What are Multi-Tier ODBC-JDBC Bridge Drivers?
ODBC Drivers that provide access to SQL Data Sources by way of a bridging layer. Fundamentally, this bridging-layer provides an ODBC compliant application with an entry point that’s mapped to an JDBC exit point.
Architecturally, a Multi-Tier Driver has two tiered components: Client and Server. In our case, you have a generic client that connects to a generic server (a/k/a) request-broker component.
Generic Client
In this case of ODBC, this component is 100% data source and ODBC application independent. It’s equipped with in-built networking that’s also target data source independent.
Generic Server
Here we have a server (or listener) that handles requests from the client. These request include actual binding to a data source specific component known as a database-agent.
Data Source Specific Components (a/k/a Database Agents)
Every Database Agent is a piece of software that’s constructed using APIs provided by a particular Data Source. Typically, this would take the form of Call Level Interface APIs for a specific SQL RDBMS, but it could also be something else e.g., an HTTP request to wherever on an HTTP network.
Why is this kind of driver important?
It provides ODBC compliant applications with access to JDBC Data Sources. Likewise, it provides applications and services that only support JDBC with exposure to ODBC compliant applications. In addition, it provides advanced security based on “session rules” that control who has access to what over an ODBC connection to a JDBC Data Source, and under what terms (read or read-write).
For instance, you are able to control read and read-write modalities by any combination of factors that includes username, ODBC compliant application name, client IP address (or CNAME), etc. In addition to controlling important issues such as resultset sizes and number of concurrent connections per Database Agent(s) in use at any given time.
How do I use this driver?
Simply download the installer archive for Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux and then install. Once installed, simply creation an ODBC Data Source Name using the newly installed bridge-driver.
The most important part of the installation boils down to providing the JDBC URL for the ODBC Data Source Name (DSN).
