Introduction to remote data access

SQL Anywhere remote data access gives you access to data in other data sources. You can use this feature to migrate data into a SQL Anywhere database. You can also use the feature to query data across databases.

With remote data access you can:

  • Use SQL Anywhere to move data from one location to another using insert-select.
  • Access data in relational databases such as Sybase, Oracle, and DB2.
  • Access desktop data such as Excel spreadsheets, MS-Access databases, FoxPro, and text files.
  • Access any other data source that supports an ODBC interface.
  • Perform joins between local and remote data, although performance is much slower than if all the data is in a single SQL Anywhere database.
  • Perform joins between tables in separate SQL Anywhere databases. Performance limitations here are the same as with other remote data sources.
  • Use SQL Anywhere features on data sources that would normally not have that ability. For instance, you could use a Java function against data stored in Oracle, or perform a subquery on spreadsheets. SQL Anywhere compensates for features not supported by a remote data source by operating on the data after it is retrieved.
  • Access remote servers directly using passthrough mode.
  • Execute remote procedure calls to other servers.

SQL Anywhere allows access to the following external data sources:

For platform availability, see [external link] SQL Anywhere Supported Platforms and Engineering Status.

Remote table mappings
Server classes
Accessing remote data from PowerBuilder DataWindows

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