Can you make a call to a C++ Application from MS SQL Server?

Is it possible to make a call/notification to a C++ application from Microsoft SQL Server?

To give a broader understanding of what I'm trying to achieve: our database is being updated with new information; Whenever a new piece of information is received, we'd like to push this to the C++ application so that its dashboard reflects up-to-date data for the user.

We know we can do this by having the C++ application polling the database but I see this as inefficient architecture and would like to have SQL push the information or a notification to C++.

An开发者_如何学Cy light shed on this area is greatly appreciated!

----- 28th Jan 3:40pm ----

OK After some reading around on Service Broker External Activation it seems like the right technology to use; however it seems to technology that's introduced in SQL Server 2008; and unfortunately we're using SQL Server 2005. Are there any other suggestive technologies or architectural designs we could use?

---

You might want to look in to using the Service Broker and handling the events it queues. Here's MSDN: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc511479.aspx

---

There is an alternative, you don't need the app to poll the database, you can create a trigger for the table which sends a message to your application whenever something changes. this would be the more straightforward (and safer) approach

Look at this

---

Try using xp_cmdshell. It's not something I'd do lightly, and I would definitely make sure you're NOT letting anything access the SQL box with sysadmin rights. Create a stored proc which can EXECUTE AS a sysadmin user, and run xp_cmdshell from there. You'll still need to enable it though...