Validate BigQuery Data with QuerySurge

QuerySurge is a smart data testing solution that automates data validation and testing. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for Google BigQuery, QuerySurge can work with live BigQuery data. This article walks through connecting to BigQuery data from QuerySurge.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live BigQuery data. When you issue complex SQL queries to BigQuery, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to BigQuery and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying allows you to work with and analyze BigQuery data using native data types.

Getting Started

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Connecting to BigQuery Data in QuerySurge

To connect to live BigQuery data from QuerySurge, you need to deploy the JDBC Driver JAR file to your QuerySurge Agent(s) and add a new connection from the QuerySurge Admin view.

Deploy the JDBC Driver

1. Download the CData JDBC Driver for Google BigQuery installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.
2. Once the driver is installed, stop the Agent Service.
3. Copy the JAR File (and license file if it exists) from the installation location (typically C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for Google BigQuery\lib\) to your Agent(s) (QuerySurge_install_dir\agent\jdbc).
4. Restart the Agent Service.

For more information on deploying JDBC drivers for QuerySurge, refer to the QuerySurge Knowledge Base.

Configure a New Connection to BigQuery

1. Log into QuerySurge and navigate to the Admin view.
2. Click Configuration -> Connections in the Administration Tree.
3. Click Add to create a new connection.
4. In the QuerySurge Connection Wizard, click Next.
5. Name the connection (e.g. CData JDBC Connection to BigQuery).
6. Set the Data Source to "All Other JDBC Connections (Connection Extensibility)" and click Next.
7. Set the Driver Class to cdata.jdbc.googlebigquery.GoogleBigQueryDriver and click Next.

8. Set the Connection URL using the necessary connection properties to authenticate with BigQuery. Your Connection URL will look something like the following:

   jdbc:googlebigquery:DataSetId=MyDataSetId;ProjectId=MyProjectId;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH

   Built-in Connection String Designer

   For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the BigQuery JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.googlebigquery.jar

   Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

   Google uses the OAuth authentication standard. To access Google APIs on behalf of individual users, you can use the embedded credentials or you can register your own OAuth app.

   OAuth also enables you to use a service account to connect on behalf of users in a Google Apps domain. To authenticate with a service account, you will need to register an application to obtain the OAuth JWT values.

   In addition to the OAuth values, you will need to specify the DatasetId and ProjectId. See the "Getting Started" chapter of the help documentation for a guide to using OAuth.

9. Set the Test Query to enable the Test Connection button for the Connection (e.g. SELECT * FROM Orders LIMIT 1) and click Next.
10. Click Test Connection to ensure the connection is configured properly and click Save to add the connection.

Once the connection is added, you can write SQL queries against your BigQuery data in QuerySurge.

Compare BigQuery Data Queries with a QueryPair

With the connection configured, you can follow the steps below to compare querying BigQuery data with a QueryPair.

1. Select "Design Library" from the Design Menu
2. Click QueryPairs under QuerySurge Design
3. Click "Create New QueryPair"
4. Name the QueryPair and click Save
5. In either the Source or Target panes, select the connection created above (select the same connection to query BigQuery twice or another connection to perform a comparison)
6. Write queries in the Editor for each pane, e.g. SELECT * FROM Orders
7. Click the "Design-Time Run" tab to execute the queries
8. When the query execution is finished, click "View Query Results" to see the BigQuery data returned by the query

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for Google BigQuery and start working with your live BigQuery data in QuerySurge. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.