Distributed Query:

► Distributed Query is a query which can retrieve data from multiple data sources including distributed data.

► SQL Server supports distributed query through the use of OLE DB provider.

► OLE DB provider exposes data in the row sets which can be used in SQL Statement.

SQL Server can use distributed query in the SQL Statement using

Linked Server:

It is the virtual server that is created to access OLE DB data source.

It includes all the information needed to access OLE DB data source.

Linked server definition contains all the information needed to locate OLE DB data source.

You can join remote data and local data using Linked Server.