Edit and Search Snowflake External Objects in Salesforce Connect (API Server)


Use the API Server to securely provide OData feeds of Snowflake data to smart devices and cloud-based applications. Use the API Server and Salesforce Connect to create Snowflake objects that you can access from apps and the dashboard.

The CData API Server enables you to access Snowflake data from cloud-based applications like the Salesforce console and mobile applications like the Salesforce1 Mobile App. In this article, you will use the API Server and Salesforce Connect to access Snowflake external objects alongside standard Salesforce objects.

About Snowflake Data Integration

CData simplifies access and integration of live Snowflake data. Our customers leverage CData connectivity to:

  • Reads and write Snowflake data quickly and efficiently.
  • Dynamically obtain metadata for the specified Warehouse, Database, and Schema.
  • Authenticate in a variety of ways, including OAuth, OKTA, Azure AD, Azure Managed Service Identity, PingFederate, private key, and more.

Many CData users use CData solutions to access Snowflake from their preferred tools and applications, and replicate data from their disparate systems into Snowflake for comprehensive warehousing and analytics.

For more information on integrating Snowflake with CData solutions, refer to our blog: https://www.cdata.com/blog/snowflake-integrations.


Getting Started


Set Up the API Server

If you have not already done so, download the CData API Server. Once you have installed the API Server, follow the steps below to begin producing secure Snowflake OData services:

Connect to Snowflake

To work with Snowflake data from Salesforce Connect, we start by creating and configuring a Snowflake connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to Snowflake data:

  1. First, navigate to the Connections page.
  2. Click Add Connection and then search for and select the Snowflake connection.
  3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Snowflake.

    To connect to Snowflake:

    1. Set User and Password to your Snowflake credentials and set the AuthScheme property to PASSWORD or OKTA.
    2. Set URL to the URL of the Snowflake instance (i.e.: https://myaccount.snowflakecomputing.com).
    3. Set Warehouse to the Snowflake warehouse.
    4. (Optional) Set Account to your Snowflake account if your URL does not conform to the format above.
    5. (Optional) Set Database and Schema to restrict the tables and views exposed.

    See the Getting Started guide in the CData driver documentation for more information.

  4. After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your Snowflake data through the API Server. You can add and configure users on the Users page. Follow the steps below to configure and create a user:

  1. On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
  2. Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User.
  3. An Authtoken is then generated for the user. You can find the Authtoken and other information for each user on the Users page:

Creating API Endpoints for Snowflake

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the Snowflake tables:

  1. First, navigate to the API page and then click Add Table .
  2. Select the connection you wish to access and click Next.
  3. With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm.

Gather the OData Url

Having configured a connection to Snowflake data, created a user, and added resources to the API Server, you now have an easily accessible REST API based on the OData protocol for those resources. From the API page in API Server, you can view and copy the API Endpoints for the API:

Connect to Snowflake Data as an External Data Source

Follow the steps below to connect to the feed produced by the API Server.

  1. Log into Salesforce and click Setup -> Develop -> External Data Sources.
  2. Click New External Data Source.
  3. Enter values for the following properties:
    • External Data Source: Enter a label to be used in list views and reports.
    • Name: Enter a unique identifier.
    • Type: Select the option "Salesforce Connect: OData 4.0".

    • URL: Enter the URL to the OData endpoint of the API Server. The format of the OData URL is https://your-server:your-port/api.rsc.

      Note that plain-text is suitable for only testing; for production, use TLS.

  4. Select the Writable External Objects option.

  5. Select JSON in the Format menu.

  6. In the Authentication section, set the following properties:
    • Identity Type: If all members of your organization will use the same credentials to access the API Server, select "Named Principal". If the members of your organization will connect with their own credentials, select "Per User".
    • Authentication Protocol: Select Password Authentication to use basic authentication.
    • Certificate: Enter or browse to the certificate to be used to encrypt and authenticate communications from Salesforce to your server.
    • Username: Enter the username for a user known to the API Server.
    • Password: Enter the user's authtoken.

Synchronize Snowflake Objects

After you have created the external data source, follow the steps below to create Snowflake external objects that reflect any changes in the data source. You will synchronize the definitions for the Snowflake external objects with the definitions for Snowflake tables.

  1. Click the link for the external data source you created.
  2. Click Validate and Sync.
  3. Select the Snowflake tables you want to work with as external objects.

Access Snowflake Data as Salesforce Objects

After adding Snowflake data as an external data source and syncing Snowflake tables with Snowflake external objects, you can use the external objects just as you would standard Salesforce objects.

  • Create a new tab with a filter list view:

  • Display related lists of Snowflake external objects alongside standard Salesforce objects:

  • Create, read, update, and delete Snowflake objects from tabs on the Salesforce dashboard:

Troubleshooting

You can use the following checklist to avoid typical connection problems:

  • Ensure that your server has a publicly accessible IP address. Related to this check, but one layer up, at the operating system layer, you will also need to ensure that your firewall has an opening for the port the API Server is running on. At the application layer, ensure that you have added trusted IP addresses on the Settings -> Security tab of the administration console.
  • Ensure that you are using a connection secured by an SSL certificate from a commercial, trusted CA. Salesforce does not currently accept self-signed certificates or internal CAs.

  • Ensure that the server you are hosting the API Server on is using TLS 1.1 or above. If you are using the .NET API Server, you can accomplish this by using the .NET API Server's embedded server.

    If you are using IIS, TLS 1.1 and 1.2 are supported but not enabled by default. To enable these protocols, refer to the how-to on MSDN and the Microsoft technical reference.

    If you are using the Java edition, note that TLS 1.2 is enabled by default in Java 8 but not in Java 6 or 7. If you are using these earlier versions, you can refer to this this Oracle how-to.

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