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ADO.NET Data Providers

The ADO.NET Data Provider model provides a common managed interface in the .NET Framework for connecting to and interacting with a data store. The ADO.NET Entity Framework builds on top of the ADO.NET Data Provider model to allow for use of the Entity Framework with any data source for which a supported provider is available.

The .NET Framework includes ADO.NET providers for direct access to Microsoft SQL Server and for indirect access to other databases with ODBC and OLE DB drivers (see .NET Framework Data Providers). For direct access to other databases, many third-party providers are available as shown below. All of the providers listed here include Entity Framework support.

Third-Party Providers

	MySQL Connector/NET MySQL Connector/NET is a fully managed ADO.NET driver written in 100% pure C# that enables developers to easily create .NET applications with MySQL. It implements the required ADO.NET interfaces and integrates into ADO.NET aware tools.

	Oracle Data Provider for .NET Oracle Data Provider for .NET features optimized data access to the Oracle database. .NET developers can take advantage of Oracle database functionality, including Real Application Clusters, self-tuning, and TimesTen, a memory-optimized relational database that provides instant responsiveness and very high throughput.

	Progress DataDirect Connect The Progress DataDirect 100% managed code ADO.NET data provider eliminates the need for database clients, which boosts .NET application performance and delivers a flexible, secure connection to all major databases, including Oracle, DB2, Sybase, and Microsoft SQL Server.

	VistaDB VistaDB is the only .NET embedded database that allows you to Xcopy a single DLL for both 32 and 64 bit runtime support.

	Devart Offers ADO.NET Data Providers supporting access to Oracle, MySQL, SQL Lite, PostgreSQL, and Microsoft SQL Server databases.

	OpenLink Software OpenLink's Virtuoso ADO.NET Data Provider allows developers to access native Virtuoso data (SQL, XML, and RDF) and any Virtuoso Linked Tables from external ODBC and JDBC accessible data sources. Known-compatible external data sources include Oracle (versions 7.x to 11.x), Microsoft SQL Server (6.x to 2005), IBM DB2 , Sybase (4.2 to 12.x+), IBM Informix (5.x to 11.x), Ingres (6.4 to 9.x), Progress (7.x to 10.x), MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Firebird.

	IBM IBM supplies ADO.NET data providers for access to DB2, Informix, and U2 databases.

	Sybase SQL Anywhere SQL Anywhere 11 includes Sybase iAnywhere's ADO.NET Data Provider.

	Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise Sybase ASE and SDK include ASE ADO.NET Data Provider, allowing access to data in ASE using any language supported by .NET, such as C#, Visual Basic .NET, C++ with managed extension, and J#.

	Phoenix Software Solutions Offers an open source ADO.NET Data Provider supporting access to SQLite.

	Synergex Offers the Synergy/DE Data Provider for .NET, which enables access to Synergy DBMS databases.

	Firebird Offers an ADO.NET Data Provider to access Firebird databases without installing the Firebird client library.

	Npgsql Npgsql is an ADO.NET Data Provider for PostgreSQL databases (BSD License).