Validate IBM Cloud Data Engine Data with QuerySurge

QuerySurge is a smart data testing solution that automates data validation and testing. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for IBM Cloud Data Engine, QuerySurge can work with live IBM Cloud Data Engine data. This article walks through connecting to IBM Cloud Data Engine data from QuerySurge.

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

Connecting to IBM Cloud Data Engine Data in QuerySurge

To connect to live IBM Cloud Data Engine data from QuerySurge, you need to deploy the JDBC Driver JAR file to your QuerySurge Agent(s) and add a new connection from the QuerySurge Admin view.

Deploy the JDBC Driver

1. Download the CData JDBC Driver for IBM Cloud Data Engine installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.
2. Once the driver is installed, stop the Agent Service.
3. Copy the JAR File (and license file if it exists) from the installation location (typically C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for IBM Cloud Data Engine\lib\) to your Agent(s) (QuerySurge_install_dir\agent\jdbc).
4. Restart the Agent Service.

For more information on deploying JDBC drivers for QuerySurge, refer to the QuerySurge Knowledge Base.

Configure a New Connection to IBM Cloud Data Engine

1. Log into QuerySurge and navigate to the Admin view.
2. Click Configuration -> Connections in the Administration Tree.
3. Click Add to create a new connection.
4. In the QuerySurge Connection Wizard, click Next.
5. Name the connection (e.g. CData JDBC Connection to IBM Cloud Data Engine).
6. Set the Data Source to "All Other JDBC Connections (Connection Extensibility)" and click Next.
7. Set the Driver Class to cdata.jdbc.ibmclouddataengine.IBMCloudDataEngineDriver and click Next.

8. Set the Connection URL using the necessary connection properties to authenticate with IBM Cloud Data Engine. Your Connection URL will look something like the following:

   jdbc:ibmclouddataengine:Api Key=MyAPIKey;Instance CRN=myInstanceCRN;Region=myRegion;Schema=mySchema;OAuth Client Id=myOAuthClientId;OAuth Client Secret=myOAuthClientSecret;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH

   Built-in Connection String Designer

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

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.ibmclouddataengine.jar

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

   IBM Cloud Data Engine uses the OAuth and HMAC authentication standards. See the "Getting Started" chapter of the help documentation for a guide to using OAuth.

9. Set the Test Query to enable the Test Connection button for the Connection (e.g. SELECT * FROM Jobs LIMIT 1) and click Next.
10. Click Test Connection to ensure the connection is configured properly and click Save to add the connection.

Once the connection is added, you can write SQL queries against your IBM Cloud Data Engine data in QuerySurge.

Compare IBM Cloud Data Engine Data Queries with a QueryPair

With the connection configured, you can follow the steps below to compare querying IBM Cloud Data Engine data with a QueryPair.

1. Select "Design Library" from the Design Menu
2. Click QueryPairs under QuerySurge Design
3. Click "Create New QueryPair"
4. Name the QueryPair and click Save
5. In either the Source or Target panes, select the connection created above (select the same connection to query IBM Cloud Data Engine twice or another connection to perform a comparison)
6. Write queries in the Editor for each pane, e.g. SELECT * FROM Jobs
7. Click the "Design-Time Run" tab to execute the queries
8. When the query execution is finished, click "View Query Results" to see the IBM Cloud Data Engine data returned by the query

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