Build Raisers Edge NXT-Connected ETL Processes in Google Data Fusion

Google Data Fusion allows users to perform self-service data integration to consolidate disparate data. Uploading the CData JDBC Driver for Raisers Edge NXT enables users to access live Raisers Edge NXT data from within their Google Data Fusion pipelines. While the CData JDBC Driver enables piping Raisers Edge NXT data to any data source natively supported in Google Data Fusion, this article walks through piping data from Raisers Edge NXT to Google BigQuery,

Upload the CData JDBC Driver for Raisers Edge NXT to Google Data Fusion

Upload the CData JDBC Driver for Raisers Edge NXT to your Google Data Fusion instance to work with live Raisers Edge NXT data. Due to the naming restrictions for JDBC drivers in Google Data Fusion, create a copy or rename the JAR file to match the following format driver-version.jar. For example: cdataraiseredgenxt-2020.jar

1. Open your Google Data Fusion instance
2. Click the to add an entity and upload a driver
3. On the "Upload driver" tab, drag or browse to the renamed JAR file.
4. On the "Driver configuration" tab:
   • Name: Create a name for the driver (cdata.jdbc.raiseredgenxt) and make note of the name
   • Class name: Set the JDBC class name: (cdata.jdbc.raiseredgenxt.RaiserEdgeNXTDriver)
5. Click "Finish"

Connect to Raisers Edge NXT Data in Google Data Fusion

With the JDBC Driver uploaded, you are ready to work with live Raisers Edge NXT data in Google Data Fusion Pipelines.

1. Navigate to the Pipeline Studio to create a new Pipeline
2. From the "Source" options, click "Database" to add a source for the JDBC Driver
3. Click "Properties" on the Database source to edit the properties

   NOTE: To use the JDBC Driver in Google Data Fusion, you will need a license (full or trial) and a Runtime Key (RTK). For more information on obtaining this license (or a trial), contact our sales team.

   • Set the Label
   • Set Reference Name to a value for any future references (i.e.: cdata-raiseredgenxt)
   • Set Plugin Type to "jdbc"
   • Set Connection String to the JDBC URL for Raisers Edge NXT. For example:
     
     jdbc:raiseredgenxt:RTK=5246...;SubscriptionKey=MySubscriptionKey;OAuthClientId=MyOAuthClientId;OAuthClientSecret=MyOAuthClientSecret;CallbackURL=http://localhost:33333;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;

     Before establishing a connection, supply the SubscriptionKey, found in the Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT Profile.

     Authenticating to Raiser's Edge NXT

     Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT uses the OAuth authentication standard. You can connect to without setting any connection properties using the embedded OAuth credentials.

     Alternatively, you can authenticate by creating a custom app to obtain the OAuthClientId, OAuthClientSecret, and CallbackURL connection properties.

     See the Help documentation for an authentication guide.

     Built-in Connection String Designer

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

     java -jar cdata.jdbc.raiseredgenxt.jar

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

   • Set Import Query to a SQL query that will extract the data you want from Raisers Edge NXT, i.e.:
     SELECT * FROM Constituents
4. From the "Sink" tab, click to add a destination sink (we use Google BigQuery in this example)
5. Click "Properties" on the BigQuery sink to edit the properties
   • Set the Label
   • Set Reference Name to a value like raiseredgenxt-bigquery
   • Set Project ID to a specific Google BigQuery Project ID (or leave as the default, "auto-detect")
   • Set Dataset to a specific Google BigQuery dataset
   • Set Table to the name of the table you wish to insert Raisers Edge NXT data into

With the Source and Sink configured, you are ready to pipe Raisers Edge NXT data into Google BigQuery. Save and deploy the pipeline. When you run the pipeline, Google Data Fusion will request live data from Raisers Edge NXT and import it into Google BigQuery.

While this is a simple pipeline, you can create more complex Raisers Edge NXT pipelines with transforms, analytics, conditions, and more. Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for Raisers Edge NXT and start working with your live Raisers Edge NXT data in Google Data Fusion today.