How to import IBM Informix Data into Apache Solr

The Apache Solr platform is a popular, blazing-fast, open source enterprise search solution built on Apache Lucene.

Apache Solr is equipped with the Data Import Handler (DIH), which can import data from databases and, XML, CSV, and JSON files. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for IBM Informix, you can easily import IBM Informix data to Apache Solr. In this article, we show step-by-step how to use CData JDBC Driver in Apache Solr Data Import Handler and import IBM Informix data for use in enterprise search.

Create an Apache Solr Core and a Schema for Importing IBM Informix

1. Run Apache Solr and create a Core.

   > solr create -c CDataCore

   For this article, Solr is running as a standalone instance in the local environment and you can access the core at this URL: http://localhost:8983/solr/#/CDataCore/core-overview
2. Create a schema consisting of "field" objects to represent the columns of the IBM Informix data to be imported and a unique key for the entity. LastModifiedDate, if it exists in IBM Informix, is used for incremental updates. If it does not exist, you cannot do the deltaquery in the later section. Save the schema in the managed-schema file created by Apache Solr.

	InformixUniqueKey
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	 
	

👁 Define schema in Solr for IBM Informix data.

3. Install the CData IBM Informix JDBC Driver. Copy the JAR and license file (cdata.informix.jar and cdata.jdbc.informix.lic) to the Solr directory.
   
   • CData JDBC JAR file: C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for IBM Informix ####\lib
   • Apache Solr: solr-8.5.2\server\lib

Now we are ready to use IBM Informix data in Solr.

Define an Import of IBM Informix to Apache Solr

In this section, we walk through configuring the Data Import Handler.

1. Modify the Config file of the created Core. Add the JAR file reference and add the DIH RequestHander definition.

   	
   
   	<lib dir="${solr.install.dir:../../../..}/dist/" regex="solr-dataimporthandler-.*\.jar" />
   
   	<requestHandler name="/dataimport" class="org.apache.solr.handler.dataimport.DataImportHandler">
   		<lst name="defaults">
   			<str name="config">solr-data-config.xml</str>
   		</lst>
   	</requestHandler>

2. Next, create a solr-data-config.xml at the same level. In this article, we retrieve a table from IBM Informix, but you can use a custom SQL query to request data as well. The Driver Class and a sample JDBC Connection string are in the sample code below.

   	
   	<dataConfig>
   		<dataSource driver="cdata.jdbc.informix.InformixDriver" url="jdbc:informix:Server=10.0.1.2;Port=50000;User=admin;Password=admin;Database=test;">
   		</dataSource> 
   		<document> 
   			<entity name="Books" 
   				query="SELECT Id,InformixColumn1,InformixColumn2,InformixColumn3,InformixColumn4,InformixColumn5,InformixColumn6,InformixColumn7,LastModifiedDate FROM Books"
   				deltaQuery="SELECT Id FROM Books where LastModifiedDate >= '${dataimporter.last_index_time}'"
   				deltaImportQuery="SELECT Id,InformixColumn1,InformixColumn2,InformixColumn3,InformixColumn4,InformixColumn5,InformixColumn6,InformixColumn7,LastModifiedDate FROM Books where Id=${dataimporter.delta.Id}">
   				<field column="Id" name="Id" ></field>
   				<field column="InformixColumn1" name="InformixColumn1" ></field>
   				<field column="InformixColumn2" name="InformixColumn2" ></field>
   				<field column="InformixColumn3" name="InformixColumn3" ></field>
   				<field column="InformixColumn4" name="InformixColumn4" ></field>
   				<field column="InformixColumn5" name="InformixColumn5" ></field>
   				<field column="InformixColumn6" name="InformixColumn6" ></field>
   				<field column="InformixColumn7" name="InformixColumn7" ></field>
   				<field column="LastModifiedDate" name="LastModifiedDate" ></field> 
   			</entity>
   		</document>
   	</dataConfig>

3. In the query section, set the SQL query that select the data from IBM Informix. deltaQuery and deltaImportquery define the ID and the conditions when using incremental updates from the second import of the same entity.
4. After all settings are done, restart Solr.

   	> solr stop -all
   	> solr start
   	

Run a DataImport of IBM Informix Data.

1. Execute DataImport from the URL below:
   http://localhost:8983/solr/#/CDataCore/dataimport//dataimport 👁 Load IBM Informix data to Solr using Data Import.
   
2. Select the "full-import" Command, choose the table from Entity, and click "Execute." 👁 Execute full import in Solr.
   
3. Check the result of the import from the Query. 👁 Check the full import result of IBM Informix.
   
4. Try an incremental update using deltaQuery. Modify some data in the original IBM Informix data set. Select the "delta-import" command this time from DataImport window and click "Execute." 👁 Execute Delta import in Solr.
   
5. Check the result of the incremental update. 👁 Check the delta import result of IBM Informix.
   

Using the CData JDBC Driver for IBM Informix you are able to create an automated import of IBM Informix data into Apache Solr. Download a free, 30 day trial of any of the hundreds of CData JDBC Drivers and get started today.