ADO.NET overview

ADO.NET is design to provide data access. ADO.NET supports disconnected database access model which means that connection is open long enough to perform data operation and is closed. When data is requested by the application, connection is opened, required data is loaded to the application and connection gets close. So in ADO.NET, connection is only available when it is required. This model reduces system resource usage and thus enhances performance.ADO.NET is shipped with the Microsoft .NET Framework. It is used to access relational data sources, XML, and application data.
ADO.NET uses XML for data transaction between client application and database.

To access data using ADO.NET's DataAdapter objects

Create connection using connection object.

• Create Dataset object using DataAdapter object.
• Load data into Dataset using fill method of DataAdapter.
• Display Data using Dataset object.
• Close connection

ADO.NET vs ADO

• ADO.NET is considered as evolution version of ADO.
• ADO.NET works with both connected as well as disconnected fashion whereas ADO works with connected architecture.
• ADO.NET provides disconnected access through DataSet while ADO provides disconnected access using recordset.
• ADO.NET use XML to transfer data between objects while ADO use binary format to transfer data.
• ADO.NET is shipped with .Net Framework and implemented using .Net methodology whereas ADO relies on COM.