Language Integrated Query (LINQ) for .NET and its System.Query, System.Data.DLink, and System.Xml.XLink classes enable relational-to-object and XML-to-object mapping with first-class CLR data types.
LINQ to SQL continues to be a top contender in the .NET object/relational mapping tool market despite Microsoft's promotion of the Entity Framework as one of the "Pillars of SQL Server 2008: Dynamic ...