HP Intelligent Management Center Standard Software Platform - Manual (Page 738)

Reports provides several DataDirect ODBC drivers through download,
allowing you to access many of the most popular SQL databases, including:
• Informix
• Oracle
• Sybase
• Microsoft SQL Server
• DB2
Crystal Reports still communicates with ODBC through the crdb_odbc.dll
translation file, but the DataDirect drivers provide ODBC with easy access
to the actual databases.
Note:
If you are using an SQL database not accessed by the DataDirect drivers,
refer to your DBMS documentation for more information about the required
ODBC drivers.
Do not confuse SQL databases with the SQL language. Structured Query
Language (SQL) is a specialized computer language used to design, build,
and read database files. See
Using SQL and SQL databases .
SQL databases are any collection of computer applications that depend on
the SQL language for database creation and manipulation. SQL DBMS
applications are usually designed to run as large client/server applications
spread across a network.
To open an SQL database, ODBC uses a set of DataDirect ODBC support
drivers (these are the same for every SQL database format), a DataDirect
ODBC driver specific to the database format, and the Database
Communication layer that actually communicates directly to the database
file. The files provided for this DBMS translation layer are all DataDirect
drivers.
Note:
• ODBC does not have to use the DataDirect drivers to access the SQL
databases shown here. Most SQL DBMS applications provide their own
ODBC drivers.
• DataDirect drivers are available as a download from the Business Objects
Download Center at:
http://www.businessobjects.com/products/downloadcenter
738 Crystal Reports 2008 SP3 User's Guide
Accessing Data Sources 26
ODBC data sources