Part II: Version 9.6.0 > Changes to Informatica Data Quality (9.6.0) > Native Connectivity to Microsoft SQL Server
  

Native Connectivity to Microsoft SQL Server

Effective in version 9.6.0, you must install the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Native Client to configure native connectivity to Microsoft SQL Server databases from Windows machines.
Previously, you did not have to install an SQL client because Informatica used the Microsoft OLE DB provider for native connectivity.
If you upgrade from an earlier version, you must install the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Native Client for the existing mappings to work.