title: How to connect to a SQL Server database in Anaconda
body: <p>I'm quite new to Python and programming in general, so please bear with me. At my work I have Anaconda (Python vers 2.7) installed and would like to connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database, preferably with ODBC. Related to this task I have a number of questions:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>Is it correct that I cannot connect to a SQL Server database using sqlite3 or sqlalchemy? That I need a module like pyodbc? A brief explanation of why this is the case would be much appreciated. </p></li>
  <li><p>EDIT: Question related to installation of pyodbc in anaconda removed, since I figured this out (by reading <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18840292/cannot-install-python-modules-after-installing-anaconda?rq=1">Cannot Install Python Modules after Installing Anaconda</a>)</p></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Help is much appreciated! If any of my questions/any other specifics need to be cleared up, please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks </p>