Validate Google Analytics Data with QuerySurge

QuerySurge is a smart data testing solution that automates data validation and testing. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for Google Analytics, QuerySurge can work with live Google Analytics data. This article explains how to connect to Google Analytics data from QuerySurge.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Google Analytics data. When you issue complex SQL queries to Google Analytics, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Google Analytics and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying allows you to work with and analyze Google Analytics data using native data types.

Connecting to Google Analytics Data in QuerySurge

To connect to live Google Analytics data from QuerySurge, you need to deploy the JDBC Driver JAR file to your QuerySurge Agent(s) and add a new connection from the QuerySurge Admin view.

Deploy the JDBC Driver

1. Download the CData JDBC Driver for Google Analytics installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.
2. Once the driver is installed, stop the Agent Service.
3. Copy the JAR File (and license file if it exists) from the installation location (typically C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for Google Analytics\lib\) to your Agent(s) (QuerySurge_install_dir\agent\jdbc).
4. Restart the Agent Service.

For more information on deploying JDBC drivers for QuerySurge, refer to the QuerySurge Knowledge Base.

Configure a New Connection to Google Analytics

1. Log into QuerySurge and navigate to the Admin view.
2. Click Configuration -> Connections in the Administration Tree.
3. Click Add to create a new connection.
4. In the QuerySurge Connection Wizard, click Next. 👁 Creating a new connection
   
5. Name the connection (e.g. CData JDBC Connection to Google Analytics).
6. Set the Data Source to "All Other JDBC Connections (Connection Extensibility)" and click Next. 👁 Naming the connection and choosing a Data Source
   
7. Set the Driver Class to cdata.jdbc.googleanalytics.GoogleAnalyticsDriver and click Next. 👁 Setting the Driver Class
   

8. Set the Connection URL using the necessary connection properties to authenticate with Google Analytics. Your Connection URL will look something like the following:

   jdbc:googleanalytics:Profile=MyProfile;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;

   Built-in Connection String Designer

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

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.googleanalytics.jar
   	

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

   Google uses the OAuth authentication standard. To access Google APIs on behalf on individual users, you can use the embedded credentials or you can register your own OAuth app.

   OAuth also enables you to use a service account to connect on behalf of users in a Google Apps domain. To authenticate with a service account, register an application to obtain the OAuth JWT values.

   In addition to the OAuth values, set Profile to the profile you want to connect to. This can be set to either the Id or website URL for the Profile. If not specified, the first Profile returned will be used. 👁 Using the built-in connection string designer to generate a JDBC URL (Salesforce is shown.)
   

9. Set the Test Query to enable the Test Connection button for the Connection (e.g. SELECT * FROM Traffic LIMIT 1) and click Next. 👁 Setting the Connection URL and Test Query (NetSuite is shown)
   
10. Click Test Connection to ensure the connection is configured properly and click Save to add the connection.

Once the connection is added, you can write SQL queries against your Google Analytics data in QuerySurge.

Compare Google Analytics Data Queries with a QueryPair

With the connection configured, you can follow the steps below to compare querying Google Analytics data with a QueryPair.

1. Select "Design Library" from the Design Menu
2. Click QueryPairs under QuerySurge Design
3. Click "Create New QueryPair"
4. Name the QueryPair and click Save
5. In either the Source or Target panes, select the connection created above (select the same connection to query Google Analytics twice or another connection to perform a comparison)
6. Write queries in the Editor for each pane, e.g. SELECT * FROM Traffic 👁 Setting the Connection URL and Test Query (NetSuite is shown)
   
7. Click the "Design-Time Run" tab to execute the queries
8. When the query execution is finished, click "View Query Results" to see the Google Analytics data returned by the query 👁 Setting the Connection URL and Test Query (NetSuite is shown)
   

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for Google Analytics and start working with your live Google Analytics data in QuerySurge. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.