---
title: "SQL Server features and ADO.NET"
description: "Describes SQL Server features that are useful for ADO.NET application developers."
ms.date: "08/15/2019"
ms.assetid: 2839529b-a79b-4450-be5d-07a98dbc7a0f
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: connectivity
ms.technology: connectivity
ms.topic: conceptual
author: David-Engel
ms.author: v-daenge
ms.reviewer: v-kaywon
---
# SQL Server features and ADO.NET

[!INCLUDE[Driver_ADONET_Download](../../../includes/driver_adonet_download.md)]

The topics in this section discuss features in SQL Server that are targeted at developing database applications using ADO.NET.  
  
For more information, see [Development (Database Engine)](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=115245) from SQL Server Books Online.
  
## In this section  
[Enumerating instances of SQL Server (ADO.NET)](enumerate-instances-sql-server.md)  
Describes how to enumerate active instances of SQL Server.  
  
[Provider statistics for SQL Server](provider-statistics-sql-server.md)  
Describes support for obtaining SQL Server run-time statistics.  
  
[SQL Server Express user instances](sql-server-express-user-instances.md)  
Describes support for SQL Server Express user instances.  
  
[Database mirroring in SQL Server](database-mirroring-sql-server.md)  
Describes database mirroring functionality.  

[The context connection](context-connection.md)  
Describes the context connection.  
  
[Query notifications in SQL Server](query-notifications-sql-server.md)  
Describes how .NET applications can request notification from SQL Server when data has changed.  
  
[Snapshot isolation in SQL Server](snapshot-isolation-sql-server.md)  
Describes support for snapshot isolation, a row versioning mechanism designed to reduce blocking in transactional applications.  
  
[SqlClient support for high availability, disaster recovery](sqlclient-support-high-availability-disaster-recovery.md)  
Describes SqlClient support for high-availability, disaster recovery (AlwaysOn) availability groups.  
  
[SqlClient support for LocalDB](sqlclient-support-localdb.md)  
Describes SqlClient support for LocalDB databases.

[SqlClient support for Always Encrypted](sqlclient-support-always-encrypted.md)  
Describes SqlClient support for the Always Encrypted feature.

## Next steps
- [SQL Server data operations in ADO.NET](sql-server-data-operations.md)
- [SQL Server and ADO.NET](index.md)