SQL Server Native Client 11.0 ODBC Driver connection strings

SQL Server 2012

Using a non-standard port

If your SQL Server listens on a non-default port you can specify that using the servername,xxxx syntax (note the comma, it's not a colon).

Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;

The default SQL Server port is 1433 and there is no need to specify that in the connection string.

Prompt for username and password

This one is a bit tricky. First you need to set the connection object's Prompt property to adPromptAlways. Then use the connection string to connect to the database.

oConn.Properties("Prompt") = adPromptAlways

oConn.Open "Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;"

Database mirroring

If you connect with ADO.NET or the SQL Native Client to a database that is being mirrored, your application can take advantage of the drivers ability to automatically redirect connections when a database mirroring failover occurs. You must specify the initial principal server and database in the connection string and the failover partner server.

Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};Server=myServerAddress;Failover_Partner=myMirrorServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Trusted_Connection=yes;

There is ofcourse many other ways to write the connection string using database mirroring, this is just one example pointing out the failover functionality. You can combine this with the other connection strings options available.

Please note if you are using TCP/IP (using the network library parameter) and database mirroring, including port number in the address (formed as servername,portnumber) for both the main server and the failover partner can solve some reported issues.

SQL Server 2008

Using a non-standard port

If your SQL Server listens on a non-default port you can specify that using the servername,xxxx syntax (note the comma, it's not a colon).

Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;

The default SQL Server port is 1433 and there is no need to specify that in the connection string.

Prompt for username and password

This one is a bit tricky. First you need to set the connection object's Prompt property to adPromptAlways. Then use the connection string to connect to the database.

oConn.Properties("Prompt") = adPromptAlways

oConn.Open "Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;"

Database mirroring

If you connect with ADO.NET or the SQL Native Client to a database that is being mirrored, your application can take advantage of the drivers ability to automatically redirect connections when a database mirroring failover occurs. You must specify the initial principal server and database in the connection string and the failover partner server.

Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};Server=myServerAddress;Failover_Partner=myMirrorServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Trusted_Connection=yes;

There is ofcourse many other ways to write the connection string using database mirroring, this is just one example pointing out the failover functionality. You can combine this with the other connection strings options available.

Please note if you are using TCP/IP (using the network library parameter) and database mirroring, including port number in the address (formed as servername,portnumber) for both the main server and the failover partner can solve some reported issues.

SQL Server 2005

Using a non-standard port

If your SQL Server listens on a non-default port you can specify that using the servername,xxxx syntax (note the comma, it's not a colon).

Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;

The default SQL Server port is 1433 and there is no need to specify that in the connection string.

Prompt for username and password

This one is a bit tricky. First you need to set the connection object's Prompt property to adPromptAlways. Then use the connection string to connect to the database.

oConn.Properties("Prompt") = adPromptAlways

oConn.Open "Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;"

Database mirroring

If you connect with ADO.NET or the SQL Native Client to a database that is being mirrored, your application can take advantage of the drivers ability to automatically redirect connections when a database mirroring failover occurs. You must specify the initial principal server and database in the connection string and the failover partner server.

Driver={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};Server=myServerAddress;Failover_Partner=myMirrorServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Trusted_Connection=yes;

There is ofcourse many other ways to write the connection string using database mirroring, this is just one example pointing out the failover functionality. You can combine this with the other connection strings options available.

Please note if you are using TCP/IP (using the network library parameter) and database mirroring, including port number in the address (formed as servername,portnumber) for both the main server and the failover partner can solve some reported issues.