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Create SQL Server Linked Servers that connect to Any Data, Anywhere
Consolidate data access through SQL Server. CData's SQL Gateway is a powerful new tool enabling SQL developers, DBAs, and Client apps to query to hundreds of data sources directly from SQL Server.
Power Up SQL Server: High Performance Linked Servers
SQL Server's Linked Server feature lets developers and DBAs query and integrate data from multiple sources as if it were all in a single SQL Server instance—simplifying access and removing the need for complex ETL.
While direct ODBC connections are possible, they often come with driver issues, performance hits, limited error visibility, and tricky setup. CData's SQL Gateway solves these problems by creating a real-time bridge between SQL Server and CData Drivers, enabling live access to hundreds of data sources—including popular SaaS, NoSQL, RDBMS, and Big Data platforms.
Transact-SQL(T-SQL)
With CData SQL Gateway, SQL Server sees remote data as a native linked instance—so you can run full T-SQL queries against live data from platforms like Salesforce, Dynamics 365, NetSuite, QuickBooks, and more, all in real time.
High Performance with Pushdown to Server Side
Thanks to its decoupled architecture and intelligent server-side query pushdown, CData SQL Gateway outperforms typical Linked Server setups that rely on OLE DB. Instead of running inefficient SELECT * queries, it pushes down operations like INNER JOIN and applies filters directly at the source—significantly boosting performance.
On-premises or Cloud
The CData SQL Gateway extends Linked Server capabilities beyond on-premises SQL Server to cloud-hosted environments like Azure SQL, AWS RDS (SQL Server), and Google Cloud SQL (SQL Server) — enabling seamless, secure, and consistent data access across hybrid architectures.
Case Study
“Being able to handle data from both SQL Server databases and SaaS applications in a single SQL query without distinguishing between them was crucial. ”
Features of the SQL Gateway Linked Servers
Any Data Source
Connects to any CData ODBC Driver — including SaaS, NoSQL, RDBMS, APIs, file formats, and more.
Live Data Connectivity
Linked Server integration via CData SQL Gateway enables live data access to remote sources — no ETL or data warehouse required.
Bi-Directional Access
Supports full CRUD operations. Sources appear as native SQL Server objects for both reading and writing.
Metadata Discovery
CData ODBC Drivers model data sources as tables with rows and columns, enabling seamless T-SQL access from SQL Server.
Join Across Sources
Execute JOIN queries across Linked Server objects and native SQL Server tables.
Secure Communications
Enforces secure communication via strong SSL/TLS encryption and support for digital certificates.
Multi-User Access Control
Implements straightforward, fine-grained user-level access and permission controls.
Detailed Logging
Offers advanced connection logging with configurable verbosity for streamlined diagnostics and auditing.
Popular Linked Server Destinations
3 easy steps to configure Linked Server
1. Install Driver
Install CData ODBC Driver, SQL Gateway, and configure ODBC DSN.
2. Configure Gateway
Expose ODBC DSN as TDS endpoint using SQL Gateway
3. Connect SQL Server
Create a Linked Server connection directly from SSMS or SQL code.
With CData's SQL Gateway Linked Servers, you can…
Enable your existing SQL Server backend to access external sources like Salesforce, Dynamics 365, or NetSuite — all through a familiar Linked Server interface.
Many reporting, BI, and data management tools rely exclusively on a SQL Server interface. With Linked Server integration, you can seamlessly bring in external data without changing your existing setup.
No need for additional middleware. Perform bi-directional data movement between SQL Server and SaaS applications right from SSMS — using standard T-SQL and your existing workflows.
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