Adding connections to data sources in a catalog (IBM Knowledge Catalog)

A connection asset contains the information necessary to create a connection to a data source.

You can add connection assets to these data sources to a catalog. You must have the Editor or Admin permissions in a catalog to add a connection asset. For information about creating connections at the platform level, see Adding platform connections.

Connection assets are automatically added when you publish data assets that require connections from a project to a catalog.

To add a connection asset:

1. Click Add to catalog > Connection.
   If you select an existing connection, the connections details are already available.
2. Select a data source type, and then choose the connector.
   • Click Select a connector to create a new connection in the project (default).
   • Click Select a platform connection to select a connection that has already been created at the platform level.
3. Click Next.
4. Enter the connection information that is required for your data source. Typically, you need to provide information like the host, port number, username, and password.
5. If prompted, specify whether you want to use personal or shared credentials. You can't change this option after you create the connection. The default setting is Shared. An administrator can disable shared credentials. For more information, see Disabling shared credentials in the IBM Software Hub documentation.
   • Personal: With personal credentials, each user must specify their own credentials to access the connection. Each user's credentials are saved but are not shared with any other users. Use personal credentials instead of shared credentials to protect credentials. For example, if you use personal credentials and another user changes the connection properties (such as the hostname or port number), the credentials are invalidated to prevent malicious redirection.
   • Shared: With shared credentials, all users access the connection with the credentials that you provide.
6. If a vault has been set up for the platform and the service support secrets, in the Credentials section you can select to use secrets from a vault. For more information, see Using vault secrets in connections for information.
7. Click Create.

After the connection asset appears on the Browse page, click its name to view and update it.

If you edit a connection asset and mark it as private, it has the following effects:

• Users who are not members of the connection asset can view the data previews of data assets that require the connection, but they can't use those data assets.
• Only members of the connection asset can add the data assets that require the connection to a project.