Summary

The best thing about ADO.NET is that it treats all types of data sources similarly. As we've stated repeatedly, the only difference is the connection string and the class names. If you know how to build a connection string, you can use the same code to work with multiple data sources. Based on this theory, you saw how to work with the MySQL, Oracle, and Sybase databases. You also saw how to work with Excel spreadsheets and text files.

When it comes to the performance of database applications, server-side data objects such as stored procedures and views play a vital role. ADO.NET—with the help of VS .NET—provides great support for creating, managing, and executing stored procedures. The next chapter covers stored procedures and views, as well as how to write database applications using these two objects.