Hi I have used ODBC drivers to make web driven databases they are also useful for accessing Excel and text files in different formats, most database software makers can provide microsoft compliant odbc connectors.
The odbc connection has to be set up on the machine (server) ensuring a link to the Application) then the application can be, depending on the permissions read, written, updated,or deleted. here is a typical connection string from an *.asp file
<%
'This is the code to open the database and add or modify client information
set conntemp=server.createobject("adodb.connection")
conntemp.open "wps1","","" %>
this opens a database named in the ODBC connector called wps1 with no password required to use it.
all asp is coded in %> I think .asp is vb based.
If you want any help
you can contact me
Sue