SQL Server 2008 offers two authentication modes:

1. Windows Authentication 2. Mixed Authentication

Mixed Authentication is very much like the apples available in the Progress DataDirect kitchen in Morrisville, NC.  Sometimes they’re good, and sometimes they’re risky. 

Microsoft strongly recommends the default mode, Windows Authentication, when possible.  This is consistent with conversations I have had with DBAs and Application Teams that consider Mixed Authentication to be a security risk. Many of the conversations are with the Federal Government and Universities; and it's comforting to know they do not compromise when it comes to security.  And this is when Progress DataDirect gets engaged since we have the best in class security features (both data encryption and authentication) across our full suite of data access solutions.

One of the reasons application teams are still using SQL Server Authentication is to support ODBC or JDBC drivers that do not support Windows Authentication.  And these drivers are connecting critical applications such as Informatica, DataStage, SAS, DG4ODBC, IBM Cognos, Ab Initio, etc., running on AIX, Solaris, HP-UX, Linux servers.  And if you are using SQL Server Authentication, it's quite possible your DBA is holding a major grudge against you and your application team.  To get back on the DBA's good side, I recommend the following solutions to connect applications to SQL Server using Windows Authentication:

Get back on the DBA's good side

• Use Progress DataDirect's OS Authentication via Kerberos with Connect series ODBC and Type 5 JDBC drivers for SQL Server.
• If Kerberos is not an option, download a trial of our latest ODBC and JDBC releases that include full support for direct Windows Authentication from Unix/Linux.  This exclusive security feature was introduced starting in DataDirect Connect for ODBC SQL Server Wire Protocol driver version 7.0 and Connect for JDBC SQL Server driver version 5.0.