Method and apparatus for configuring a data source name (DSN) for use during a data source access

1. A method, comprising:

accessing or creating, by an administrator, a data source name (DSN) in a tool, the data source name (DSN) corresponding to a driver, the driver corresponding to an open data base connectivity driver executing on a computer;

receiving, by the driver, an identifier that identifies a data source and at least one of a library or an application of the data source that implements a driver interface for the driver to access the data source, the identifier including information indicating a class of the data source;

using the identifier, by the driver executing on the computer, to access an implementation of the driver interface of the data source;

transferring, by the driver, control from the driver executing on the computer to the implementation of the driver interface of the data source;

determining, by the implementation of the driver interface, connection settings for the data source and generating a connection string, the connection settings to establish a connection between the data source and the driver or the driver interface;

passing out, by the implementation of the driver interface of the data source, the connection string based at least on the connection settings;

receiving, by the driver executing on the computer, the connection string with the identifier from the implementation of the driver interface to the driver; and

forwarding the connection string from the driver to a driver manager managing a client.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing, when the driver is used by the client, the data source based on the data source name (DSN) which corresponds to the driver.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the data source name (DSN) is an existing DSN, the method further comprising modifying, by the tool, the existing DSN to use the driver so that a current client application can connect to the data source.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising creating, by the tool, the DSN that uses the driver for a client application that allows the data source to be configured.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the implementation of the driver interface of the data source prompts for additional information while configuring the DSN.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the implementation of the driver interface of the data source provides default values for any additional information.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the driver by a driver manager.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a driver to access a data source;

a memory comprising instructions and coupled to the at least one processor;

at least one processor, communicably coupled to the memory, and configured to read the instructions to perform:

accessing or creating, by an administrator, a data source name (DSN) which corresponds to a driver, the driver corresponding to an open data base connectivity driver;

receive, by the driver, an identifier that identifies the data source and at least one of a library or an application of the data source that implements a driver interface for the driver to access the data source, the identifier including information indicating a class of the data source;

use the identifier to access an implementation of the driver interface of the data source;

transfer, by the driver, control from the driver to the implementation of the driver interface of the data source;

receiving, from the implementation of the driver interface of the data source, a connection string based at least on connection settings, the connection settings to establish a connection between the data source and the driver or the driver interface;

receive a connection string with the identifier from the implementation of the driver interface of the data source to the driver; and

forward the connection string from the driver to a driver manager which manages a client.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the driver is used by the client to access the data source based on the data source name (DSN) which corresponds to the driver.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the DSN is an existing DSN, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to modify the existing DSN to use the driver so that a current client application can connect to the data source.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to create the DSN that uses the driver for a client application that allows the data source to be configured.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the implementation of the driver interface of the data source prompts for additional information while configuring the DSN.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the implementation of the driver interface of the data source provides default values for any additional information.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to select the driver.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code executable by at least one processor that, when executed, causes the at least one processor to:

access or create, by an administrator, a data source name (DSN) in a tool, the data source name (DSN) corresponding to a driver, the driver corresponding to an open data base connectivity driver executing on a computer;

receive, by the driver, an identifier that identifies a data source and at least one of a library or an application of the data source that implements a driver interface for the driver to access the data source, the identifier including information indicating a class of the data source;

transfer, by the driver, control from the driver to the implementation of the driver interface of the data source in order to access connection settings to establish a connection between the data source and the driver or the driver interface;

determining, by the implementation of the driver interface, connection settings for the data source and generating a connection string;

receive a connection string from the implementation of the driver interface, the connection string based at least on the connection settings;

receive the connection string with the identifier from an implementation of the driver interface to a driver; and

forward the connection string from the driver to a driver manager managing a client.

16. The non-transitory computer-program product of claim 15 , wherein the driver is used by the client to access the data source based on the data source name (DSN) which corresponds to the driver.

17. The non-transitory computer-program product of claim 16 , wherein the DSN is an existing DSN and wherein the at least one processor is to modify the existing DSN to use the driver so that a current client application can connect to the data source.

18. The non-transitory computer-program product of claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is to create the DSN that uses the driver for a client application that allows the data source to be configured.

19. The non-transitory computer-program product of claim 16 , wherein the implementation of the driver interface of the data source prompts for additional information while configuring the DSN.

20. The non-transitory computer-program product of claim 19 , wherein the implementation of the driver interface of the data source provides default values for any additional information.