Connecting to Amazon Redshift database

Introduction

We recommend using metadata import in the Portal as the primary method of connecting your data sources.
The Portal offers significant advantages compared to the Desktop application:

• Import multiple sources in a single flow.
• Schedule recurring tasks (metadata import, profiling, and data quality checks).
• Manage connections centrally.

Import through Desktop is still available and allows importing one source at a time.
You can find the instructions at the bottom of this page.

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Importing Metadata in Dataedo Portal

Entry point

To start the Metadata Import flow, make sure you have the Connection Manager role.
Then navigate to:

Connections → Add new connection → Amazon Redshift

This will open the import wizard described in the following steps.

Step 1. Host details

Provide the connection details such as host, port, SSL mode and reference database.
You will also be asked to name the Connection.

info

A Connection in Dataedo represents a saved configuration for accessing a data source.
It can be reused for future imports and scheduling.

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Step 2. Credentials

Choose credentials from the list of existing ones available for the selected connector, or add new credentials.

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Step 3. Databases

• The Portal will display all databases accessible with the provided credentials.
• You can select multiple databases at once and use the search box to narrow down results.
• Each selected database should be given a Title, which will be visible in Dataedo.
• At this step, the Portal also retrieves the number of assets in each source.

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Step 4. Objects to import

For each selected database, you can refine which objects to import:

• Select schemas and object types (tables, views, procedures, etc.).

• Use Advanced filters to include or exclude objects with:
  • schema patterns
  • name patterns

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Step 5. Linked sources (optional)

A linked source refers to a connection between databases or systems established during the import process.
They are essential for data lineage, enabling visualization and tracking of how data flows and transforms across systems.

In this step, you can map linked sources to existing Dataedo sources. This mapping can also be updated later in the Connection details.

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Step 6. Schedule

Configure scheduling options for each source individually:

• Define tasks you want to schedule (Metadata Import, Data Quality run, Refresh Profiling).
• Run daily, on selected weekdays, or on specific days of the month.
• Choose an exact time of execution.
• Task state:
  • Active – the task will run as scheduled.
  • Draft – the task is saved but not executed until switched to Active.
• Run immediately – when checked, the task will also be executed right after clicking Create connection.

useful tip

Only one source in a metadata import can have Run immediately selected.

caution

You must configure at least one import task in the schedule section.
If you skip this, an empty database will be created and no metadata will be imported.

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Importing Metadata in Dataedo Desktop

Metadata import is also possible using Dataedo Desktop.
In this mode, you can only import one source at a time.

To connect to Amazon Redshift, click Add documentation and choose Database connection.

On the connection screen choose Amazon Redshift as DBMS.

Connection details

Provide database connection details:

• Host - provide an address of the Redshift endpoint,
• Port - change the default port of the Amazon Redshift instance if required,
• User - provide the username of the user (either root or IAM) that has access to the Redshift database,
• Password - provide the password for the given username,
• SSL mode:
  • Disable - don't use SSL,
  • Require - connect with SSL. If the server doesn't support SSL, the connection won't be established,
• Database - type in the database name.

You can find most of the connection details in AWS Console -> Redshift Cluster options in the Endpoint field.

In the endpoint URL, you can find the following connection details:

Saving password

You can save the password for later connections by checking the Save password option. Passwords are saved in the repository database.

Importing schema

When the connection is successful, Dataedo will read objects and show a list of objects found. You can choose which objects to import. You can also use advanced filter to narrow down the list of objects.

Confirm the list of objects to import by clicking Next.

The next screen will allow you to change the default name of the documentation under which your schema will be visible in the Dataedo repository.

Click Import to start the import.

When done, close the import window with the Finish button.

Your database schema has been imported to new documentation in the repository.

Importing changes

To sync any changes in the schema in Redshift and reimport any technical metadata, simply choose the Import changes option. You will be asked to connect to Redshift again and changes will be synced from the source.

Amazon Redshift support

Learn more about Amazon Redshift in Dataedo.