Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider
 
ADO.NET
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Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider

SQL-based Access to Microsoft Dataverse through ADO.NET for your custom .NET applications and SSAS.

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The Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Data Provider enables user to easily connect to Microsoft Dataverse from .NET applications. Rapidly create and deploy powerful .NET applications that integrate with Microsoft Dataverse.

ADO architecture

Microsoft Dataverse .NET Connectivity Features

  • Powerful metadata querying enables SQL-like access to non-database sources
  • Push down query optimization pushes SQL operations down to the server whenever possible, increasing performance
  • Client-side query execution engine, supports SQL-92 operations that are not available server-side
  • Connect to live Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) data, for real-time data access with the Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) ODBC Driver
  • Full support for data aggregation and complex JOINs in SQL queries
  • Secure connectivity through modern cryptography, including TLS 1.2, SHA-256, ECC, etc.
  • Seamless integration with leading BI, reporting, and ETL tools and with custom applications via the Microsoft Dataverse Connector.

Target Service, API

The driver connects to Microsoft Dataverse (formerly Common Data Service) via Web API. Provides access to all standard and custom entities in Power Platform environments.

Schema, Data Model

Models Dataverse entities as relational tables with full metadata discovery. Supports standard entities, custom entities, and relationships.

Key Objects

Standard entities (Account, Contact, etc.), Custom entities, Activities, Business Process Flows, and Virtual entities. Full access to Dataverse data model.

Operations

Full CRUD operations with SQL-92 support. Complex queries with JOINs across entities. Supports FetchXML queries and Dataverse-specific operations.

Authentication

OAuth 2.0 authentication with Azure AD. Supports interactive, application, and service principal authentication. Requires environment URL and appropriate permissions.

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SSAS Cube
SSAS Cube

Use Microsoft Dataverse from SQL Server Analysis Service (SSAS) multi-dimensional cubes. Keep your analytical data modeling and access to any source including cloud and on-premises.

Custom .NET Application
Custom .NET Application

The Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider allows developers to build applications that connect to Microsoft Dataverse using familiar SQL and Entity Framework. Integrate Microsoft Dataverse to your mission -critical applications or create easy side-by-side applications.

Reporting & BI
Low-Code Dev Platforms

You can connect from ADO.NET compliant low-code development tools:

Reporting & BI
Reporting Tools

You can connect Microsoft Dataverse from .NET-based reporting and analytics tools:

Standard ADO.NET Access to MicrosoftDataverse

The Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider offers the most natural way to access Microsoft Dataverse data from any .NET application. Simply use Microsoft Dataverse Data Provider objects to connect and access data just as you would access any traditional database. You will be able to use the Microsoft Dataverse Data Provider through Visual Studio Server Explorer, in code through familiar classes, and in data controls like DataGridView, GridView, DataSet, etc.

The CData ADO.NET Provider for Microsoft Dataverse hides the complexity of accessing data and provides additional powerful security features, smart caching, batching, socket management, and more.

Working with DataAdapters, DataSets, DataTables, etc.

The Microsoft Dataverse Data Provider has the same ADO.NET architecture as the native .NET data providers for SQL Server and OLEDB, including: MicrosoftDataverseConnection, MicrosoftDataverseCommand, MicrosoftDataverseDataAdapter, MicrosoftDataverseDataReader, MicrosoftDataverseDataSource, MicrosoftDataverseParameter, etc. Because of this you can now access Microsoft Dataverse data in an easy, familiar way.

For example:

using (MicrosoftDataverseConnection conn = new MicrosoftDataverseConnection("...")) {
	string select = "SELECT * FROM Accounts";
	MicrosoftDataverseCommand cmd = new MicrosoftDataverseCommand(select, conn);
	MicrosoftDataverseDataAdapter adapter = new MicrosoftDataverseDataAdapter(cmd);
	using (adapter) {
		DataTable table = new DataTable();
		adapter.Fill(table);		
		...
	}
}

More Than Read-Only: Full Update/CRUD Support

Microsoft Dataverse Data Provider goes beyond read-only functionality to deliver full support for Create, Read, Update, and Delete operations (CRUD). Your end-users can interact with the data presented by the Microsoft Dataverse Data Provider as easily as interacting with a database table. 

