C# WinForm Sql Connection & Command Execution

Question

I soon have to start a project that takes that I'll create a program allowing a user to create a server for a game I'm building. The server program will, in addition to other things I'm working on, have to update player's information onto the Microsoft SQL Server 2008. I am using System.Data & System.Data.SqlClient on the form, but I don't know if everyone will have the SqlClient on their computer and I don't want to have troubles later.

Should I somehow add the SqlClient dll to the main folder? I used that on one of my WinForms before. However, if yes, please also tell me where to find the DLL file of System.Data.SqlClient. I found System.Data but not the SqlClient dll

Answer 1

System.Data.SqlClient is a namespace in the System.Data assembly.

In terms of your architecture. You'll need a host which provides a SQL Server instance, but you can provide a web front-end which doesn't display nicely rendered html but provides a text stream reporting available server IP Addresses, you can also provide authentication for this. This way the client still doesn't need to access the DB directly. You can provided registration from the website or if you do need it on the client then you can submit a http post or alternative submission to your websiteand have the website register the client.

It is important to keep your actual data behind the layer of the website/server and use the inbuilt technologies to protect your clients data.