Bridge SingleStore Connectivity with Apache NiFi

Apache NiFi supports powerful and scalable directed graphs of data routing, transformation, and system mediation logic. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for SingleStore, NiFi can work with live SingleStore data. This article describes how to connect to and query SingleStore data from an Apache NiFi Flow.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live SingleStore data. When you issue complex SQL queries to SingleStore, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to SingleStore 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 SingleStore data using native data types.

Connecting to SingleStore Data in Apache NiFi

1. Download the CData JDBC Driver for SingleStore installer, unzip the package, run the .exe file to install the driver.

2. Copy the CData JDBC Driver JAR file (and license file if it exists), cdata.jdbc.singlestore.jar (and cdata.jdbc.singlestore.lic), to the Apache NiFi lib subfolder, for example, C:\nifi-1.3.0-bin\nifi-1.3.0\lib.

   On Windows, the default location for the CData JDBC Driver is C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for SingleStore.

3. Start Apache NiFi by running the run-nifi.bat file in bin subfolder, for example, C:\nifi-1.3.0-bin\nifi-1.3.0\bin.

   (OR)

   Use the command prompt to navigate to the particular directory and run the run-nifi.bat file for example:

   cd C:\nifi-1.3.0-bin\nifi-1.3.0\bin
   .\run-nifi.bat
   

4. Navigate to the Apache NiFi UI in your web browser: It should be https://localhost:8443/nifi.

   Note: If users are utilizing an older version of Apache NiFi, they should access it via http://localhost:8080/nifi. In earlier versions, HTTP was the protocol employed. However, in the most recent version, HTTPS is the standard. By default, HTTP operates on port 8080, while HTTPS uses port 8443.

5. When accessing Apache NiFi via a URL, it prompts you to enter a username and password for login.

   To retrieve login credentials, users should consult the 'App.log' file located within the log directory of their NiFi installation. This file typically contains the necessary details for accessing the NiFi interface.

6. Click the (Configuration) button from the Operate sidebar under the "NiFi Flow" process group.
7. In the NiFi Flow Configuration page, navigate to the "Controller Services" tab.
8. Click the button to create a new controller service.
9. In the Add Controller Service page, select "DBCPConnectionPool", and then click Add.
10. In the Configure Controller Service page, navigate to the "Properties" tab.
11. Click the gear button to configure the new DBCPConnection Pool.

12. Fill in the properties:

    Property	Value
    Database Connection URL	jdbc:singlestore:User=myUser;Password=myPassword;Database=NorthWind;Server=myServer;Port=3306;
    Database Driver Class Name	cdata.jdbc.singlestore.SingleStoreDriver
    Database Driver Location(s)	Path to your Apache NiFi's lib folder where the JAR files are present.

    Built-in Connection String Designer

    For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the SingleStore JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the JAR file from the command-line.

    java -jar cdata.jdbc.singlestore.jar

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

    The following connection properties are required in order to connect to data.

    • Server: The host name or IP of the server hosting the SingleStore database.
    • Port: The port of the server hosting the SingleStore database.
    • Database (Optional): The default database to connect to when connecting to the SingleStore Server. If this is not set, tables from all databases will be returned.

    Connect Using Standard Authentication

    To authenticate using standard authentication, set the following:

    • User: The user which will be used to authenticate with the SingleStore server.
    • Password: The password which will be used to authenticate with the SingleStore server.

    Connect Using Integrated Security

    As an alternative to providing the standard username and password, you can set IntegratedSecurity to True to authenticate trusted users to the server via Windows Authentication.

    Connect Using SSL Authentication

    You can leverage SSL authentication to connect to SingleStore data via a secure session. Configure the following connection properties to connect to data:

    • SSLClientCert: Set this to the name of the certificate store for the client certificate. Used in the case of 2-way SSL, where truststore and keystore are kept on both the client and server machines.
    • SSLClientCertPassword: If a client certificate store is password-protected, set this value to the store's password.
    • SSLClientCertSubject: The subject of the TLS/SSL client certificate. Used to locate the certificate in the store.
    • SSLClientCertType: The certificate type of the client store.
    • SSLServerCert: The certificate to be accepted from the server.

    Connect Using SSH Authentication

    Using SSH, you can securely login to a remote machine. To access SingleStore data via SSH, configure the following connection properties:

    • SSHClientCert: Set this to the name of the certificate store for the client certificate.
    • SSHClientCertPassword: If a client certificate store is password-protected, set this value to the store's password.
    • SSHClientCertSubject: The subject of the TLS/SSL client certificate. Used to locate the certificate in the store.
    • SSHClientCertType: The certificate type of the client store.
    • SSHPassword: The password that you use to authenticate with the SSH server.
    • SSHPort: The port used for SSH operations.
    • SSHServer: The SSH authentication server you are trying to authenticate against.
    • SSHServerFingerPrint: The SSH Server fingerprint used for verification of the host you are connecting to.
    • SSHUser: Set this to the username that you use to authenticate with the SSH server.
13. To establish a connection and execute a select query, simply drag and drop the processor (indicated by the yellow highlight) into the workspace.
14. Select the 'ExecuteSQL' processor and click the 'Add' button to make it visible in the workspace.
15. Click on the added processor (ExecuteSQL)to open the connection page.
16. Click on the Verify Properties button and verify to test the connection.
17. Ensure that all the verification results are successful, and then click on APPLY.
18. Activate the connection by clicking the small button at the right corner of the screen.

Your SingleStore data is now available for use in Apache NiFi. For example, you can use the DBCPConnection Pool as the source for a QueryDatabaseTable processor (shown below).

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for SingleStore and start working with your live SingleStore data in Apache NiFi. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.