>>>>>@All,
>>>>>
>>>>>We are investigating whether it would be possible to return a file somewhere that the SQL server service has access to by calling a stored procedure.
>>>>>We do not want to store the file itself in the database, but we want to return and store the through simple calls through ODBC.
>>>>>
>>>>>Is there anything like that possible ? Wihtout using CLR ?
>>>>>
>>>>>Walter,
>>>>
>>>>If it is SQL server, then what is wrong with storing the files in the database (while physically they are separately on the disk)? You would then simply read/write them as a regular field. Check FILESTREAM attribute if file sizes are above 1 Mb.
>>>
>>>It bloats the database.
>>
>>Not FILESTREAM. Read the doc here for pros and cons : https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/hh461480
>
>I've been reading that... not sure whether that fits the bill. The datastore of the files need to be stored elsewhere (not on the expensive drives meant for SQL server) on a share. I'm not sure whether that is feasible. Any one knows ?

Not my subject but I think the storage must be local. Why are drives on the SQL machine more expensive than other ?
>
>And what about backups?

https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/1854/how-to-backup-and-restore-a-sql-server-filestream-enabled-database/ ?