What are the implications of the mssql extension being removed in PHP 5.3 for Microsoft SQL server integration?

The removal of the mssql extension in PHP 5.3 means that direct integration with Microsoft SQL Server using this extension is no longer possible. To continue working with Microsoft SQL Server in PHP, you can use the SQLSRV extension provided by Microsoft.

// Connect to Microsoft SQL Server using SQLSRV extension
$serverName = "serverName\sqlexpress";
$connectionOptions = array(
    "Database" => "dbName",
    "Uid" => "username",
    "PWD" => "password"
);

$conn = sqlsrv_connect($serverName, $connectionOptions);

if ($conn) {
    echo "Connected to SQL Server";
} else {
    echo "Connection failed";
}