Build Semantic Layer Views for Amazon Athena Data in APOS Live Data Gateway

APOS Live Data Gateway (LDG) is a data connection and data transformation solution that enables live data connectivity and expanded data source options for SAP Analytics Cloud and other SAP solutions. When paired with CData Connectors, users can build semantic layer views for live Amazon Athena data, enabling real-time analytics on Amazon Athena just like working with a relational database.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData Connector offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Amazon Athena data. When you issue complex SQL queries to Amazon Athena, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Amazon Athena and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying allows you to work with and analyze Amazon Athena data using native data types.

Download and Install the Connector Files

In order to access Amazon Athena data through the APOS Live Data Gateway, you will need to download the connector files from APOS and install them on the machine hosting the Live Data Gateway. An APOS representative can deliver the necessary files.

• Install the CData DLL file (System.Data.CData.AmazonAthena.dll) to the APOS Live Data Gateway installation directory (C:\Program Files\Live Data Gateway\Admin\ by default).
• Install the CData JAR file (cdata.jdbc.amazonathena.jar) to the ConnectionTest_lib folder in the installation directory (C:\Program Files\Live Data Gateway\Admin\ConnectionTest_lib\ by default).
• Install the CData JAR file (cdata.jdbc.amazonathena.jar) to the lib folder in the Web UI installation directory (e.g.: C:\LDG_WebUI\lib\)

Configuring the Amazon Athena Connection String

Before establishing the connection to Amazon Athena from the APOS Live Data Gateway, you need to configure the Amazon Athena JDBC Connection String.

Built-in Connection String Designer

For assistance in constructing the JDBC Connection String, use the connection string designer built into the Amazon Athena JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

Authenticating to Amazon Athena

To authorize Amazon Athena requests, provide the credentials for an administrator account or for an IAM user with custom permissions: Set AccessKey to the access key Id. Set SecretKey to the secret access key.

Note: Though you can connect as the AWS account administrator, it is recommended to use IAM user credentials to access AWS services.

Obtaining the Access Key

To obtain the credentials for an IAM user, follow the steps below:

1. Sign into the IAM console.
2. In the navigation pane, select Users.
3. To create or manage the access keys for a user, select the user and then select the Security Credentials tab.

To obtain the credentials for your AWS root account, follow the steps below:

1. Sign into the AWS Management console with the credentials for your root account.
2. Select your account name or number and select My Security Credentials in the menu that is displayed.
3. Click Continue to Security Credentials and expand the Access Keys section to manage or create root account access keys.

Authenticating from an EC2 Instance

If you are using the CData Data Provider for Amazon Athena 2018 from an EC2 Instance and have an IAM Role assigned to the instance, you can use the IAM Role to authenticate. To do so, set UseEC2Roles to true and leave AccessKey and SecretKey empty. The CData Data Provider for Amazon Athena 2018 will automatically obtain your IAM Role credentials and authenticate with them.

Authenticating as an AWS Role

In many situations it may be preferable to use an IAM role for authentication instead of the direct security credentials of an AWS root user. An AWS role may be used instead by specifying the RoleARN. This will cause the CData Data Provider for Amazon Athena 2018 to attempt to retrieve credentials for the specified role. If you are connecting to AWS (instead of already being connected such as on an EC2 instance), you must additionally specify the AccessKey and SecretKey of an IAM user to assume the role for. Roles may not be used when specifying the AccessKey and SecretKey of an AWS root user.

Authenticating with MFA

For users and roles that require Multi-factor Authentication, specify the MFASerialNumber and MFAToken connection properties. This will cause the CData Data Provider for Amazon Athena 2018 to submit the MFA credentials in a request to retrieve temporary authentication credentials. Note that the duration of the temporary credentials may be controlled via the TemporaryTokenDuration (default 3600 seconds).

Connecting to Amazon Athena

In addition to the AccessKey and SecretKey properties, specify Database, S3StagingDirectory and Region. Set Region to the region where your Amazon Athena data is hosted. Set S3StagingDirectory to a folder in S3 where you would like to store the results of queries.

If Database is not set in the connection, the data provider connects to the default database set in Amazon Athena.

Your connection string will look similar to the following:

Connecting to Amazon Athena & Creating a Semantic Layer View

After installing the connector files and configuring the connection string, you are ready to connect to Amazon Athena in the Live Data Gateway Admin tool and build a semantic layer view in the Live Data Gateway Web UI.

Configuring the Connection to Amazon Athena

1. Log into your APOS Live Data Gateway Manager
2. If you haven't already, update your APOS LDG license file
   1. Click File -> Configurations
   2. Click on the "..." Menu for the License
   3. Select the license file from the APOS team that includes your CData Connector license
3. In the APOS Live Data Gateway Manager, click "Add"
4. In the APOS Live Data Gateway On the Connection tab, configure the connection:
   • Set Data Source to "Database"
   • Set Database to "CData Drivers"
   • Set Database CData Drivers to "Amazon Athena"
   • Set Connection String to the connection string configured earlier (e.g.: jdbc:AmazonAthena:AccessKey='a123';SecretKey='s123';Region='IRELAND';Database='sampledb';S3StagingDirectory='s3://bucket/staging/';
   • Set Driver Class to "cdata.jdbc.amazonathena.AmazonAthenaDriver" (this should be set by default)
5. Click Test Connection
6. Click Save
7. Give your connection a unique prefix (e.g. "amazonathena")
8. Highlight the newly created connection and click File -> "Approve Users For Web UI"
9. Approve the appropriate DB users to create views and click "Save"

At this point, we are ready to build our semantic layer view in the Live Data Gateway Web UI.

Creating a Semantic Layer View

1. In your browser, navigate to the APOS Live Data Gateway Portal
2. Select a Connection (e.g. "amazonathena")
3. Since Amazon Athena does not require a User or Password to authenticate, you may use whatever values you wish for User Name and Password
4. Click "Login"
5. Once connected, click "Semantic Layer" to create a new semantic layer view
6. Click "New Semantic Layer View"
7. Set the Semantic Layer View Prefix and Semantic Layer View Name
8. Click "Step 2"
9. Select the table(s) and column(s) you wish to include in your view
10. Click "Step 3"
11. Select the Measures from the available table columns
12. Click "Step 5" (we skipped the "Extra Dimensions" step)
13. Add any Variable Prompts
14. Click "Step 6"
15. Define any Table Joins
16. Click "Review"
17. Review you semantic layer view and click "Save"

With the Semantic Layer View created, you are ready to access your Amazon Athena data through the APOS Live Data Gateway, enabling real-time data connectivity to Amazon Athena data from SAP Analytics Cloud and other SAP solutions.

More Information & Free Evaluation

Please visit APOS Systems - APOS Solutions - Request Evaluation Software to request evaluation software or email info@apos.com for more information on working with your live Amazon Athena data in APOS Live Data Gateway.