How to integrate Metabase with DB2 Data

Metabase is an open source data visualization tool that allows users to create interactive dashboards. When paired with CData Connect AI, users can easily create visualizations and dashboards linked to live DB2 data. This article describes how to connect to DB2 and build a simple visualization using DB2 data.

CData Connect provides a pure cloud-to-cloud interface for DB2, allowing you to easily integrate with live DB2 data in Metabase — without replicating the data. Connect looks exactly like a SQL Server database to Metabase and uses optimized data processing out of the box to push all supported SQL operations (filters, JOINs, etc) directly to DB2, leveraging server-side processing to quickly return DB2 data.

Configure DB2 Connectivity for Metabase

Connectivity to DB2 from Metabase is made possible through CData Connect AI. To work with DB2 data from Metabase, we start by creating and configuring a DB2 connection.

1. Log into Connect AI, click Sources, and then click Add Connection

2. Select "DB2" from the Add Connection panel

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to DB2.

   Set the following properties to connect to DB2:

   • Server: Set this to the name of the server running DB2.
   • Port: Set this to the port the DB2 server is listening on.
   • Database: Set this to the name of the DB2 database.
   • User: Set this to the username of a user allowed to access the database.
   • Password: Set this to the password of a user allowed to access the database.

   You will also need to install the corresponding DB2 driver:

   • Windows: Install the IBM Data Server Provider for .NET.

     On Windows, installing the IBM Data Server Provider is sufficient, as the installation registers it in the machine.config.

   • Java: Install the IBM Data Server Driver for JDBC.

     In the Java version, place the IBM Data Server Driver JAR in the www\WEB-INF\lib\ folder for this application.

   
4. Click Save & Test
5. Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add DB2 Connection page and update the User-based permissions.

Add a Personal Access Token

When connecting to Connect AI through the REST API, the OData API, or the Virtual SQL Server, a Personal Access Token (PAT) is used to authenticate the connection to Connect AI. It is best practice to create a separate PAT for each service to maintain granularity of access.

1. Click on the Gear icon () at the top right of the Connect AI app to open the settings page.
2. On the Settings page, go to the Access Tokens section and click Create PAT.
3. Give the PAT a name and click Create.
4. The personal access token is only visible at creation, so be sure to copy it and store it securely for future use.

With the connection configured and a PAT generated, you are ready to connect to DB2 data from Metabase.

Connect to CData Connect AI from Metabase

After creating the connection in Connect AI, navigate to your Metabase instance. Use the SQL Server interface to connect to Connect AI.

1. Navigate to the administration screen (Settings -> Admin) and click "Add Database" from the "Databases" tab
2. Configure the connection to Connect AI and click "Save"
   • Database type: Select "SQL Server"
   • Name: Name the connection (e.g. "DB2 (Connect AI)")
   • Host: tds.cdata.com
   • Port: 14333
   • Database name: The name of the connection you just created (e.g. DB21)
   • Username: A Connect AI username (e.g. [email protected])
   • Password: The PAT previously created
   • Click to Use a secure connection (SSL)
   

Execute DB2 Data with Metabase

Once you configure the connection to Connect AI, you can query DB2 and build visualizations.

1. Use the "Write SQL" tool to retrieve the DB2 data
2. Write a SQL query based on the DB2 connection in CData Connect AI, e.g.
   
   

   SELECT Orders.Freight, Customers.ContactName FROM Customers INNER JOIN Orders ON Customers.CustomerId=Orders.CustomerId

   
3. Navigate to the "Visualization" screen, choose a visualization, and configure the visualization

More Information & Free Trial

At this point, you have built a simple visualization from DB2 data in Metabase. You can continue to work with live DB2 data in Metabase just like you would any SQL Server database. For more information on creating a live connection to DB2 (and more than 100 other data sources), visit the Connect AI page. Sign up for a free trial and start working with live DB2 data in Metabase today.