Create a Connection to a Data Source with REST Endpoints

You can connect to data sources with REST endpoints and analyze the data. For example, connect to SaaS or PaaS applications or government data such as weather, spatial, or census data.

Connecting to data using REST endpoints enables you to analyze data from many transactional SaaS or PaaS applications without having to understand the internal format or structure of the data.

Before you start, create a JSON file for the data source you're connecting to. See Specifying REST Endpoint Connection Details in a JSON File.

1. On the Oracle Analytics Home page, click Create, then click Connection, then click REST API (Preview).
2. In Connection Name, specify a user-friendly name to identify this connection in Oracle Analytics.
3. Click Import File and select the REST connector ZIP file that you created as a prerequisite.
   The Description and REST base URL fields are populated from the imported file, and the endoint table displays the Name and Relative URL for each available endpoint.
   
   

   
   Description of the illustration rest-data-2.png

   
   
4. Optional: Edit the endpoints to match your business requirements. For example, you might delete endpoints that you don't need.
   • To edit an endpoint, double-click the Name or Relative URL value in the table and edit the text.
   • To add an endpoint, click Add endpoint to add a row to the table, and edit the default name and relative URL.
   • To remove an endpoint, click Delete Row next to the endpoint (that is, X).
5. In Authentication, select how you want to protect the connection.
   Tip: Make sure that the authentication type you select matches the authentication-type specified in the uploaded JSON file. See Specifying REST Endpoint Connection Details in a JSON File.
   • No Authentication - Allow connection without authentication. Use this option to connect to public endpoints.
   • Basic - authenticate the connection with a username and password.
   • HttpHeader - Authenticate the connection with a a security token.
   • OAuth2 Code - Connect to a client using an authorization code generated in your target application (known as the Authorization Code grant type). This is the most secure OAuth2 connection type.
   • OAuth2 Password Credentials - Connect to a trusted client using a password, (known as the Password Credentials or Resource Owner Password grant type). Use this connection type if you're using a trusted client.
   • OAuth2 Implicit - Connect to a client using a public code generated in your target application (known as the Authorization Code grant type). This is less secure than the OAuth2 Code connection type, but is easier to implement.
   • OAuth2 Client Credentials - Connect to a client using a token, (known as the Client Credentials grant type).
   For guidance on specifying OAuth2 connection details, see OAuth2 Authentication Values for REST Enabled Data Sources.
6. Click Save.

OAuth2 Authentication Values for REST Enabled Data Sources

When you connect to a REST enabled data source using one of the OAuth2 authentication types (that is, OAuth2 Code, OAuth2 Password Credentials, OAuth2 Implicit, or OAuth2 Client Credentials), you're prompted to specify connection details appropriate for authentication type that you use.

Connection dialog field or option	Description
Authorize	Click Authorize to test the connection and request necessary codes and tokens.
Auth URL	Enter the URL for the authentication page in the target application. For example, https://example.com/login/oauth/authorize.
Client ID	Enter the Client ID that you copy from your target application, such as Chimp, which is typically a string of integers and letters.
Client Secret	Enter the Client Secret that you copy from your target application, such as Chimp, which is typically a string of integers and letters.
Password	Enter the password used to log into your target application.
Scope	Enter read: or write: followed by the name of the target. For example, read:org.
Redirect URL	This is read-only field.
Token URL	Enter the authorization URL provided by the target application. For example, https://example.com/login/oauth/access_token.
Username	Enter the username used to log into your target application.