What is Microsoft Data Access Components?

Anyone know what is Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC)?
What is its purpose n functions?
Is it use to interact with Database files of Access format if the PC does not has Microsoft Access installed?

I try to search from Microsoft website, but I dun really understand what they explained.

Please guide, thank you.

Yes MDAC is required to access an Access Database. I think the current version is 2.7.
But can be used for other data access needs.
Try this link

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...l/mdac3sc7.asp

and here
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...entid=28001860