Purpose
The External Data Provider enables you to integrate external data into your SharePoint-based solutions. It can access data from a variety of sources such as MS SQL Server, MS Project Server, and other back end systems.
The External Data Provider converts external data into a standard XML format, which can then be consumed in a variety of ways. It stores its configuration information in XML files that can be reused throughout your SharePoint environment.
NOTE: The CorasWorks Community provides a detailed series of blogs on the types of connections supported by the External Data Provider, including sample connection files. Click here for details.