SQL Server 2005
Standard security
Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;
Trusted connection
Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Trusted_Connection=yes;
Connecting to an SQL Server instance
The syntax of specifying the server instance in the value of the server key is the same for all connection strings for SQL Server.
Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=myServerName\theInstanceName;Database=myDataBase;Trusted_Connection=yes;
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).
Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;
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 "Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=myServerAddress;DataBase=myDataBase;"
Enable MARS
Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Trusted_Connection=yes;MARS Connection=True;
Encrypt data sent over network
Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Trusted_Connection=yes;Encrypt=yes;
Attach a database file on connect to a local SQL Server Express instance
Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=.\SQLExpress;AttachDbFilename=c:\mydbfile.mdf;Database=dbname;Trusted_Connection=Yes;
Attach a database file, located in the data directory, on connect to a local SQL Server Express instance
Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=.\SQLExpress;AttachDbFilename=|DataDirectory|mydbfile.mdf;Database=dbname;Trusted_Connection=Yes;
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.
Provider=SQLNCLI;Data Source=myServerAddress;Failover Partner=myMirrorServerAddress;Initial Catalog=myDataBase;Integrated Security=True;
Are you using SQL Server 2005 Express? Don't miss the server name syntax Servername\SQLEXPRESS where you substitute Servername with the name of the computer where the SQL Server 2005 Express installation resides.
When to use SQL Native Client?