Visualize Live Google Cloud Storage Data in Power BI (via CData Connect AI)

Power BI transforms your company's data into rich visuals for you to collect and organize so you can focus on what matters to you. When paired with CData Connect AI, you get access to Google Cloud Storage data for visualizations, dashboards, and more. This article shows how to use CData Connect to create a live connection to Google Cloud Storage, connect to Google Cloud Storage data from Power BI and then create reports on Google Cloud Storage data in Power BI.

Configure Google Cloud Storage Connectivity for Power BI

Connectivity to Google Cloud Storage from Power BI is made possible through CData Connect AI. To work with Google Cloud Storage data from Power BI, we start by creating and configuring a Google Cloud Storage connection.

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

2. Select "Google Cloud Storage" from the Add Connection panel

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Google Cloud Storage.

   Authenticate with a User Account

   You can connect without setting any connection properties for your user credentials. After setting InitiateOAuth to GETANDREFRESH, you are ready to connect.

   When you connect, the Google Cloud Storage OAuth endpoint opens in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions, then the OAuth process completes

   Authenticate with a Service Account

   Service accounts have silent authentication, without user authentication in the browser. You can also use a service account to delegate enterprise-wide access scopes.

   You need to create an OAuth application in this flow. See the Help documentation for more information. After setting the following connection properties, you are ready to connect:

   • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH.
   • OAuthJWTCertType: Set this to "PFXFILE".
   • OAuthJWTCert: Set this to the path to the .p12 file you generated.
   • OAuthJWTCertPassword: Set this to the password of the .p12 file.
   • OAuthJWTCertSubject: Set this to "*" to pick the first certificate in the certificate store.
   • OAuthJWTIssuer: In the service accounts section, click Manage Service Accounts and set this field to the email address displayed in the service account Id field.
   • OAuthJWTSubject: Set this to your enterprise Id if your subject type is set to "enterprise" or your app user Id if your subject type is set to "user".
   • ProjectId: Set this to the Id of the project you want to connect to.

   The OAuth flow for a service account then completes.

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

With the connection configured, you are ready to connect to Google Cloud Storage data from Power BI.

Query Google Cloud Storage Tables

Follow the steps below to build a query to pull Google Cloud Storage data into the report:

1. Open Power BI Desktop and click Get Data -> Online Services -> CData Connect AI and click "Connect"
2. Click "Sign in" and authenticate with your CData Connect AI account
3. After signing in, click "Connect"
4. Select tables in the Navigator dialog
5. Click Load to establish the connection to your Google Cloud Storage data from Power BI

Create Google Cloud Storage Data Visualizations

After connecting to the data into Power BI, you can create data visualizations in the Report view by dragging fields from the Fields pane onto the canvas. Select the dimensions and measures you wish to visualize along with the chart type.

Click Refresh to synchronize your report with any changes to the data.

Live Access to Google Cloud Storage Data from Data Applications

With CData Connect AI you have a direct connection to Google Cloud Storage data from Power BI. You can import more data, create new visualizations, build reports, and more — all without replicating Google Cloud Storage data.

To get SQL data access to hundreds of SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources (including Google Cloud Storage) directly from your on-premise BI, reporting, ETL and other data applications, visit the CData Connect AI page and start a free trial.