Last Updated: 2024-01-04

Background

Tabular is an open table store that leverages the Apache Iceberg open table format. It allows Iceberg tables to be created and accessed by a variety of analytics platforms and engines, including Starburst Galaxy.

Scope of tutorial

In this tutorial, you will learn how to configure a Tabular catalog in Starburst Galaxy.

Learning objectives

Once you've completed this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Configure a Tabular catalog using Starburst Galaxy.
• Choose which metastore and table format is best for your Tabular catalog.
• Access your own Tabular data source using Starburst Galaxy.

Prerequisites

• You need a Starburst Galaxy account to complete this tutorial. Please see Starburst Galaxy: Getting started for instructions on setting up a free account.
• This tutorial comes with a bring your own storage requirement. Before proceeding with this lesson, you must already have a Tabular warehouse set up.
  
  If this is not the case, please set this up first then return to this tutorial. Instructions to create a free Tabular account are included for those that need them.

About Starburst tutorials

Starburst tutorials are designed to get you up and running quickly by providing bite-sized, hands-on educational resources. Each tutorial explores a single feature or topic through a series of guided, step-by-step instructions.

As you navigate through the tutorial you should follow along using your own Starburst Galaxy account. This will help consolidate the learning process by mixing theory and practice.

Background

Tabular allows you to register for a free trial account. The best way to do this is to use a Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can register for one here.

The Tabular trial account includes a default warehouse called sandbox and a database called examples with four sample tables in it.

Step 1: Navigate to tabular.io

Tabular makes it easy to sign up for an account directly from the landing page of their website.

• Visit the Tabular webpage.
• Click the TRY IT OUT button.

Step 2: Sign up with Google

Signing up for Google is the best way to set up a free Tabular account.

• Click the Sign up with Google button.

Step 3: Select Google Account

You can use any active Google Account.

• Select the Google Account of your choice.

Step 4: Confirm Google Account

Confirm that the Google Account you have selected is correct.

• Click Confirm.

Step 5: Confirm that you're human

The first time you access Tabular, you must confirm that you aren't a bot.

• Click Begin.
• Complete the puzzle.
• Click Submit.

Step 6: Review your organization name

Your Tabular account includes an organization name. By default, this is generated from the name of your Google Account.

• Review the information regarding Tabular organizations. Change the name if you wish.
• Click the GET STARTED button.

Step 7: Create a manual credential

The last thing you need to do before you can use Tabular is to create an access credential. Credentials provide organization members the ability to configure authentication between various compute environments and the Tabular catalog.

Later in this tutorial, you will use this credential to connect Tabular to Starburst Galaxy.

• Click the ellipsis on the right-hand side of the screen.
• Click Manually create a credential.

Step 8: Name the credential

Credentials can be used for multiple purposes. In this tutorial, you're going to set up a credential that helps you connect Tabular to Starburst Galaxy. Later, we will use this to establish the connection between the two systems.

• Provide a meaningful Credential name.
• You can create more credentials later.

Step 9: Copy and save credential

Tabular automatically generates the new credential.

Note: It is very important to securely save this credential for future use. You will not be given another chance to save it, and you will need it to connect Tabular to Starburst Galaxy.

• Click the copy button.
• Save the credential somewhere safe, like a secure password manager.

Step 10: Review the sandbox warehouse

New Tabular accounts include a default warehouse, known as sandbox. You will use this warehouse in this tutorial.

• Click sandbox.

Step 11: Review the examples database

The default sandbox warehouse includes several databases inside it. Check out the examples database to see which tables are included in it.

• Click examples.

Step 12: Review the tables inside

The examples database includes several tables inside it.

• Review the four tables inside the examples database.

Background

Now it's time to pivot over to Starburst Galaxy to begin the process of connecting your Tabular datasource.

Starburst Galaxy separates users by role. Configuring a new catalog will require access to a role with appropriate privileges. Today, you'll be using the accountadmin role.

This is a quick step, but an important one.

Step 1: Sign into Starburst Galaxy

Sign into Starburst Galaxy in the usual way. If you have not already set up an account, you can do that here.

Step 2: Set your role

Your current role is listed in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

• Check your role, to ensure that it is set to accountadmin.
• If it is set to anything else, use the drop-down menu to select the correct role.

Background

Adding a new Tabular catalog follows the same process as adding other data sources in Starburst Galaxy.

The steps below will show you how to start the process of configuring a new catalog.

Step 1: Create a new catalog

Create a new catalog for your Tabular datasource.

• In the left-hand navigation bar, click Catalogs.
• Click the Create catalog button.

Step 2: Select Tabular

Starburst Galaxy allows the creation of catalogs for a number of different data sources. In this case, you are going to create a new catalog in the Tabular category.

• Click the Tabular tile.

Step 3: Input name and description

The catalog needs both a name and description. This ensures that you can find it later.

• In the Catalog name field, enter the name of the new catalog.
• In the Description field, input a description. This can be anything you want, so make it meaningful for you.
• Scroll down to continue the configuration process.

Background

When you connect Starburst Galaxy to a new data source, it is necessary to undergo an authentication process. This helps ensure that you are connecting the right data source and that you have the appropriate permissions.

Step 1: Enter Tabular connection details

Now it's time to connect Starburst Galaxy to your Tabular account.

• The Tabular URL field is generated automatically. Do not change it.
• Input the name of your warehouse in the Tabular warehouse name. If you created your account in this tutorial, then sandbox is the warehouse name.
• In the Tabular OAuth credential field, paste your Tabular credential. If you created your account in this tutorial, this is the credential you saved earlier.

Background

Every new catalog connection includes a test before you connect it. This helps to ensure that you have input the correct credentials and allows you to quickly fix any problems before actually connecting.

Step 1: Test and Connect

You're almost there! Time to test the connection and then complete the process of creating your new Tabular catalog.

• Click the Test connection button.
• Confirm that you see the Hooray! You can now add this catalog to a cluster message.
• Click the Connect catalog button.

Background

Starburst Galaxy allows you to configure your catalog in a number of ways regarding access controls. The most important of these involves granting write access or restricting the catalog to read-only access.

Take some time to consider whether you require write access, or whether read-only access will be sufficient.

Step 1: Select read access

Select the appropriate read access for your situation.

• If you want to restrict the write access, select the read-only catalog button.
• If you want to grant write access, deselect the read-only catalog button.
• Click the Save access controls button.

Background

The catalog is now created, but you are not able to use it until you add it to a cluster. Clusters can include many catalogs. You can either add the new Tabular catalog to an existing cluster, or do this at a later stage.

Step 1: Add catalog to cluster or skip

You can add a catalog to a cluster at any time.

• If you want to add the catalog to a cluster later, click Skip
• If you want to add the catalog to a cluster now, select the cluster name from the drop-down menu and click Add to cluster.

Tutorial complete

Congratulations! You have reached the end of this tutorial, and the end of this stage of your journey.

You're all set! Now you can query the data using Starburst Galaxy and Tabular.

Continuous learning

At Starburst, we believe in continuous learning. This tutorial provides the foundation for further training available on this platform, and you can return to it as many times as you like. Future tutorials will make use of the concepts used here.

Next steps

Starburst has lots of other tutorials to help you get up and running quickly. Each one breaks down an individual problem and guides you to a solution using a step-by-step approach to learning.

Tutorials available

Visit the Tutorials section to view the full list of tutorials and keep moving forward on your journey!