Microsoft has released version 1.12.0 of the Python Driver for SQL Server. This update introduces a new standalone package, mssql-python-odbc, for ODBC driver binaries. This change addresses previous PyPi space limitations and allows for independent pinning or updating of driver binaries. The mssql-python package now transparently pulls mssql-python-odbc as a dependency.Existing installations will continue to function without code changes, with the native loader preferring the new external package. The update also includes essential bug fixes. Bulk copy operations now correctly honor the connection timeout set in the connect function. This resolves issues for applications dealing with slow or high-latency SQL Server endpoints, allowing them to fail faster or tolerate longer connection times.Additionally, bulk copy operations can now successfully insert data into custom CLR User-Defined Type (UDT) columns. Previously, this resulted in a "Protocol Error" due to an unsupported TDS type. The native core now maps UDT columns to varbinary(max) for streaming, aligning with how other drivers handle UDTs. These improvements enhance the driver's robustness and functionality for various use cases. Users are encouraged to upgrade and contribute to the project on GitHub.