A net-protocol all-Java driver translates JDBC calls into a DBMS-independent net protocol which is then translated to a DBMS protocol by a server. This net server middleware is able to connect its all Java clients to many different databases. The specific protocol used depends on the vendor. |
Native-protocol all-Java driver converts JDBC calls into the network protcol used by DBMSs directly. This allows a direct call from the client machine to the DBMS server and is a practical solution for Intranet access. Since many of these protocols are proprietary the database vendors themselves will be the primary source for this style of driver. |