Connecting to data sources

Create data connections or browse existing data connections and use them to discover assets.

1. Go to Connections.
2. To use an existing data connection, in the Browse tab, select the data connection that you want to use.
   1. Optional: To update the connection password, from the menu select Details.
   2. Optional: To check what assets are included in the connection, from the menu select Browse. This action is supported for file based connections only. When you browse a connection, a list of folders and files is displayed. You can preview the content of the files or add them to a project. To change the file format in which you preview the file and add it to projects, configure file format settings. You can display the first row in a file as a header, and adjust delimiter and character encoding.
3. To create a connection, click Create connections.
4. Enter the name of the connection and optionally a description.
5. To create a new HDFS connection:
   1. From the Choose connection menu, select HDFS.
   2. Specify the name, and optionally a description.
   3. Select the file system from which you want to import metadata, either WebHDFS or HttpFS.
   4. Specify the host that provides a REST HTTP gateway that supports the HDFS file system operations. The host is on the name node in WebHDFS, and on the name node or the edge node in HttpFS.
   5. Specify the credentials to access the database.
   6. Optional: Specify the port number. If you don't specify the port, the following ports are used:
      • If you don't select Use SSL, the port 50070 is used for WebHDFS, and the port 14000 is used for HttpFS.
      • If you select Use SSL, the port 50470 is used for WebHDFS, and the port 14443 is used for HttpFS.
   7. Optional: Select Use SSL to use Secure Sockets Layer (HTTPS).
   8. Optional: Select Use Kerberos to use Kerberos authentication.

      In the Service principal field, specify the Kerberos service principal (SPN) that you want to use for the host. Use this property if the realm of the host is different from the realm of the user. This property is used for authenticating across all of your domains. When you specify the service principal for the web application server, you must specific the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) principle of the WLE server with the realm. For example, HTTP/testmach.austin.ibm.com.

      When you select the Use keytab option, in the Keytab field specify the name and path of the keytab file to be used instead of the password. For example, /etc/security/keytabs/user1.keytab.

   9. Optional: Select Use custom URL to use a custom URL instead of the one that is generated based on the values that you specify for Use SSL, Host, and Port. In the Custom URL field, specify the base URL for the server, either HTTP or HTTPS.
   10. Click Test connection. You receive a confirmation message if your connection is successful.
   11. If your connection is successful, click Save connection.
       Your connection is ready.
   For more information about HDFS connection, see the File connector data connection prerequisites and parameters topic.
6. To create a new Db2 connection:
   1. From the Choose connection menu, select Db2.
   2. Create a name for your data connection, enter the JDBC host, and the credentials to access the database.
   3. Click Test connection. You receive a confirmation message if your connection is successful.
   4. If your connection is successful, click Save connection.
      Your connection is ready.
7. To create a new Oracle connection:
   1. From the Choose connection menu, select Oracle.
   2. Enter a service name, the JDBC host, and the credentials to access the database.
   3. Click Test connection. You receive a confirmation message if your connection is successful.
   4. If your connection is successful, click Save connection.
      Your connection is ready.
8. To create a new Microsoft SQL Server connection:
   1. From the Choose connection menu, select SQL Server.
   2. Create a name for your data connection, enter an instance name, the JDBC host, and the credentials to access the database.
   3. Click Test connection. You receive a confirmation message if your connection is successful.
   4. If your connection is successful, click Save connection.
      Your connection is ready.
9. To create a new Teradata connection:
   1. From the Choose connection menu, select Teradata.
   2. Create a name for your data connection, enter the database name, the JDBC host, and the credentials to access the database.
   3. Click Test connection. You receive a confirmation message if your connection is successful.
   4. If your connection is successful, click Save connection.
      Your connection is ready.