Understanding DSNs

It is important that you appreciate the difference between Databases and Data Source Names (DSNs):

Databases

A database is the name of a file in a particular database format, such as Microsoft Access, SQL Server or Oracle. These files will only work with the application or database management system for which they were designed.

Vector AM databases store the data associated with the desktop PCs at a Site. The database can be in Microsoft Access, SQL Server or Oracle format. The Database is usually held on a network share, to enable access from multiple Consoles and Schedulers.

Data Source Names

Many databases support ODBC, which means that they can be used independently of any particular database management system. This means that applications can work with different database formats, and you can choose which database format best suits your needs.

To access an ODBC-compliant database, the database needs a Data Source Name (DSN) to work through. A Data Source is a collection of information used to connect an application to a database.