Skip to main content

Pentaho+ documentation has moved!

The new product documentation portal is here. Check it out now at docs.hitachivantara.com

 

Hitachi Vantara Lumada and Pentaho Documentation

Specify data connections for BA design tools

Parent article

The BA design tools need a way to connect to the place you store data, as well as to the Pentaho Server where you publish and share what you create in the design tools.

We support connecting to data stored in these ways:

  • Pentaho data sources, such as relational Metadata data models or multi-dimensional Mondrian data models.
  • JDBC databases.

JDBC Database Connections

How you connect to databases depends on which access protocol is best to use when creating reports and data models or publishing them. You can choose from these access protocols:

  • Native (JDBC)

    This is a commonly used access protocol. Please see details in the Database Connection Access Type Decision Table.

  • JNDI

    This also is a commonly used access protocol. Please see details in the Database Connection Access Type Decision Table.

  • ODBC

    We do not support ODBC, but we make it available in case you need it. If you must use ODBC, contact Pentaho Support to ensure you are successful.

Database Connection Access Type Decision Table
Explore ConsiderationsChoose Options
Native (JDBC)JNDI
SummaryThese connections are the easiest to define. However, they do not scale well and are not easy to maintain. If the connection information changes, you must change it in every unpublished or published data model or report you have created with the design tools.These connections are easier to maintain since only the connection name is stored, if the connection properties are stored in a file on each workstation the runs design tools.
Connection Behavior for Report Designer and Metadata Editor
  • The connection information is embedded into each report or Metadata data model. Once you have defined connections, the Report Designer displays the connection name in a list where you can select it. However, for Metadata Editor, once you have defined connections, you must enter the right connection name each time you use the editor.
  • Before you publish, ensure that the connection name is same name as a Native (JDBC) connection already defined on the Pentaho Server.
Connection Behavior for Report Designer and Metadata Editor
  • The connection information is stored in a properties file on each workstation that runs these tools.
  • Before you publish, ensure that the JNDI connection has the same name as one already defined on the Pentaho Server
Connection Behavior for Schema Workbench and Aggregation Designer
  • Connection information is not embedded or stored. You must define the connection each time you use these tools.
  • Before you publish, you need to know the URL of the Pentaho Server and the name of a Native (JDBC) connection already defined on that server.
Connection Behavior for Schema Workbench and Aggregation Designer
  • JNDI is not an option for these tools.
  • Before you publish, you need to know the URL of the Pentaho Server and the name of a JNDI connection already defined on that server.
ExpertiseKnowledge of the JDBC driver and options for your RDBMS
RecommendationUse for the Pentaho Trial Download and evaluation, but switch each report and data model to JNDI before publishing to avoid problems if connection information changes.Use for production or when the work environment is distributed in a network.

To learn how to specify data connections, see the articles below: