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Visualize Live Spark Data in Power BI (via CData Connect Cloud)



Use the CData Power BI Connector and CData Connect Cloud to integrate live Spark data into custom reports in Power BI.

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 Cloud, you get access to Spark data for visualizations, dashboards, and more. This article shows how to use CData Connect to create a live connection to Spark, connect to Spark data from Power BI and then create reports on Spark data in Power BI.

Configure Spark Connectivity for Power BI

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

  1. Log into Connect Cloud, click Connections and click Add Connection
  2. Select "Spark" from the Add Connection panel
  3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Spark.

    Set the Server, Database, User, and Password connection properties to connect to SparkSQL.

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

With the connection configured, you are ready to connect to Spark data from Power BI.

Query Spark Tables

Follow the steps below to build a query to pull Spark data into the report:

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

Create Spark 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 Spark Data from Data Applications

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

To get SQL data access to 100+ SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources (including Spark) directly from your on-premise BI, reporting, ETL and other data applications, visit the CData Connect page and start a free trial.