How MDAC Is Distributed

As of version 2.5, MDAC is mainly distributed in two significant ways. The first is as a component of the Windows 2000 operating system. The second is a stand-alone distribution program downloadable from the Web, intended for operating systems that predate Windows 2000, such as Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95, or Windows 98.

The MDAC software development kit (SDK) is distributed as part of the Microsoft Windows Platform SDK. The SDK includes a full set of documentation, header files, libraries, samples, configuration files, and other support files. Early versions of MDAC did not have redistributable programs. Application developers had to incorporate the components into their own installation programs, using instructions in the SDK. Later versions of the MDAC SDK did include a redistributable program. However, beginning with MDAC 2.5, the MDAC SDK is now a part of the Platform SDK and does not include a redistributable program. MDAC should only be redistributed using the free downloadable redistributable program found at the Microsoft Universal Data Access Download Page.