The System.Web.UI.WebControls.SqlDataSource control can be used with a variety of ADO.NET providers and the syntax of the connection string that is used to connect to an underlying data source is specific to the provider.

When you configure a System.Web.UI.WebControls.SqlDataSource control, you set the SqlDataSource.ProviderName property to the type of database (the default is System.Data.SqlClient), and you set the SqlDataSource.ConnectionString property to a connection string that includes information that is required in order to connect to the database. The contents of a connection string differ depending on what type of database the data source control is accessing. For example, the System.Web.UI.WebControls.SqlDataSource control requires a server name, database (catalog) name, and information about how to authenticate the user when connecting to a SQL Server. For information about the contents of connection strings, see the System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.ConnectionString property for the System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection class, System.Data.OracleClient.OracleConnection.ConnectionString property for the System.Data.OracleClient.OracleConnection class, System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection.ConnectionString property for the System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection class, or the System.Data.Odbc.OdbcConnection.ConnectionString property for the System.Data.Odbc.OdbcConnection class.

If you change the SqlDataSource.ConnectionString property, the System.Web.UI.IDataSource.DataSourceChanged event is raised, causing any controls that are bound to the System.Web.UI.WebControls.SqlDataSource control to rebind.