Accessing mySQL from .NET

Hello all,

We are planning to migrate an application written in Perl + mySQL to .NET + MS-SQL Server. The test machine now has SQL Server running. During the development phase in .NET, we would want to access the mySQL database which is being updated at real time, from the Windows box. This is how I think it has to be done:

1. Use DTS to migrate data from mySQL. Does DTS take care of migrating schema and the difference in data types between the mySQL and MS-SQL? Is there any 3rd party software out there that takes care of the migration without any manual labor?

2. Synchronize the data between 2 DBs by creating some kind of a batch job? If so, whats the best way of doing this?

Instead, is it easier to access the live mySQL database on the Linux box from the .NET code and move the DB only after development in the new environment is completed?

Any help/ideas is greatly appreciated.

TIA