Creating Database Connections in a Shared Environment

With Sun Chili!Soft ASP, ASP developers can specify the connection information for a database by using either system DSNs, file DSNs, or DSN-less connection strings. The appropriate method to use depends on user preferences and the environment in which Sun Chili!Soft ASP is running.

In enterprises and other dedicated hosting environments, it is recommended that ASP developers use system DSNs. The system administrator uses the Sun Chili!Soft ASP Administration Console to create system DSNs, which then can be referenced from within an ASP application for initializing a database connection. For more information, see "Configuring Data Source Names (DSNs)" in this chapter.

However, in a shared Web hosting environment, such as with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), system DSNs pose two problems:

· System DSNs can be a security risk. System DSNs can include the username and password required for accessing the database, making the data source accessible from any ASP page on the server.

· Creating DSNs for each customer can create a significant administrative burden for the Web hosting provider. Because Web developers can create them, and database access is restricted to the specific ASP application using the connection, file DSNs and DSN-less connection strings are often more appropriate in a Web hosting environment.