Use the CData API Server to Access Azure Data Lake Storage Data in Microsoft PowerPivot

The CData API Server enables you to use REST, OData, JSON, or Open APIs to connect to and query Azure Data Lake Storage data. The OData standard enables real-time access to the live data, and support for OData is integrated into Power Pivot. This article details how to import an OData feed of Azure Data Lake Storage data into Microsoft Excel's PowerPivot business intelligence tool.

Set Up the API Server

If you have not already done so, download the CData API Server. Once you have installed the API Server, follow the steps below to begin producing secure Azure Data Lake Storage OData services:

Connect to Azure Data Lake Storage

To work with Azure Data Lake Storage data from Microsoft Power Pivot, we start by creating and configuring a Azure Data Lake Storage connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to Azure Data Lake Storage data:

1. First, navigate to the Connections page.
2. Click Add Connection and then search for and select the Azure Data Lake Storage connection. 👁 Selecting a data source (SQLite is shown)
   
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Azure Data Lake Storage. 👁 Connecting to a datasource (SQLite is shown)
   
4. After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your Azure Data Lake Storage data through the API Server. You can add and configure users on the Users page. Follow the steps below to configure and create a user:

1. On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
2. Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User. 👁 Configure a new user
   
3. An Authtoken is then generated for the user. You can find the Authtoken and other information for each user on the Users page: 👁 API Server user settings
   

Creating API Endpoints for Azure Data Lake Storage

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the Azure Data Lake Storage tables:

1. First, navigate to the API page and then click Add Table . 👁 Add tables
   
2. Select the connection you wish to access and click Next. 👁 Select the connection (SQLite is shown)
   
3. With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm. 👁 Adding tables from the connection (SQLite is shown)
   

Gather the OData Url

Having configured a connection to Azure Data Lake Storage data, created a user, and added resources to the API Server, you now have an easily accessible REST API based on the OData protocol for those resources. From the API page in API Server, you can view and copy the API Endpoints for the API:

Import Azure Data Lake Storage Tables in Power Pivot

Follow the steps below to import tables that can be refreshed on demand:

1. In Excel, click Data -> Get Data -> From Other Sources -> From OData Feed 👁 Starting the OData connection
   
2. In the OData feed connection, set the URL property to the OData Endpoint URL previously copied and click OK (e.g. "http://localhost:8080/api.rsc"): 👁 The URL of the OData endpoint for API Server
   
3. In the next step of the wizard, define the authentication credentials. Select Basic and then enter the credentials for a user authorized to make requests. Specify the User name and enter the user's authtoken in the Password field: 👁 Authenticating with API Server
   
4. Select the tables that you would like to import into Excel and click Load 👁 Selecting tables (SQLite is shown)
   
5. After selecting and loading your table(s), you should see the data appear in an Excel spreadsheet. Now, click the Power Pivot tab on the ribbon, and then select Add to Data Model. 👁 Loading data into Power Pivot (SQLite is shown)
   
6. You can now work with your Azure Data Lake Storage data in Power Pivot. 👁 The Pivot Table that is consuming OData feeds from API Server. (SQLite is shown)
   

Free Trial & More Information

If you are interested in connecting to your Azure Data Lake Storage data (or data from any of our other supported data sources) from Microsoft Power Pivot, download API Server to begin creating flexible and customizable REST, OData, JSON and Open APIs from any database or data store! As always, our world-class support team is ready to answer any questions you may have.