This update includes the following changes over the 4.1 release:

Thanks to the following public contributors. Their efforts toward this project are very much appreciated.

• Wraith2
• ErikEJ
• EngRajabi
• tf-micwil
• swh-cb

• As part of the TDS 8 feature, the SqlConnectionStringBuilder.Encrypt property has changed from a bool to a SqlConnectionEncryptOption. SqlConnectionEncryptOption has implicit conversion rules to convert to/from a bool so that existing code remains backwards compatible, however this is a binary-breaking change and a recompile is required against this version.
• Added a dependency on the Microsoft.SqlServer.Server package. This new dependency may cause namespace conflicts if your application references that namespace and still has package references (direct or indirect) to System.Data.SqlClient from .NET Core.
• Dropped classes from the Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server namespace and replaced them with supported types from the Microsoft.SqlServer.Server package.#1585 The affected classes and enums are:
  • Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.IBinarySerialize -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.IBinarySerialize
  • Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.InvalidUdtException -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.InvalidUdtException
  • Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.SqlFacetAttribute -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.SqlFacetAttribute
  • Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.SqlFunctionAttribute -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.SqlFunctionAttribute
  • Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.SqlMethodAttribute -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.SqlMethodAttribute
  • Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.SqlUserDefinedAggregateAttribute -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.SqlUserDefinedAggregateAttribute
  • Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.SqlUserDefinedTypeAttribute -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.SqlUserDefinedTypeAttribute
  • (enum) Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.DataAccessKind -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.DataAccessKind
  • (enum) Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.Format -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.Format
  • (enum) Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Server.SystemDataAccessKind -> Microsoft.SqlServer.Server.SystemDataAccessKind
• Dropped support for .NET Framework 4.6.1 #1574

• Added support for TDS 8. To use TDS 8, users should specify Encrypt=Strict in the connection string. #1608 Read more
• Added TDS 8 version for TDSLogin. #1657
• Added support for specifying Server SPN and Failover Server SPN on the connection. #1607 Read more
• Added support for aliases when targeting .NET Core on Windows. #1588 Read more
• Added support for SqlDataSourceEnumerator on Windows. #1430, Read more
• Added new attestation protocol None option to forgo enclave attestation when using VBS enclaves. #1425 and #1419, Read more
• Added a new AppContext switch to suppress insecure TLS warnings. #1457, Read more

• Fixed null SqlBinary as rowversion. #1688
• Fixed KeyNotFoundException for the FailoverPartner key on SQL servers with availability group configured. #1614
• Fixed naming, order, and formatting for SqlDiagnosticsListener on .NET Core and .NET. #1637
• Fixed NullReferenceException during Azure Active Directory authentication. #1625
• Added CommandText length validation when using stored procedure command types. #1484
• Fixed GetSchema("StructuredTypeMembers") to return correct schema information. #1500, #1639
• Fixed NullReferenceException when using SqlDependency.Start against an Azure SQL Database. #1294
• Fixed transaction descriptor in the MARS TDS Header when there is no current transaction on .NET 5+ and .NET Core. #1624
• Parallelize SSRP requests on Linux and macOS when MultiSubNetFailover is specified. #1578
• Fixed connection failure by skipping Certificate Revocation List (CRL) check during authentication. #1559
• Fixed thread safety issue for GetEnclaveProvider by converting dictionary to concurrent dictionary. #1451

• Updated AuthProviderInfo struct to be matched the changes in native SNI for TDS 8 server certificate validation. #1680
• Updated default system protocol for TDS 8 on managed code. #1678
• Updated Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNI (.NET Framework dependency) and Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNI.runtime (.NET Core/Standard dependency) version to 5.0.0. #1608
• Changed encoding UTF-7 to ASCII for SSRP Broadcast. #1671
• Updated IdentityModel dependency from 6.8.0 to 6.21.0 and IdentityClient from 4.32.2 to 4.45.0. #1646
• Updated Azure Identity dependency from 1.5.0 to 1.6.0. #1611
• Improved Regex for SqlCommandSet. #1548
• Adjust the default ConnectRetryCount against Azure Synapse OnDemand endpoints. #1626
• Updated Azure.Identity version to 1.5.0 and Microsoft.Identity.Client version to 4.30.1. #1462
• Replaced AlwaysEncryptedAttestationException with SqlException. #1515
• Improved error message when adding wrong type to SqlParameterCollection. #1547
• Changed SQL server codenames to version names in the code. #1439
• Changed Array.Copy to Buffer.BlockCopy for byte arrays. #1366
• Various code improvements: #1197, #1313, #1330, #1366, #1435, #1478, #1353, #1354, #1525, #1186, #1343, #1370, #1371, #1438, #1483, #1351, #1452, #1364,#1337, #1346, #1339, #1555

To use TDS 8.0, specify Encrypt=Strict in the connection string. Strict mode disables TrustServerCertificate (always treated as False in Strict mode). HostNameInCertificate has been added to help some Strict mode scenarios. TDS 8 begins and continues all server communication inside a secure, encrypted TLS connection.

