Refer to the documentation for your OLAP OLE DB provider for more detailed information about the specific syntax and behaviors supported by your provider. MDPs present data in multidimensional views as opposed to tabular data providers (TDPs) that present data in tabular views. To work with ADO MD, the provider must be a multidimensional data provider (MDP) as defined by the OLE DB for OLAP specification. Like ADO, ADO MD uses an underlying OLE DB provider to gain access to data. With ADO MD you can browse multidimensional schema, query a cube, and retrieve the results. ADO MD extends Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) to include objects specific to multidimensional data, such as the CubeDef and Cellset objects.

Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (Multidimensional) (ADO MD) provides easy access to multidimensional data from languages such as Microsoft Visual Basic, and Microsoft Visual C++. ADO supports key features for building client/server and Web-based applications. Its primary benefits are ease of use, high speed, low memory overhead, and a small disk footprint.

Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) enable your client applications to access and manipulate data from a variety of sources through an OLE DB provider. ADO.NET, and many other SQL connection drivers and their languages, are discussed starting at SQL Server Drivers.