In ODBC configuration, is a “User Data Source” intended to be shared among all users, or is it scoped only to the current operating system user profile?

Introduction / Context:
ODBC defines several DSN types: User DSN, System DSN, and File DSN. Understanding their scope is crucial for deployment. This question checks whether a “User Data Source” is shareable among all users or limited to a single user profile.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• User DSN is stored under the current user’s profile/registry hive.
• System DSN is stored under machine scope and available to all users on that machine.
• File DSN is saved in a .dsn file and can be shared by distributing the file.

Concept / Approach:
A User DSN is private to the user who created it. Other users on the same machine will not see it. To share a DSN across users, configure a System DSN or use a File DSN stored in a shared location. Therefore, the statement “A user data source is one that can be shared among database users” is wrong.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Examine registry or configuration files to see that User DSNs are stored per user context while System DSNs are machine-wide.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• “Correct” contradicts ODBC scope definitions.
• Domain policy does not convert User DSNs into shared DSNs.
• Sharing is characteristic of System or File DSNs, not User DSNs.

Common Pitfalls:
Deploying applications that rely on User DSNs and then expecting other users or services to see them; forgetting to create System DSNs for service accounts.

Final Answer:
Incorrect