Supplied Drivers; Connecting To Db2 Universal Database 6.X, 7.2, And Os/390 - MACROMEDIA COLDFUSION MX 61 - CONFIGURING AND ADMINISTERING COLDFUSION MX Manual

The following table describes the four types of JDBC drivers:
Type Name
1 JDBC-ODBC
bridge
2 Native-API/partly
Java driver
3 JDBC-Net pure
Java driver
4 Native-protocol/
all-Java driver

Supplied drivers

The following table shows the database drivers supplied with ColdFusion MX and where you can
find more information:
Driver
DB2 Universal Database 6.x, 7.2,
and OS/390
Informix 9.x
Microsoft Access
38 Chapter 3: Data Source Management
Description
Translates JDBC calls into ODBC calls, and sends them to the ODBC
driver.
Advantages Allows access to many different databases.
Disadvantages The ODBC driver, and possibly the client database
libraries, must reside on the ColdFusion server computer. Performance
is also below par.
Macromedia does not recommend this driver type unless your
application requires specific features of these drivers.
Converts JDBC calls into database-specific calls.
Advantages Better performance than Type 1 Driver.
Disadvantages The vendor's client database libraries must reside on
the same computer as ColdFusion.
Macromedia does not recommend this driver type unless your
application requires specific features of these drivers, such as the
Unicode support offered by the ColdFusion MX Microsoft Access with
Unicode driver.
Translates JDBC calls to the middle-tier server, which then translates
the request to the database-specific native-connectivity interface.
Advantages No need for vendor's database libraries to be present on
client computer. Can be tailored for small size (faster loading).
Disadvantages Database-specific code must be executed in the
middle-tier.
ColdFusion MX includes an ODBC socket type 3 driver for use with
Microsoft Access databases and ODBC data sources.
Converts JDBC calls into the network protocol used directly by the
database.
Advantages Fast performance. No special software needed on the
computer on which you run ColdFusion MX.
Disadvantages Many of these protocols are proprietary, requiring a
different driver for each database.
ColdFusion MX includes type 4 drivers for many popular DBMSs,
however, not all DBMSs are supported in ColdFusion MX Standard
Edition.
Type Reference
4 "Connecting to DB2 Universal Database 6.x, 7.2, and
OS/390" on page 41
4 "Connecting to Informix 9.x" on page 43
3 "Connecting to Microsoft Access" on page 44