Connecting to Databricks

This topic describes how to import data into a Databricks cluster, and how to use Introducing Live Models.

Sisense enables easy and quick access to databases, tables and views contained within Databricks.

To enable the use of Databricks:

  1. Navigate to the Admin tab > search for and select System Management > click Configuration.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Manage Connectors.
  3. In the left pane, click Databricks.
  4. In the right pane, activate the Enabled switch.

To connect to your Databricks cluster, you need to provide a connection string that identifies the Databricks cluster you are connecting to, and that database's credentials. To create a connection string, see Databricks JDBC drivers.

You can then import your data into a Sisense ElastiCube or connect your data to a Sisense Live model.

To import Databricks data:

  1. In the Data page, open an ElastiCube or click to create a new ElastiCube.
  2. In the Model Editor, click . The Add Data dialog box is displayed.
  3. In the Add Data dialog box, select Databricks.

    The Connector page appears.


  4. In Connection String, enter your connection string to your Databricks cluster. To retrieve the connection string, see Retrieve the JDBC Connection String.
    1. In the User Name field, enter "token" as the user name.
    2. In the Password field, enter your Databricks personal access token as the password. See Generate a Personal Access Token.
    3. For information about the Schema and Dynamic Schema functionality, see Managing Live Dynamic Connections.
    4. Click Next. All tables and views associated with Databricks are displayed.
  5. From the Tables list, select the relevant table or view you want to work with. You can click
    next to the relevant table or view to see a preview of the data inside it. When you select the table or view, a new option is displayed at the bottom of the list, Add Import Query.
  6. (Optional) Click + to customize the data you want to import with SQL. For more information, see Importing Data with Custom Queries.
  7. After you have selected all the relevant tables, click Done. The tables are added to your schema.
To import Databricks data:
  1. In the Data page, open a live model or click 8-5livebutton1.png to create a new live model.
  2. In the Model Editor, click . The Add Data dialog box is displayed.
  3. In the Add Data dialog box, select Databricks.


    The Connector page appears.


  4. In Connection String, enter your connection string to your Databricks cluster. To retrieve the connection string, see Retrieve the JDBC Connection String.
    1. In the User Name field, enter "token" as the user name.
    2. In the Password field, enter your Databricks personal access token as the password. See Generate a Personal Access Token.
    3. For information about the Schema and Dynamic Schema functionality, see Managing Live Dynamic Connections.
    4. Click Next. All tables and views associated with Databricks are displayed.
  5. From the Tables list, select the relevant table or view you want to work with. You can click next to the relevant table or view to see a preview of the data inside it. When you select the table or view, a new option is displayed at the bottom of the list, Add Import Query.
  6. Click Done. The tables are added to your schema.

By default, Databricks shuts down after a period of inactivity. When a query arrives that must be processed, it can take a long time for the Databricks to start up and process the query. This can result in a connection timeout, or a long delay for the first incoming query to get the query result. For your Databricks to be available in real time, it is best practice for the Databricks administrator to: