.udl for DbConnection Check

This is a useful method to quickly check SQL credentials and/or RDBMS connectivity if working on a Windows OS. Just create a file in any editor (ie. Notepad) and save it with .udl extension which makes it a Microsoft Data Link file type. Then, right-click and inspect file Properties >> "Connection" tab.

Credit to a former colleague of mine (thanks Gene David!) who showed me how to use this simple but very useful trick.

Reference: https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/farukcelik/2007/12/31/basics-first-udl-test/