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Get the Report →Bridge Zendesk Connectivity with Apache NiFi
Access and process Zendesk data in Apache NiFi using the CData JDBC Driver.
Apache NiFi supports powerful and scalable directed graphs of data routing, transformation, and system mediation logic. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for Zendesk, NiFi can work with live Zendesk data. This article describes how to connect to and query Zendesk data from an Apache NiFi Flow.
With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Zendesk data. When you issue complex SQL queries to Zendesk, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Zendesk 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 Zendesk data using native data types.
Connecting to Zendesk Data in Apache NiFi
- Download the CData JDBC Driver for Zendesk installer, unzip the package, run the .exe file to install the driver.
Copy the CData JDBC Driver JAR file (and license file if it exists), cdata.jdbc.zendesk.jar (and cdata.jdbc.zendesk.lic), to the Apache NiFi lib subfolder, for example, C:\nifi-1.3.0-bin\nifi-1.3.0\lib.
On Windows, the default location for the CData JDBC Driver is C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for Zendesk.
Start Apache NiFi by running the run-nifi.bat file in bin subfolder, for example, C:\nifi-1.3.0-bin\nifi-1.3.0\bin.
(OR)
Use the command prompt to navigate to the particular directory and run the run-nifi.bat file for example:
cd C:\nifi-1.3.0-bin\nifi-1.3.0\bin .\run-nifi.bat
- Navigate to the Apache NiFi UI in your web browser: It should be https://localhost:8080/nifi by default unless a different port has been configured.
- Click the (Configuration) button from the Operate sidebar under the "NiFi Flow" process group.
- In the NiFi Flow Configuration page, navigate to the "Controller Services" tab.
- Click the button to create a new controller service.
- In the Add Controller Service page, select "DBCPConnectionPool", and then click Add.
- In the Configure Controller Service page, navigate to the "Properties" tab.
- Click the gear button to configure the new DBCPConnection Pool.
Fill in the properties:
Property Value Database Connection URL jdbc:zendesk:URL=https://subdomain.zendesk.com;User=my@email.com;Password=test123;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH Database Driver Class Name cdata.jdbc.zendesk.ZendeskDriver Database Driver Location(s) Path to your Apache NiFi's lib folder where the JAR files are present. Built-in Connection String Designer
For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Zendesk JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the JAR file from the command-line.
java -jar cdata.jdbc.zendesk.jar
Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.
Connecting to Zendesk
To connect, set the URL and provide authentication. The URL is your Zendesk Support URL: https://{subdomain}.zendesk.com.
Authenticating to Zendesk
You can authenticate using the Basic or OAuth methods.
Using Basic Authentication
To use Basic authentication, specify your email address and password or your email address and an API token. Set User to your email address and follow the steps below to provide the Password or ApiToken.
- Enable password access in the Zendesk Support admin interface at Admin > Channels > API.
- Manage API tokens in the Zendesk Support Admin interface at Admin > Channels > API. More than one token can be active at the same time. Deleting a token deactivates it permanently.
Using OAuth Authentication
See the Getting Started guide in the CData driver documentation for an authentication guide.
- Click on the Verify Properties button (as shown below) and verify to test the connection.
- Ensure that all the verification results are successful, and then click on APPLY.
- Activate the connection by clicking the small button at the right corner of the screen.
Your Zendesk data is now available for use in Apache NiFi. For example, you can use the DBCPConnection Pool as the source for a QueryDatabaseTable processor (shown below).
Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for Zendesk and start working with your live Zendesk data in Apache NiFi. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.