SQL Server 2005's Type 4 JDBC driver provides database connectivity from a Java application. Though the driver class and connection URL are a bit different in this version, connectivity is a snap.

Microsoft released a free JDBC driver for its SQL Server 2000 database, and Redmond is submitting the driver for certification from Java/J2EE heavyweights like Sun, IBM and BEA.

We're using JDBC to run statements against SQL Server 2008 R2 on a Windows 2008 R2 machine from a machine running 64-bit Ubuntu 10.04 LTS with the 2.6.32-32-server kernel.

JDBC's (Java Database Connectivity) PreparedStatement interface and setObject () method help you implement fast, generic database access methods that can run on any database server.

According to Microsoft, the SQL Server 2000 Driver for JDBC supports the JDBC 2.0 specification, and the driver is in final testing for the Sun J2EE Compatibility Test Suite.