Data Connection Manager vs Data Connections

[patrick_digan]

Hello! We're on alteryx 2021.2, and we're thinking of moving to alteryx 2021.4. I'm curious about how the Data Connection Manager in 2021.4 compares to the Data Connections available in 2021.2. Here's the blurb on the release notes:

Part of my confusion is that the current data connections in 2021.2 already have many of these features. For example, all these features of DCM are already available in data connections in 2021.2:

-store user credentials for data connections outside of your workflow. 

-provides access control and a way to share connections.

-synchronize credentials between Server and Designer.

Thus I have several questions

1a) What is new about DCM?

1b) In what ways is it an improvement over the current setup?

2) Can the old data connections be converted to DCM without resaving workflows/macros/etc?

3) How is it working behind the scenes? For comparison, I know that 2021.2 has an xml file on the machine that updates when you open alteryx or manually click the sync button. 

I am excited that it mentions resolving at runtime, this would be an upgrade over the current process.

[cAral]

Hi all,

On the topic of DCM and sharing connections, what is the current behavior if

1. userA creates a DCM data source and credential

2. shares DCM data source with userB

3. userA leaves the company

Also, this thread from a year ago mentions that for slow data connections to MS SQL server using ODBC can be mitigated using OLEDB connections instead (which appears to actually be the case based on my use). I can see how to create an ODBC connection in DCM but not an OLEDB, is there planned support for this?