Data Source

Data source is the entry point and foundation of AI Data, used to connect external enterprise databases or data platforms with the AI Central platform to achieve unified data management and analysis.
By configuring data sources, the platform can recognize external table structures, field types, and metadata information, providing support for subsequent data catalog management and business domain modeling.

Connecting Data Sources

The first step of AI Data is connecting data sources, providing foundational data for subsequent analysis.

• Supports connection to various mainstream data platforms, including MySQL, SQL Server, Azure Databricks, etc.;

• After adding a data source, all tables in this data source can be viewed, and users can selectively check the tables they need to use;

• The system defaults to synchronizing only metadata (such as table structure and field information), without synchronizing actual data records, ensuring data security;

• Provides a "Test Connection" feature to ensure data source connectivity is correct;

Data Source Configuration Item Description

When adding a data source, the following key information needs to be filled in:

• Database Type: Select the database type (such as MySQL, SQL Server, etc.);

• Connection Address: Connection string or IP of the database server;

• Data Source Name: Name of the target database (within 50 characters);

• Username and Password: Account information used for database authentication;

• Port Number: Port on which the database service listens.

• Add Data Tables: Once the data source connection is established, data tables can be added.

Common Causes and Troubleshooting Methods for Data Source Connection Failures

When connecting to an external database, if the test connection fails, you can troubleshoot from the following aspects:

1. Incorrect Connection Information

   • Check whether the hostname, port, database name, username, and password are correct.

   • Confirm that the database instance allows remote access and that the firewall does not block the corresponding ports (e.g., MySQL default 3306, SQL Server default 1433).

2. Special Characters Not Properly Escaped

   • If the database password contains special characters (such as @, #, %, &, etc.), be aware that these characters may be parsed as special symbols in the connection string, causing connection failure.

   • It is recommended to URL encode the password when entering it or use quotes to enclose the password field in the configuration to avoid escaping issues.

3. Network Connectivity Issues

   • Confirm that the service environment where AI Data is located can access the network where the database resides.

   • If the database is in a private network or virtual private network (VNet), configure the correct access policies or whitelist.

4. Insufficient Database Permissions

   • Confirm that the connection account has read permissions to access the target database and data tables.

   • For cloud databases (such as Azure SQL, Databricks), also check whether the account’s token or access key is valid.

Suggestion:
If you still cannot connect after multiple tests, check the detailed error log and provide the error information to the system administrator or database administrator for further troubleshooting.