Build Pipelines with Live Microsoft Planner Data in Google Cloud Data Fusion (via CData Connect Cloud)

Google Cloud Data Fusion simplifies building and managing data pipelines by offering a visual interface to connect, transform, and move data across various sources and destinations, streamlining data integration processes. When combined with CData Connect Cloud, it provides access to Microsoft Planner data for building and managing ELT/ETL data pipelines. This article explains how to use CData Connect Cloud to create a live connection to Microsoft Planner and how to connect and access live Microsoft Planner data from the Cloud Data Fusion platform.

Configure Microsoft Planner Connectivity for Cloud Data Fusion

Connectivity to Microsoft Planner from Cloud Data Fusion is made possible through CData Connect Cloud. To work with Microsoft Planner data from Cloud Data Fusion, we start by creating and configuring a Microsoft Planner connection.

1. Log into Connect Cloud, click Connections and click Add Connection
2. Select "Microsoft Planner" from the Add Connection panel
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Microsoft Planner.

   You can connect without setting any connection properties for your user credentials. Below are the minimum connection properties required to connect.

   • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
   • Tenant (optional): Set this if you wish to authenticate to a different tenant than your default. This is required to work with an organization not on your default Tenant.

   When you connect the Driver opens the MS Planner OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the Driver. The Driver then completes the OAuth process.

   1. Extracts the access token from the callback URL and authenticates requests.
   2. Obtains a new access token when the old one expires.
   3. Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation to be persisted across connections.
4. Click Create & Test
5. Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add Microsoft Planner Connection page and update the User-based permissions.

Add a Personal Access Token

If you are connecting from a service, application, platform, or framework that does not support OAuth authentication, you can create a Personal Access Token (PAT) to use for authentication. Best practices would dictate that you create a separate PAT for each service, to maintain granularity of access.

1. Click on your username at the top right of the Connect Cloud app and click User Profile.
2. On the User Profile page, scroll down to the Personal Access Tokens section and click Create PAT.
3. Give your PAT a name and click Create.
4. The personal access token is only visible at creation, so be sure to copy it and store it securely for future use.

With the connection configured, you are ready to connect to Microsoft Planner data from Cloud Data Fusion.

Connecting to Microsoft Planner from Cloud Data Fusion

Follow these steps to establish a connection from Cloud Data Fusion to Microsoft Planner through the CData Connect Cloud JDBC driver:

1. Download and install the CData Connect Cloud JDBC driver:
   1. Open the Client Tools page of CData Connect Cloud.
   2. Search for JDBC or Cloud Data Fusion.
   3. Click on Download and select your operating system (Mac/Windows/Linux).
   4. Once the download is complete, run the setup file.
   5. When the installation is complete, the JAR file can be found in the installation directory (inside the lib folder).
2. Log into Cloud Data Fusion.
3. Click the green "+" button at the top right to add an entity.
4. Under Driver, click Upload.
5. Now, upload the CData Connect Cloud JDBC driver (JAR file).
6. Enter the driver settings:
   • Name: Enter the name of the driver
   • Class name: Enter "cdata.jdbc.connect.ConnectDriver"
   • Version: Enter the driver version
   • Description (optional): Enter a description for the driver
7. Click on Finish.
8. Enter source configuration settings:
   • Label: Helps to identify the connection
   • JDBC driver name: Enter the JDBC driver name to identify the driver configured in Step 6.
   • Connection string: Enter the JDBC connection string and include the following parameters in it: jdbc:connect:AuthScheme=Basic;User=[User];Password=[Password];
   • User: Enter your CData Connect Cloud username, displayed in the top-right corner of the CData Connect Cloud interface. For example, "[email protected]"
   • Password: Enter the PAT you generated on the Settings page.
9. Click Validate in the top right corner.
10. If the connection is successful, you can manage the pipeline by editing it through the UI.
11. Run the pipepline created.

Troubleshooting

Please be aware that there is a known issue in Cloud Data Fusion where "int" types from source data are automatically cast as "long".

Live Access to Microsoft Planner Data from Cloud Applications

Now you have a direct connection to live Microsoft Planner data from from Google Cloud Data Fusion. You can create more connections to ensure a smooth movement of data across various sources and destinations, thereby streamlining data integration processes - all without replicating Microsoft Planner data.

To get real-time data access to 100+ SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources (including Microsoft Planner) directly from your cloud applications, explore the CData Connect Cloud.