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Version: 3.2

2.3 Connectors

note

Connectors are DCH's original, pull-based way to bring in data: you build a Container from a Connector and DCH pulls from the source on demand. For new integrations we recommend Intake Agents instead, which push data into DCH and are the preferred approach going forward. Reach for a Connector only when you need a source type that an Intake Agent does not cover.

A Connector is a reusable, versioned package that teaches DCH how to read one kind of source system, such as a PostgreSQL or MSSQL database, a CSV or JSON file source, or a web service like SOAP or SharePoint. DCH ships with connectors for common systems, and you add your own only when you need to support a new type of source.

A Connector on its own does not connect to anything or move any data. It defines how a source is read and what settings it needs. To pull data from an actual system, you create a Container from a Connector in the Model's Data Sources, fill in its connection settings, and initialize it. For sources that push data into DCH instead, see Intake Agents.

Manage connectors from the Connectors section in the sidebar. The list shows each connector's title, description, version, and who last modified it.

The Connectors list, showing the available connector packages with their versions

What a Connector contains​

You define a Connector by uploading its package files: the compiled .dll (and any .json) that implement it. DCH reads the package and fills in the rest, so a connector's version and settings come from the files rather than from you.

Open a connector to see its parts:

  • Version: read from the package. You cannot edit it by hand; uploading a different package changes it.
  • Keep containers initialized: keep the connector's container instances running between operations, so later runs start faster.
  • Files: the package files (.dll, .json) that implement the connector.
  • Parameters: the connection settings the connector needs, such as host, port, credentials, API keys or endpoints. These come from the package; you supply their values when you create a Container from the connector.

A connector's detail panel, showing its actions, version, package files, and the parameters the connector exposes

Create a Connector​

Creating a Connector is an advanced task, since the standard connectors ship with DCH. To add one:

  1. Choose Add New and give the connector a title and description.
  2. Choose Add files and upload the connector package (its .dll, plus any .json).
  3. Choose Save.

DCH reads the package to fill in the version and the parameter list, so Save becomes available only once you have uploaded a valid package.

Manage a Connector​

Open a connector from the list to work with it through the Actions menu:

  • Add files: add or replace package files. Changing the package can change the connector's version.
  • Download all files: download the connector's files as a .zip.
  • Remove all files: remove all of the connector's files.
  • Delete connector: delete the connector. You are asked to confirm first.
note

A Connector only describes how to read a source; it does not produce any data on its own. Data appears once you create a Container from the connector in the Model, fill in its parameters, and initialize it. See Data Sources.