New Encrypt values have been added to clarify connection encryption behavior. Encrypt=Mandatory is equivalent to Encrypt=True and encrypts connections during the TDS connection negotiation. Encrypt=Optional is equivalent to Encrypt=False and only encrypts the connection if the server tells the client that encryption is required during the TDS connection negotiation.

HostNameInCertificate can be specified in the connection string when using aliases to connect with encryption to a server that has a server certificate with a different name or alternate subject name than the name used by the client to identify the server (DNS aliases, for example). Example usage: HostNameInCertificate=MyDnsAliasName

To read more about TDS 8.0 in SQL Server, see the SQL Server online documentation.

When connecting in an environment that has unique domain/forest topography, the ServerSPN/Server SPN and FailoverServerSPN/Failover Server SPN connection string settings can be used to override the auto-generated server SPNs used in the library when authenticating with integrated authentication in a domain environment.

Users can configure Aliases by using the SQL Server Configuration Manager. These are stored in the Windows registry and are already supported when targeting .NET Framework. This release brings support for aliases when targeting .NET or .NET Core on Windows.

Provides a mechanism for enumerating all available instances of SQL Server within the local network.

using Microsoft.Data.Sql;

static void Main()  
  {  
    // Retrieve the enumerator instance and then the data.  
    SqlDataSourceEnumerator instance =  
      SqlDataSourceEnumerator.Instance;  
    System.Data.DataTable table = instance.GetDataSources();  
  
    // Display the contents of the table.  
    DisplayData(table);  
  
    Console.WriteLine("Press any key to continue.");  
    Console.ReadKey();  
  }  
  
  private static void DisplayData(System.Data.DataTable table)  
  {  
    foreach (System.Data.DataRow row in table.Rows)  
    {  
      foreach (System.Data.DataColumn col in table.Columns)  
      {  
        Console.WriteLine("{0} = {1}", col.ColumnName, row[col]);  
      }  
      Console.WriteLine("============================");  
    }  
  }  

A new attestation protocol called None is allowed in the connection string. This protocol will allow users to forgo enclave attestation for VBS enclaves. When this protocol is set, the enclave attestation URL property is optional.

Connection string example:

//Attestation protocol NONE with no URL
"Data Source = {server}; Initial Catalog = {db}; Column Encryption Setting = Enabled; Attestation Protocol = None;"

A security warning is output to the console if a TLS version less than 1.2 is used to negotiate encryption with the server. This warning can be suppressed on connections where Encrypt = false by enabling the following AppContext switch at application startup:

Switch.Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SuppressInsecureTLSWarning

• .NET Framework 4.6.2+ (Windows x86, Windows x64)
• .NET Core 3.1+ (Windows x86, Windows x64, Windows ARM64, Windows ARM, Linux, macOS)
• .NET Standard 2.0+ (Windows x86, Windows x64, Windows ARM64, Windows ARM, Linux, macOS)

• Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNI 5.0.0
• Azure.Identity 1.6.0
• Microsoft.Identity.Client 4.45.0
• Microsoft.IdentityModel.JsonWebTokens 6.21.0
• Microsoft.IdentityModel.Protocols.OpenIdConnect 6.21.0
• System.Buffers 4.5.1
• System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager 5.0.0
• System.IO 4.3.0
• System.Runtime.InteropServices.RuntimeInformation 4.3.0
• System.Security.Cryptography.Algorithms 4.3.1
• System.Security.Cryptography.Primitives 4.3.0
• System.Text.Encoding.Web 4.7.2

• Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNI.runtime 5.0.0
• Azure.Identity 1.6.0
• Microsoft.Identity.Client 4.45.0
• Microsoft.IdentityModel.JsonWebTokens 6.21.0
• Microsoft.IdentityModel.Protocols.OpenIdConnect 6.21.0
• Microsoft.SqlServer.Server 1.0.0
• Microsoft.Win32.Registry 5.0.0
• System.Buffers 4.5.1
• System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager 5.0.0
• System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticSource 5.0.0
• System.IO 4.3.0
• System.Runtime.Caching 5.0.0
• System.Text.Encoding.CodePages 5.0.0
• System.Text.Encodings.Web 4.7.2
• System.Resources.ResourceManager 4.3.0
• System.Security.Cryptography.Cng 5.0.0
• System.Security.Principal.Windows 5.0.0

• Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNI.runtime 5.0.0
• Azure.Identity 1.6.0
• Microsoft.Identity.Client 4.45.0
• Microsoft.IdentityModel.Protocols.OpenIdConnect 6.21.0
• Microsoft.IdentityModel.JsonWebTokens 6.21.0
• Microsoft.SqlServer.Server 1.0.0
• Microsoft.Win32.Registry 5.0.0
• System.Buffers 4.5.1
• System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager 5.0.0
• System.IO 4.3.0
• System.Runtime.Caching 5.0.0
• System.Text.Encoding.CodePages 5.0.0
• System.Text.Encodings.Web 4.7.2
• System.Runtime.Loader 4.3.0
• System.Resources.ResourceManager 4.3.0
• System.Security.Cryptography.Cng 5.0.0
• System.Security.Principal.Windows 5.0.0