What is the difference between microsoft access redistributable and runtime?

Question

To be able to use Excel via SSIS workflow, I need to install the appropriate plugin. What is the difference between redistributable and runtime?

Example:

• Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable
• Microsoft Access 2010 Runtime

Answer 1

Access Runtime

Based on the Microsoft Access 2010 Runtime download page:

The Microsoft Access 2010 Runtime enables you to distribute Access 2010 applications to users who do not have the full version of Access 2010 installed on their computers.

This package is used to deploy Microsoft Access applications. Lots of details can be found in the following article. (Check the "Understand and download the Access Runtime" section)

In that documentation they mentioned that:

To deploy Access applications that can run without an installation of Access on a user's computer, you can distribute them along with the Access Runtime, which is available for free from the Microsoft Download Center. When you open an Access database by using the Access Runtime, the database opens in runtime mode.

Runtime mode is an Access operating mode in which certain Access features are not available by default. Some of these unavailable features can be made available in runtime mode, however.

Database Engine Redistributable

On the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable download page they mentioned that:

This download will install a set of components that can be used to facilitate the transfer of data between 2010 Microsoft Office System files and non-Microsoft Office applications.

This download will install a set of components that facilitate the transfer of data between existing Microsoft Office files such as Microsoft Office Access 2010 (*.mdb and .accdb) files and Microsoft Office Excel 2010 (.xls, *.xlsx, and *.xlsb) files to other data sources such as Microsoft SQL Server. Connectivity to existing text files is also supported. ODBC and OLEDB drivers are installed for application developers to use in developing their applications with connectivity to Office file formats.

Answering your question

Back to your question, the Microsoft Access Database Engine Redistributable is the one that you need to install since it contains the needed OLE DB and ODBC drivers for Microsoft Access and Excel.