The May 2005 issue of MSDN Magazine is now available online at http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/05/05/DataPoints/default.aspx.

After a 2 month break, my Data Points column is back. In this issue I discuss several Data Access Strategies Using ADO.NET and SQL, inlcuding some tips on writing queries, connection maintenance and building more efficient commands.

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In case you are wondering what my next few Data Points columns will cover, here is a sneak peek:

  • Using the FOR XML clause in SQL statements and how to access it via ADO.NET
  • Configuring the Enterprise Library Data Access Application Blocks (including configuration, cryptography and where Ent Lib is useful)
  • Implementing the Enterprise Library Data Access Application Blocks (exensive examples on how to use it, which methods to use, and so on)
  • ADO.NET v2 (what's in it, how it has been improved, how you can get started with it, what to look out for)