Last updated: August 26, 2026.
Classic ASP uses ADO connection strings. ASP.NET applications normally use ADO.NET providers. The keywords differ, so start with the provider used by the application.
Classic ASP with SQL Server OLE DB
Provider=MSOLEDBSQL;Server=tcp:sql01.example.com,1433;Database=ApplicationDb;User ID=app_user;Password=secret;Encrypt=Mandatory;TrustServerCertificate=No;ADO.NET with Microsoft.Data.SqlClient
Server=tcp:sql01.example.com,1433;Database=ApplicationDb;User ID=app_user;Password=secret;Encrypt=True;TrustServerCertificate=False;Store secrets outside source code, use a dedicated login, and validate the server certificate. Do not copy a connection string between ADO and ADO.NET without checking the provider’s supported keywords.
