VMware vCenter 4.0 / 4.1 ODBC DSN database connection – Why am I missing the SQL Server Native Client 10.0 option?

I apologize for forgetting that there’s a small difference when creating an ODBC DSN database connection on the vCenter server when SQL Server 2000 / 2005 / 2008 is not installed locally so this post serves to show how to create the ODBC DSN database connection in this situation. So if you’ve read my post here: https://blog.terenceluk.com/2010/10/creating-vcenter-41-sql-database-and.html and find that you’re missing the SQL Server Native Client 10.0 option, please read on.

By default, when you install a fresh copy of Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit and navigate to Start –> Administrative Tools –> Data Sources (ODBC) –> System DSN –> Add, you’ll only see the following driver:

Name: SQL Server

Version: 6.01.7600.16385

Company: Microsoft Corporation

File: SQLSRV32.DLL

Date: 7/13/2009

This is because the operating system is only shipped with this driver and this is not what VMware’s vCenter 4.0 or 4.1 requires you to use.

The proper one is actually the following:

Name: SQL Server Native Client 10.0

Version: The version varies but any of the following should work –> 2007.100.2531.00 or 2007.100.1600.22

Company: Microsoft Corporation

File: SQLNCLI10.DLL

Date: Date will varies but version 2007.100.2531.00 is 3/30/2009

So how do I get this option? The binaries to get this driver is actually found on the Microsoft site and based on the searches I’ve done, I was able to find 4:

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, August 2008

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=c6c3e9ef-ba29-4a43-8d69-a2bed18fe73c

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, October 2008

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=228de03f-3b5a-428a-923f-58a033d316e1

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, April 2009

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=b33d2c78-1059-4ce2-b80d-2343c099bcb4

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Feature Pack

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b2bd555-cb5b-47b9-88c7-3f89f3b43779

Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 Feature Pack

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=ceb4346f-657f-4d28-83f5-aae0c5c83d52

Here’s a link of the search results for “sql server feature pack 2008” on support.microsoft.com:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/results.aspx?freetext=sql+server+feature+pack+2008&displaylang=en&stype=s_basic

So what have I noticed while trying out those feature packs?

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, August 2008 – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.0.1600.22

New Data Source version: 2007.100.1600.22

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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, October 2008 – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.0.1600.22 (same as August 2008)

New Data Source version: 2007.100.1600.22 (same as August 2008)

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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, April 2009 – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.1.2531.0

New Data Source version: 2007.100.2531.00

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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Feature Pack – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.2.4000.0

New Data Source version: 2007.100.4000.00

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Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 Feature Pack – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.50.1600.1

New Data Source version: 2007.100.4000.00

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So now you’re wondering, great, there are all these versions so which one am I supposed to use? Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to test all of these but the following list includes my comments as to whether I have or haven’t used them before:

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, August 2008 – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.0.1600.22

New Data Source version: 2007.100.1600.22

Works with vCenter 4.0 as a 32-bit ODBC.

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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, October 2008 – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.0.1600.22 (same as August 2008)

New Data Source version: 2007.100.1600.22 (same as August 2008)

Works with vCenter 4.0 as a 32-bit ODBC.

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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, April 2009 – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.1.2531.0

New Data Source version: 2007.100.2531.00

Works with vCenter 4.1 as a 64-bit ODBC with SQL Server 2008 locally installed.

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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Feature Pack – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.2.4000.0

New Data Source version: 2007.100.4000.00

Never tested with vCenter 4.0 or 4.1.

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Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 Feature Pack – SQL Server Native Client 10.0 version:

Programs and Features version: 10.50.1600.1

New Data Source version: 2007.100.4000.00

Never tested with vCenter 4.0 or 4.1.

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So if you’re wondering what you should be using if you’re installing vSphere 4.1 with a SQL Server 2008 server, I can guarantee that you can use the 64-bit ODBC driver:

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, April 2009

Which can be downloaded here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=b33d2c78-1059-4ce2-b80d-2343c099bcb4

If you’re installing vSphere 4.0 with a SQL Server 2008 server, I can guarantee that you can use the 32-bit ODBC driver:

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, August 2008

Which can be downloaded here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=c6c3e9ef-ba29-4a43-8d69-a2bed18fe73c

OR

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack, October 2008

Which can be downloaded here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=228de03f-3b5a-428a-923f-58a033d316e1

Note that August 2008 and October 2008 has the same Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Native Client.

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I believe an example of the download and install process would help so the following lists the steps for installing the Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Native Client for vCenter 4.1:

Navigate to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=b33d2c78-1059-4ce2-b80d-2343c099bcb4 and search for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Native Client:

Download the X64 Package (sqlncli.msi):

Once you’ve downloaded the file, continue to install the sqlncli.msi driver:

Once completed, you can double check the version in the Programs and Features:

Navigate to Start –> Administrative Tools –> Data Sources (ODBC) –> System DSN –> Add, you’ll see the following driver:

Choose the SQL Server Native Client 10.0 and create the ODBC DSN. For detail steps on configuring the ODBC DSN, please see my previous post:

Creating vCenter 4.1 SQL database and ODBC DSN Connection

https://blog.terenceluk.com/2010/10/creating-vcenter-41-sql-database-and.html

I hope this helps clarify the confusion on why the SQL Server Native Client 10.0 would be missing from the drivers.