[Tom Tom]

Absolutely. In fact, when the dataset is traveling from the server to the client and back, it's first transformed into XML. This allows it to move data into place that normally wouldn't be accessible, such as behind restricted firewalls, which are designed to stop unauthorized data. Beacuse XML is plan text, firewalls ignore it and allow it through

[Dan11]

Would you recommend using a dataset over a datagrid for XML?
I think a dataset is more appropriate for XML data, is that correct?

[Francisjr]

In the ADO.NET environment, XML plays a major role behind the scenes to organize data. When a dataset receives data from a database, it actually receives XML-based content. Likewise, if a data set updates its contents, it returns the new contents back to the database using XML. ADO.NET and XML go hand in hand; XML is used to represent structured data. ADO.NET uses XML to pass data between the server and client. The use of a dataset or XML to bind data to the grid depends actually from your source. If the data comes directly from a database, a dataset is definitely your choice. If the data comes from an XML file, you will still need to convert the XML to bind it to the grid as your source (because there is no direct link of an XML as your datasource)

Heres as example of binding an xml file to a datagrid:

Dim myDataSet as New DataSet()

myDataSet.ReadXml(Server.MapPath("books.xml"))

dgBooks.DataSource = myDataSet
dgBooks.DataBind()