This is a 3 layer application with Winforms as the presentation layer, VB.NET code in the logic layer and ADO.NET to SQL Server on the database layer. I used object data sources to access the data.

Use custom-built .NET Framework 4.0 classes to connect an ASP.NET Web application to a SQL Server 2012 database.

Database connectivity gives desktop and Web applications much of their value. .NET developers have products and framework objects that can tie a front-end application to SQL Server, MySQL, Sybase, ...