| Feature | Legacy (Deprecated) | Modern Replacement | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | SQL Server Native Client (SNAC) | ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server | | Usage | Combined OLE DB & ODBC | Pure ODBC implementation | | Download | SQL Feature Pack | Standalone MSI on Microsoft Download Center |
Verify the installation by checking for "SQL Server Native Client 11.0" in your Windows "Programs and Features" or by looking for the driver in the ODBC Data Source Administrator tool.
While SNAC is now considered deprecated in favor of newer drivers, it remains a critical component for legacy applications and specific enterprise environments. This paper outlines the download strategy for SNAC, clarifies the confusion between versions (2005 through 2012), and provides instructions for installation and migration.
Warning: Microsoft has removed many direct download links for SQL Server 2005 due to end-of-life security policies. If SNAC 9 is required, it is typically extracted from the original SQL Server 2005 installation media.