using (MicrosoftDataverseConnection connection = new MicrosoftDataverseConnection(connectionString)) {
	MicrosoftDataverseDataAdapter dataAdapter = new MicrosoftDataverseDataAdapter(
	"SELECT Id, Where FROM Accounts", connection);
  
	dataAdapter.UpdateCommand = new MicrosoftDataverseCommand(
		"UPDATE Accounts SET Where = @Where " +
		"WHERE Id = @ID", connection);

	dataAdapter.UpdateCommand.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Where", "Where");
	dataAdapter.UpdateCommand.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Id", "80000173-1387137645");

	DataTable AccountsTable = new DataTable();
	dataAdapter.Fill(AccountsTable);

	DataRow firstrow = AccountsTable.Rows[0];
	firstrow["Where"] = "New Location";

	dataAdapter.Update(AccountsTable);
}

ADO.NET Provider Performance

With traditional approaches to remote access, performance bottlenecks can spell disaster for applications. Regardless if an application is created for internal use, a commercial project, web, or mobile application, slow performance can rapidly lead to project failure. Accessing data from any remote source has the potential to create these problems. Common issues include:

  1. Network Connections - Slow network connections and latency issues are common in mobile applications.
  2. Service Delays - Delays due to service interruptions, resulting in server hardware or software updates.
  3. Large Data - Intentional or unintentional requests for large amounts of data.
  4. Disconnects - Complete loss of network connectivity.

The CData ADO.NET Provider for Microsoft Dataverse solves these issues by supporting powerful smart caching technology that can greatly improve the performance and dramatically reduce application bottlenecks.

Smart Caching

Smart caching is a configurable option that works by storing queried data into a local database. Enabling smart caching creates a persistent local cache database that contains a replica of data retrieved from the remote source. The cache database is small, lightweight, blazing-fast, and it can be shared by multiple connections as persistent storage.

Caching with our ADO.NET Providers is highly configurable, including options for:

  • Auto Cache - Maintain an automatic local cache of data on all requests. The provider will automatically load data into the cache database each time you execute a SELECT query. Each row returned by the query will be inserted or updated as necessary into the corresponding table in the cache database.
  • Explicit Cache - Cache only on demand. Developers decide exactly what data gets stored in the cache and when it is updated. Explicit caching provides full control over the cache contents by using explicit execution of CACHE statements.
  • No Cache - All requests access only live data and no local cache file is created.

This powerful caching functionality increases application performance and allows applications to disconnect and continue limited functioning without writing code for additional local storage and/or data serialization/deserialization.

More information about ADO.NET Provider caching and best caching practices is available in the included help files.

Visual Studio Integration & Server Explorer

Working with the new Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider is easy. As a fully-managed .NET Data Provider, the Microsoft Dataverse Data Provider integrates seamlessly with the Visual Studio development environment as well as any .NET application.

As an ADO.NET Data Provider, Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider can be used to access and explore Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) data directly from the Visual Studio Server Explorer.

It's easy. As a standard ADO.NET adapter, developers can connect the Server Explorer to Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider just like connecting to any standard database.

  • Add a new Data Connection from the Server Explorer and select the Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) Data Source
  • Configure the basic connection properties to access your Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) account data.

Explore all of the data available! Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider makes it easy to access live Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) data from Visual Studio.

  • After configuring the connection, explore the feeds, views, and services provided by the Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) Data Source.
  • These constructs return live Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) data that developers can work with directly from within Visual Studio!

Developer Integration: Databind to Microsoft Dataverse

Connecting Web, Desktop, and Mobile .NET applications with Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) is just like working with SQL Server. It is even possible to integrate Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider into applications without writing code.

Developers are free to access the Microsoft Dataverse ADO.NET Provider in whatever way they like best. Either visually through the Visual Studio Winforms or Webforms designers, or directly through code.

  • Developers can connect the Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) Data Source directly to form components by configuring the object's smart tags.
  • Add a new Data Connection from the Server Explorer and select the Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) Data Source. Then, select the feed, view, or services you would like to connect the object to.

Done! It's just like connecting to SQL Server.

  • Once the object is bound to the data source, applications can easily interact with Microsoft Dataverse (CDS) data with full read/write (CRUD) support.

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