A collection of information required to access a specific database. The collection includes a data source name (DSN) and logon information. Data connections are stored in the data environment for a project and are activated when the user performs an action that requires access to the database.
For example, a data connection for a Microsoft® SQL Server™ database consists of the name of the database, the location of the server on which it resides, network information used to access that server, and a user ID and password.
For more information, see Connecting to a Database and Data Access Architecture.