What is the difference between a Provider and a Connector in database world?

Question

I create an new text file, rename it to test.udl and double click on the file. This brings up the OLE DB connection string dialog box. The first tab shows a list of providers installed on my machine. I need a MySQL Connection string, but I do not have a MySql provider in the list. So I download MySql ADO.NET Connector from the internet and install it, but it still does not show up as a provider.

What is a Provider and what is a Connector?

Answer 1

The Connector will allow you to connect in a ".Net" way, while the provider will allow you to connect via OLEDB interface.

The MySql connector will give you access to classes as MySqlConnection, MySqlCommand, etc, and all the ADO.Net paradigm objects, while with OLEDB you will connect via OleDbConnection, OleDbCommand, etc