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Datasource Introduction

The Datasource is a fundamental component in Active Intelligence Visualization (AIV). It serves as a connection to external databases, allowing users to access and manipulate data within the AIV application. Datasources play a crucial role in fetching, processing, and presenting data for visualization and reporting purposes.

Key Aspects of Datasource Functionality in AIV

Connection to External Databases

Datasources enable users to connect to various external databases using different interfaces, such as JDBC, BigQuery, OLAP, NoSQL, Custom, and more. This flexibility allows users to integrate data from diverse sources into the AIV environment.

Support for Different Database Types

AIV supports connections to various databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, MSSQL, MongoDB, Hive, and others. Users can establish these connections, check connectivity, and leverage the data for analysis.

File and Service Integration

Datasources facilitate integration with existing files (JSON, CSV, Excel) directly under the dataset section. Additionally, external services, such as REST requests, are available within the dataset sections, offering extended capabilities for data retrieval.

Accessibility

The Datasource tab can be accessed directly or from the dropdown menu next to the Datasource tab, providing easy navigation and management.

Create, Edit, and Delete Operations

Users can create new datasources, edit existing ones to modify connection details, and delete unnecessary datasources as part of data management.

In summary, the Datasource functionality in AIV empowers users to establish connections with external databases, ensuring seamless data integration and accessibility for effective data analysis and visualization within the AIV platform.

Types of Datasources in AIV

In Active Intelligence Visualization (AIV), various datasource types are supported, allowing users to connect to different external data sources. Here are some common types of datasources in AIV

JDBC (Java Database Connectivity)

Enables users to connect to relational databases using the JDBC interface. This type of datasource is suitable for databases such as MySQL, Oracle, MSSQL, PostgreSQL, and others.

BigQuery

Provides connectivity to Google BigQuery, a fully-managed, serverless data warehouse for large-scale analytics.

OLAP (Online Analytical Processing)

Supports connectivity to OLAP databases, allowing users to perform multidimensional analysis.

NoSQL

Enables connection to NoSQL databases, which are non-relational databases designed for handling unstructured or semi-structured data. Examples include MongoDB.

Custom

Offers flexibility to create custom datasources based on specific requirements, allowing users to define their own connection parameters.

Existing Files

Allows integration with existing files such as JSON, CSV, and Excel. Users can directly use these files as datasources for analysis.

External Services (REST Requests)

Permits connection to external services through REST requests, facilitating data retrieval from external web services.

The availability of these datasource types provides users with versatility when connecting to different data repositories, supporting a wide range of database systems and file formats.

Difference Between Datasource and Database in AIV

A datasource and a database are related concepts in the context of data management, but they refer to different components in a data-driven system.

Datasource

  • Definition
    A datasource is a broader term that encompasses any source of data, irrespective of its type or location. It can refer to databases, files, web services, or any other means of providing data.
  • Functionality in AIV
    In Active Intelligence Visualization (AIV), a datasource typically represents a connection to an external data source, allowing users to retrieve and analyze data for reporting and visualization.

Database

  • Definition
    A database is a specific type of datasource that is a structured collection of data organized for efficient retrieval and management. Databases can be relational (like MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server) or non-relational (like MongoDB, Cassandra).

  • Functionality in AIV
    When dealing with databases, the term often refers to a relational database system where data is organized into tables with predefined relationships. In AIV, connecting to a database usually involves creating a datasource that links to a specific database instance.

Summary

A datasource is a more general term that includes various sources of data, while a database is a specific type of structured data storage system that serves as a datasource in many applications, including AIV. You might create a datasource to connect to a database or other data sources to fetch and analyze information.