Progress Software has released DataDirect Connect for ODBC 7.0, a standards-based driver technology for developer use at the database connectivity level. The new iteration's USP hinges around a promise to provide programmers with a means of exchanging data between cloud data stores and other disparate data sources.

Company VP John Goodson points out the twenty-year history of the ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) standard saying that today, developers still leverage ODBC's interoperability to tackle big data, cloud computing, and mobile computing. Goodson positions his company's latest release as a "crucial interface between application and database" for visibility into real-time access to data across disparate systems.

"Using ODBC, application developers can develop, compile, and ship applications without targeting specific database management systems or using embedded SQL, thereby eliminating the need to recompile the application for each new environment," said the company.

DataDirect Connect for ODBC 7.0 drivers now include support for Salesforce CRM and Database.com cloud databases, Sybase IQ, and the Progress OpenEdge application development platform. There is also Progress DataDirect Bulk Load for enhanced streaming in ODBC during bulk operations.

Additionally DataDirect Connect for ODBC 7.0 offers enhanced driver logging with complete runtime pictures of driver/database interactions — which, on paper certainly, does appear to be a potential helper for developers looking to resolve technical issues quickly and minimize the production impact of troubleshooting.