How to work with Carbone Data in Apache Spark using SQL

Apache Spark is a fast and general engine for large-scale data processing. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for Carbone, Spark can work with live Carbone data. This article describes how to connect to and query Carbone data from a Spark shell.

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

Install the CData JDBC Driver for Carbone

Download the CData JDBC Driver for Carbone installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.

Start a Spark Shell and Connect to Carbone Data

1. Open a terminal and start the Spark shell with the CData JDBC Driver for Carbone JAR file as the jars parameter:

   
   $ spark-shell --jars /CData/CData JDBC Driver for Carbone/lib/cdata.jdbc.api.jar
   

2. With the shell running, you can connect to Carbone with a JDBC URL and use the SQL Context load() function to read a table.

   Start by setting the Profile connection property to the location of the Carbone Profile on disk (e.g. C:\profiles\Carbone.apip). Next, set the ProfileSettings connection property to the connection string for Carbone (see below).

   Carbone API Profile Settings

   Carbone uses API key authentication via a Bearer token in the Authorization header. To obtain an API key:

   1. Log in to your Carbone account at https://account.carbone.io
   2. Copy the API key shown on the account home page

   After obtaining your API key, set the following connection properties:

   • AuthScheme: Set this to APIKey.
   • APIKey: Set this to your Carbone API key (Bearer token).
   • CarboneVersion: (Optional) The major version of the Carbone API to target via the carbone-version request header. Defaults to 5. Accepted values: 5, 4, 3, staging.

   Built-in Connection String Designer

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

   
   java -jar cdata.jdbc.api.jar
   

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

   

   Configure the connection to Carbone, using the connection string generated above.

   
   scala> val api_df = spark.sqlContext.read.format("jdbc").option("url", "jdbc:api:Profile=C:\profiles\Carbone.apip;AuthScheme=APIKey;APIKey=your_api_key;").option("dbtable","Templates").option("driver","cdata.jdbc.api.APIDriver").load()
   

3. Once you connect and the data is loaded you will see the table schema displayed.

4. Register the Carbone data as a temporary table:

   scala> api_df.registerTable("templates")

5. Perform custom SQL queries against the Data using commands like the one below:

   scala> api_df.sqlContext.sql("SELECT Id, Name FROM Templates WHERE Category = Invoices").collect.foreach(println)

   You will see the results displayed in the console, similar to the following:

   

Using the CData JDBC Driver for Carbone in Apache Spark, you are able to perform fast and complex analytics on Carbone data, combining the power and utility of Spark with your data. Download a free, 30 day trial of any of the hundreds of CData JDBC Drivers and get started today.