables you to make the SQL Server and DB2 connections needed to run your applications.

It includes the following key functionality:

• Creates ADO.NET connections to your mainframe DB2 database.
• Maintains a catalog of DSN connections, including the provider used to access the connection and the connection parameters used by the provider.
• Automatically creates both ADO.NET and ODBC connections to SQL Server using one set of connection parameters.
• Automatically creates and manages both CLR 2 (.NET Framework 2.x and 3.x) and CLR 4 (.NET Framework 4.x) connections.
  Note: Support for .NET Framework versions 3.0 and 3.5, and for the CLR v2 has been deprecated. The option 2 of the ILCLR directive has also been deprecated.
• Sets both 32-bit and 64-bit connections on 64-bit operating systems using one set of connection parameters.
• Enables you to define system, user, or Azure (SQL Database) connection types.
  Important: Azure connections enable you to run an application as a local application.
• Creates export XML files you can use to import connections into either the ADO.NET Connection Editor or the Manage Connections tool.
• Provides the option to upgrade the ODBC driver where appropriate.
• Allows setting the SQL Server ODBC provider on the SQL Server Connection tab or Connection List tab.
  Important: ODBC provider selection for SQL Server connections applies to System or User connections. Azure connections do not use ODBC connections. The "SQL Server" ODBC provider from Microsoft is an older provider that ships with Microsoft Windows and lacks certain features available in many newer Microsoft ODBC providers. As such, it is not shown in Manage Connections ODBC drop-down selectors. Microsoft ODBC provider versions provide support for particular versions of SQL Server. To help you select an appropriate ODBC provider, System requirements, installation, and driver files page on the Microsoft Web site.