Let me answer the first question. The problem with the old toolkit and SQL Server 7 NVARCHAR was partially because of the fact that when we released the SQL Toolkit, by that time SQL Server 7 didn't existed. Having said this, you can still use the varchar datatype in SQL Server 7 with the old toolkit. The reason new toolkit solved the problem is because we adopted entirely new software layer (from CIN to Microsoft ADO).
I'm not 100% sure but i think if you have SSP program, you should have got the Database connectivity Toolset in it. The good thing about the LabVIEW Database connectivity toolset as opposed to others is that you need very little to no knowledge of SQL to read/write to databases. This gets you started to work productively on your project without
spending time to learn SQL.
Hope and best of luck with your project
A Rafiq
National Instruments