eGenix mxODBC Connect 2.0.3 GA
Introduction
The mxODBC Connect™ Database Interface for Python allows users to easily connect Python applications to all major databases on the market today in a highly portable, convenient and secure way.
Python Database Connectivity the Easy Way
Unlike our mxODBC Python extension, mxODBC Connect is designed as client-server application, so you no longer need to find production quality ODBC drivers for all the platforms you target with your Python application.
Instead you use an easy to install royalty-free Python client library which connects directly to the mxODBC Connect database server over the network.
This makes mxODBC Connect a great basis for writing cross-platform multi-tier database applications and utilities in Python, especially if you run applications that need to communicate with databases such as MS SQL Server and MS Access, Oracle Database, IBM DB2 and Informix, Sybase ASE and Sybase Anywhere, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SAP MaxDB and many more, that run on Windows or Linux machines.
Ideal for Database Driven Client Applications
By removing the need to install and configure ODBC drivers on the client side and dealing with complicated network setups for each set of drivers, mxODBC Connect greatly simplifies deployment of database driven client applications, while at the same time making the network communication between client and database server more efficient and more secure.
For more information, please have a look at the mxODBC Connect product page, in particular, the full list of available features.
News
The 2.0.3 release of mxODBC Connect includes the following enhancements and fixes:
Security Enhancements
- Upgraded client and server to the most recent eGenix pyOpenSSL 0.13.1.1.0.1.5.
Server Enhancements
- Updated the server to use mxODBC 3.2.2 for database connectivity.
Client Enhancements
- Added support for the new .cursortype attribute in mxODBC 3.2.2 which is available on both connections and cursors to adjust the used ODBC cursor type.
Performance Enhancements
- MS SQL Server performance can now be much enhanced, and increased to levels beyond that of mxODBC Connect 2.0.2 and previous releases, by adjusting the default cursor type to forward-only cursors instead of static cursors:
# Connect to the remote database
from mx.ODBCConnect.Client import ServerSession
session = ServerSession(...)
ODBC = session.open()
connection = ODBC.DriverConnect(...)
# Use the faster forward-only cursors
connection.cursortype = ODBC.SQL.CURSOR_FORWARD_ONLY
# Cursors created on this connection will then default
# to forward only cursors
cursor = connection.cursor()
The performance increase compared to mxODBC Connect 2.0.2 is enormous: from 2-3x faster executes/fetches for average queries, up to 300x faster for simple cases.
In mxODBC Connect 2.1, we will switch to using forward-only cursors per default for all database backends.
- IBM DB2 can benefit from the same performance enhancements using forward-only cursors.
The effect is a lot smaller compared to MS SQL Server, but still noticeable: up to 2x faster executes/fetches with forward-only cursors, compared to mxODBC Connect 2.0.2.
- Added documentation to explain the different cursor types, compatibility with different database backends and effects on performance to the mxODBC documentation.
New Pricing Structure
Due to popular demand, we have added an unlimited connections server license, so now you can choose between:
- the entry-level 20-connections server license,
- an average use 50-connections server license.
- and the unlimited connections server license for high-end users.
mxODBC Connect 2.0 was released on 2012-08-20. These are the highlights of the new release:
Enhanced API
- mxODBC Connect Server now uses mxODBC 3.2 internally and makes its API available in the mxODBC Connect Client. This is a major step forward from the mxODBC 3.0 version used in mxODBC Connect Server 1.0.
- mxODBC Connect Client comes with all the mxODBC enhancements, including:
- connection and cursor objects can be used as context managers
- adjustable parameter styles (qmark or named)
- connection .autocommit attribute to easily switch on autocommit
- adjustable timestamp resolution
- new possibilities to set connection and cursor options to adjust the ODBC objects to your application needs, e.g. set a connection read-only or set a query timeout
- adjustable decimal, datetime and string formats
- adjustable warning format to be able to handle server warnings without client interaction
- greatly improved result set scrolling support
- Unicode support for all catalog methods
- Access to additional result set meta data via cursor.getcolattribute()
Updated Compatibility
- The server now features all the ODBC driver compatibility enhancements provided by mxODBC 3.2, including improved and updated support for MS SQL Server Native Client, Oracle Instant Client, Sybase ASE, IBM DB2, Teradata and Netezza.
- Native Windows x64 builds with signed executables and a tray app rewritten in C are available for Windows 2008R2, Vista and 7 x64, so you can benefit from better performance, fewer UAC dialogs and smaller memory footprint.
Asynchronous Execution
- mxODBC Connect Client now integrates directly with gevent, allowing client applications to run asynchronous tasks while performing remote database queries.
Better Integration
- mxODBC Connect now uses the official IANA registered port 6632 for both plain text and SSL-encrypted communication.
- mxODBC Connect Client now allows selecting the used SSL module from two available options: Python standard lib ssl module and pyOpenSSL.
For the full set of changes, please check the mxODBC Connect change log.
Upgrading
You are encouraged to upgrade to this latest mxODBC Connect release. When upgrading, please always upgrade both the server and the client installations to the same version - even for patch level releases.
Customers who have purchased mxODBC Connect 2.0 licenses can continue to use their licenses with this patch level release.
Customers who have purchased mxODBC Connect 1.x licenses can request 20% discount coupons for upgrade purchases. Please contact the eGenix.com Sales Team with your existing license serials for details.
Users of our stand-alone mxODBC product will have to purchase new licenses from our online shop in order to use mxODBC Connect.
You can request 30-day evaluation licenses via our web-site or writing to sales@egenix.com, stating your name (or the name of the company) and the number of eval licenses that you need.
Downloads
Please visit the eGenix mxODBC Connect product page for downloads, instructions on installation and documentation of the client and the server package.
If you want to try the package, please jump straight to the download instructions.
Fully functional evaluation licenses for the mxODBC Connect Server are available free of charge.
mxODBC Connect Client is always free of charge.
Support
Commercial support for this product is available directly from eGenix.com.
Please see the support section of our website for details.
More Information
For more information on the eGenix mxODBC Connect, licensing and download instructions, please write to sales@egenix.com.
Enjoy !
Marc-Andre Lemburg, eGenix.com