Validate Redshift Data with QuerySurge

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

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

Connecting to Redshift Data in QuerySurge

To connect to live Redshift 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 Amazon Redshift 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 Amazon Redshift\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 Redshift

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 Redshift).
6. Set the Data Source to "All Other JDBC Connections (Connection Extensibility)" and click Next.
7. Set the Driver Class to cdata.jdbc.redshift.RedshiftDriver and click Next.

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

   jdbc:redshift:User=admin;Password=admin;Database=dev;Server=examplecluster.my.us-west-2.redshift.amazonaws.com;Port=5439;

   Built-in Connection String Designer

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

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.redshift.jar

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

   To connect to Redshift, set the following:

   • Server: Set this to the host name or IP address of the cluster hosting the Database you want to connect to.
   • Port: Set this to the port of the cluster.
   • Database: Set this to the name of the database. Or, leave this blank to use the default database of the authenticated user.
   • User: Set this to the username you want to use to authenticate to the Server.
   • Password: Set this to the password you want to use to authenticate to the Server.

   You can obtain the Server and Port values in the AWS Management Console:

   1. Open the Amazon Redshift console (http://console.aws.amazon.com/redshift).
   2. On the Clusters page, click the name of the cluster.
   3. On the Configuration tab for the cluster, copy the cluster URL from the connection strings displayed.
9. Set the Test Query to enable the Test Connection button for the Connection (e.g. SELECT * FROM Orders 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 Redshift data in QuerySurge.

Compare Redshift Data Queries with a QueryPair

With the connection configured, you can follow the steps below to compare querying Redshift 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 Redshift twice or another connection to perform a comparison)
6. Write queries in the Editor for each pane, e.g. SELECT * FROM Orders
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 Redshift data returned by the query

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