Client Driver and Server Version Compatibility

Usually, each version of the Vertica server is compatible with previous versions of the client drivers. This compatibility lets you upgrade your Vertica server without having to immediately upgrade your client software. However, some new features of the new server version may not be available through the old drivers.

Vertica ODBC client drivers are backwards compatible to all Vertica server versions 7.1 and later. JDBC and ADO.NET client drivers are backwards compatible to all Vertica server versions 7.2 and later.

The following tables summarize the compatibility of each recent version of the client drivers with the Vertica server versions.

The following table indicates that, in general, all clients are forward compatible.

Client Client Driver Version Compatible Server Versions
All Clients

6.1.x

6.1.x, 7.0.x, 7.1.x, 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x

7.0.x 7.0.x, 7.1.x, 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x
7.1.x 7.1.x, 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x
7.2.x 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x
8.0.x 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x
8.1.x 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x
9.0.x 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x
9.1.x 9.1.x, 9.2.x
9.2.x 9.2.x

The following table lists FIPS 140-2 compatible clients.

Client Client Driver Version Compatible Server Versions
FIPS-enabled ODBC 8.0.x 8.0.x, 8.1.x
FIPS-enabled ODBC 8.1.x 8.0.x, 8.1.x
FIPS-enabled ODBC 9.0.x 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x
FIPS-enabled ODBC 9.1.x 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x
FIPS-enabled JDBC 8.1.x 8.1.x
FIPS-enabled JDBC 9.0.x 8.1.x, 9.0.x
FIPS-enabled JDBC 9.1.x 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x
FIPS-enabled JDBC 9.2.x 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x

The following table indicates that the ODBC client is backward compatible.

Client Client Driver Version Compatible Server Versions
ODBC (backwards compatibility) 8.1.x 7.1.x, 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x
ODBC (backwards compatibility) 9.0.x 7.1.x, 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x

ODBC (backwards compatibility)

9.1.x 7.1.x, 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x

ODBC (backwards compatibility)

9.2.x 7.1.x, 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x

The following table indicates that the JDBC and ADO.NET clients are backward compatible.

Client Client Driver Version Compatible Server Versions

JDBC and ADO.NET (backwards compatibility)

9.1.1 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x

JDBC and ADO.NET (backwards compatibility)

9.2.0 7.2.x, 8.0.x, 8.1.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x, 9.2.x

Vertica ODBC/JDBC Client Installers

The ODBC/JDBC client drivers are a separate installation from the ADO.NET drivers. (ADO.NET support is not available in Community Edition.) As noted in the compatibility table, the 6.x ODBC/JDBC client drivers do not support access to a non Vertica 6.x database and above. For example, you cannot use the new 6.x ODBC/JDBC client drivers to access a Vertica 5.x database. If you plan on having a mixed Vertica environment supporting both 5.x and 6.x Vertica database, consider keeping the 5.x drivers installed.

ODBC/JDBC Multiple Version Installations

The following ODBC/JDBC drivers are supported on a single machine:

  • 4.x and 5.x ODBC/JDBC drivers can be installed on the same machine.
  • 4.x and 6.x ODBC/JDBC drivers can be installed on the same machine.

It is not possible to have both 5.x and 6.x ODBC drivers on a single machine. If you install the 6.x version, it automatically overlays the existing 5.x installation, and any DSN defined against a 5.x Vertica database is not supported.

Vertica ADO.NET Client Installers

Prior to version 6.x, ADO.Net drivers must be uninstalled prior to installing a later version of the driver. The 6.x ADO.Net drivers require the Vertica database to be 6.0.0 or above. The ADO.NET 6.x driver only supports access to a Vertica 6.x server. The ADO.NET 4.x plug-in does not work with a Vertica 6.x server. If you plan on also using the ODBC bridge and you need to access both Vertica 5.x and 6.x databases, consider keeping the 5.x versions of the ODBC/JDBC drivers for the reasons stated previously.