Any experience using a SQL Server Linked Server to DB2 with Entity Framework?

Question

Unfortunately, we have to use data from a DB2 mainframe in several of our web applications. We are using Entity Framework for any data stored in SQL Server, and we would love to be able to use EF for all of our data access.

I know that IBM is working on an EF provider, but I have been following that bug-ridden mess and I don't even want to touch it.

So the next option seems to be setting up linked servers. This has worked well for other situations in the past, but I have never tried it with Entity Framework.

Has anyone out there ever tried this, and been successful? If so, could you please share your pain points and any tips and tricks?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hide the linked servers behind views or stored procedures. Hopefully EF should not realise...