How to load ShipStation data into Elasticsearch via Logstash

Elasticsearch is a popular distributed full-text search engine. By centrally storing data, you can perform ultra-fast searches, fine-tuning relevance, and powerful analytics with ease. Elasticsearch has a pipeline tool for loading data called "Logstash". You can use CData JDBC Drivers to easily import data from any data source into Elasticsearch for search and analysis.

This article explains how to use the CData JDBC Driver for ShipStation to load data from ShipStation into Elasticsearch via Logstash.

Using CData JDBC Driver for ShipStation with Elasticsearch Logstash

• Install the CData JDBC Driver for ShipStation on the machine where Logstash is running.
• The JDBC Driver will be installed at the following path (the year part, e.g. 20XX, will vary depending on the product version you are using). You will use this path later. Place this .jar file (and the .lic file if it's a licensed version) in Logstash.
  C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for ShipStation 20XX\lib\cdata.jdbc.shipstation.jar
  
• Next, install the JDBC Input Plugin, which connects Logstash to the CData JDBC driver. The JDBC Plugin comes by default with the latest version of Logstash, but depending on the version, you may need to add it.
  https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/logstash/5.4/plugins-inputs-jdbc.html
• Move the CData JDBC Driver’s .jar file and .lic file to Logstash's "/logstash-core/lib/jars/".

Sending ShipStation data to Elasticsearch with Logstash

Now, let's create a configuration file for Logstash to transfer ShipStation data to Elasticsearch.

• Write the process to retrieve ShipStation data in the logstash.conf file, which defines data processing in Logstash. The input will be JDBC, and the output will be Elasticsearch. The data loading job is set to run at 30-second intervals.
• Set the CData JDBC Driver's .jar file as the JDBC driver library, configure the class name, and set the connection properties to ShipStation in the form of a JDBC URL. The JDBC URL allows detailed configuration, so please refer to the product documentation for more specifics.

Use the BASIC Authentication standard to connect.

1. Login to your ShipStation account
2. Click on the settings icon in the upper right corner. A column menu will show up on the left
3. Click Account -> API Settings
4. On the API Settings page, note the API Key and API Secret.

Authenticating to ShipStation

• APIKey: Set this to the API key from the API settings page.
• APISecret: Set this to the Secret key from the API settings page.

Executing data movement with Logstash

Now let's run Logstash using the created "logstash.conf" file.

A log indicating success will appear. This means the ShipStation data has been loaded into Elasticsearch.

For example, let's view the data transferred to Elasticsearch in Kibana.

    GET shipstation_table/_search
    {
        "query": {
            "match_all": {}
        }
    }

We have confirmed that the data is stored in Elasticsearch.

By using the CData JDBC Driver for ShipStation with Logstash, it functions as a ShipStation connector, making it easy to load data into Elasticsearch. Please try the 30-day free trial.