An OLE DB

OLE DB

OLE DB is an API designed by Microsoft for accessing data from a variety of sources in an uniform manner. It is a set of interfaces implemented using the Component Object Model ; it is otherwise unrelated to OLE...

 provider is a software component enabling an OLE DB consumer to interact with a data source. OLE DB providers are analogous to ODBC drivers, JDBC driver

JDBC driver

A JDBC driver is a software component enabling a Java application to interact with a database. JDBC drivers are analogous to ODBC drivers, ADO.NET data providers, and OLE DB providers....

s, and ADO.NET data provider

ADO.NET data provider

An ADO.NET data provider is a software component enabling an ADO.NET consumer to interact with a data source. ADO.NET data providers are analogous to ODBC drivers, JDBC drivers, and OLE DB providers....

s.

OLE DB providers can be created to access such simple data stores as a text file and spreadsheet, through to such complex databases as Oracle

Oracle database

The Oracle Database is an object-relational database management system produced and marketed by Oracle Corporation....

, Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database server, developed by Microsoft: It is a software product whose primary function is to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications, be it those on the same computer or those running on another computer across a network...

, Sybase ASE

Adaptive Server Enterprise

Adaptive Server Enterprise is Sybase Corporation's flagship enterprise-class relational model database server product. ASE is predominantly used on the Unix platform but is also available for Windows.-History:...

, and many others. It can also provide access to hierarchical data stores such as email systems.

However, because different data store technologies can have different capabilities, every OLE DB provider cannot implement every possible interface available in the OLE DB standard. The capabilities that are available are implemented through the use of COM objects; an OLE DB provider will map the data store technologies functionality to a particular COM interface. Microsoft describes the availability of an interface as "provider-specific," as it may not be applicable depending on the data store technology involved. Note also that providers may augment the capabilities of a data store; these capabilities are known as services in Microsoft parlance.

OLE DB providers

• SQLSummit.com: Catalogue of OLE DB Providers
• Microsoft ships a few OLE DB Providers as part of its MDAC and JET kits
• Simba Technologies
  Simba Technologies
  Simba Technologies is a supplier of standards-based data access solutions located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Simba Technologies specializes in connectivity for ODBC, JDBC, OLE DB for OLAP and XML for Analysis...
  
   ships SimbaProvider, an SDK used to build custom OLE DB for OLAP providers for multi-dimensional and star schema database connectivity.
• OpenLink Software
  OpenLink Software
  Founded in 1992, OpenLink Software, Inc., is a software company headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, USA.The company develops and deploys standards-compliant middleware products that cover:...
  
   ships components supporting OLE DB access to a number of data sources, including several SQL
  SQL
  SQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....
  
   DBMS, as well as Bridges to ODBC- and JDBC-accessible data sources
• OLE DB Provider for Interbase and Firebird (supports 14 database types, free and pro versions are available)
• OLE DB Provider for PostgreSQL