Specify Data Connections for the DI Server

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Overview

Explains how to define JDBC, JNDI, ODBC, and OCI connections.

Pentaho Data Integration (PDI) allows you to make connections in each job and transformation through an input step. Although users can create connections themselves, it is best to set up shared connections for your users so that they can simply select the connection they need from a list. We help you download the correct drivers, choose the connection type, and then create the connection.

JDBC Database Connections

To connect to databases, install the driver for your database, as well as define the access protocol and settings now. You can choose from these access protocols.

Native (JDBC): This is a commonly used access protocol. Please see details in the Database Access Protocol Decision Table to ensure you make an informed choice.
JNDI: This also is a commonly used access type. Please see details in the Database Access Protocol Decistion Table to ensure you make an informed choice.
ODBC: We do not support ODBC, and it is our recommendation that you use the JDBC driver instead the ODBC driver. You should only use ODBC when there is the need to connect to unsupported databases by using the generic database driver or other specific reasons. For more information, see Why Should You Avoid ODBC? on the Pentaho public wiki.
OCI: If you are connecting to an Oracle database, you must first install the appropriate OCI driver and add the OCI connection.

Table 1. Database Access Protocol Decision Table
If You Are Interested In	Choose Options
If You Are Interested In	Native (JDBC)	JNDI
Understanding options	Native (JDBC) connections are the easiest way to get going quickly. You specify the connection information in Spoon. The connections are controlled by the DI Server. If the connection information changes, you change it in Spoon for each connection you have defined.	JNDI connections are maintained in the application server, offering more advanced configuration options. One typical use case is you may want to hide security credentials from administrators of the Pentaho system. You specify the connection information by editing the context.xml file and selecting JNDI as the access type in Spoon. If the connection information changes, you change the context.xml file.
Expertise needed	Knowledge of the JDBC driver and options for your RDBMS	Knowledge of Tomcat or JBoss JNDI connection procedures and options
How much time it takes	Approximately 10 minutes	Approximately 30 minutes
Recommendation	Use for the Pentaho Trial Download, evaluating, and rapid development.	Use for production or when the work environment is distributed in a network.