Tabular Data Stream

Tabular Data Stream is an application layer protocol for transferring data between a database server and a client. TDS was first designed by Sybase Inc. in the early 80s for their Sybase SQL Server relational database engine, and then later developed by Microsoft for use in Microsoft SQL Server.
In Microsoft’s MS-TDS Open Specifications, the Tabular Data Stream (TDS) protocol is described as an application layer request/response protocol that allows communication with a database server and permits authentication and channel encryption negotiation, specification of requests in SQL including bulk insert, invocation of a stored procedure or user-defined function (remote procedure call), the return of data and transaction manager requests.

The specifications also mention that TDS can be used for authentication and identification, channel encryption negotiation, issuing of SQL batches, stored procedure calls, returning data, as well as transaction manager requests. Furthermore, all returned data is both self-describing and record-oriented.

Idera’s SQL Traffic Accelerator is a patented technology that compresses network traffic for SQL Server 2000 – 2014. SQL Traffic Accelerator optimizes the often-clunky Tabular Data Stream protocol, which permits improved data transfer performance while reducing bandwidth utilization.