Linked Sources
What is a linked source
Linked Source is an object in Dataedo that stores information about connections to external sources used by the documented database.
For example, Analysis Services can be loaded with data from another database. In such case, the Linked Source will be an object that stores connection information to that other database.
Linked sources therefore are added to Dataedo objects linked with external sources, representing information about the origin of the data. More about adding Linked Sources to objects can be found below.
Linked source is a key element in building automatic lineage for objects that take part in the flow of data from external sources. More about Data Lineage in this section.
Contents
Linked Sources keep the information regarding your data's origin, they also store the connection string, which is documented in table form as Connection Details.
Linked Source objects can have a description.
Sensitive data in connection string
Connection String sometimes may contain sensitive data that should not be documented. The following phrases will be removed from the connection details if detected:
- "account"
- "user"
- "login"
- "password"
- "auth"
- "token"
- "key"
- "encryptedcredential"
Matching the source
The main purpose of Linked Sources is linking an object to the documentation of an existing database in Dataedo.
If an external data inflow is detected, our Metadata Import interface will give you the option to manually link an object to an already existing data source. The Data in your target Database can be derived from multiple sources, so you can map multiple databases to one linked source.
Reviewing linked sources
Linked sources fulfill two roles in Dataedo. First, is to keep track of connections and dependencies between databases in your repository. This is especially useful when it comes to representing repository-wide lineage.
This connection can be viewed In Portal, using the Linked Sources tab of a connection. Navigate to Connectors > Connection and select the connection you want to view. Then navigate to its Linked Sources tab. There, you can view a list of all data sources grouped within a connection, and their respective linked sources. In each connection you can change what the Linked Source points to, or add a description, by clicking the edit button.
When you click the edit button a popup will appear. The first optional field, lets you point a linked source to another Database existing in your repository. The second field allows you to add a description to your linked source.
The second role is more nuanced. A Linked Source points to individual objects that derive from it. This allows for a quick reference regarding data's origin, and ensures that your data flows are properly documented. This interaction is asymmetrical — an object can have one linked source assigned to it, but a linked source can point to multiple objects. You can view all of the linked source details by clicking its details icon.
This opens an information grid.
Viewing Linked Sources
Linked sources can also be viewed by users with view permissions directly in the object's overview. To see them, find the Linked Sources section in the overview page. You can do so either by simply scrolling down, or by selecting it from the navigation on the right.
This section stores info about all Linked sources referencing the currently viewed objects. You can hover over the info icon, to view a tooltip with more info regarding your linked source.
Editing Linked Sources in overview
If you have the Connection Manager role, you can edit Linked Sources directly from an asset's overview page. You can do that using the Edit icon next to a linked source. This opens the same popup, as when editing directly in the connections page.
Data Lineage by linked source
If a linked source is assigned to the object, it will affect the creation of Data lineage. Dataedo uses the information contained in the Linked Source to find the matching source table and column flow when generating Data Lineage.
If you change the mapped database(s) of a linked source, then Lineage Diagram will change accordingly after the next metadata reimport.
Linked sources and Data Processes
You can also view Linked Sources for Processes. When reviewing a process's details, the Linked Sources section present an overview of all sources linked to that process.
If several documentations are assigned to single Linked Source, lineage will be built to first matching object from source documentations.
