Metadata Loader Categories
In this article you'll find detailed information about the loader categories and which exact information is extracted by each of the loaders we support. Each type differs in the object hierarchy, structure of the objects, and detail of the objects.
There are five types of the metadata loaders:
Database Loaders
File Loaders
Visualytics (Report) Loaders
Workflow Loader
Other Loaders
Database Loaders
Database loaders are used to harvest metadata about database objects such as database server (RDMS), catalog, schema, table/view/procedure, column. An example can be an Oracle database with all available objects, descriptions, and relationships within the objects in the database. Connect supports database metadata loader for these technologies: Teradata, Snowflake, Apache Hive, IBM DB2, Exasol, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, SAP HANA, Amazon Redshift, HP Vertica, PostgreSQL, Apache Impala.
File Loaders
File loaders are used to harvest metadata about file systems such as file bucket or folder with subfolder structure, individual files, sheets (when available e.g. on xlsx file), and columns on files you can parse for the structural information (xls(x), csv, yxdb, avro …). For files with structure you can store also profiling information such as number of rows, not nulls, blanks, uniqueness, and average length. Connect supports file metadata loader for the following technologies: Amazon S3, Apache Hadoop, Microsoft Azure Data Lake, Files loader (windows shared drives).
Visualytics (Report) Loaders
Visualytics are used to harvest metadata from reporting platforms such as report workbook, worksheet, datasource, and detailed columns. Connect supports visualytics metadata loader for these technologies: Tableau, Microsoft PowerBI, QlikView, Qlik Sense.
Workflow Loader
Workflow loader is used to harvest metadata from the Alteryx Gallery. Connect supports only AYX Gallery Loader.
Other Loaders
This category describes loaders that don't belong to any of the above-mentioned categories, such as:
Alteryx Promote loader is used to harvest metadata about Promote models published on a Promote server.
Microsoft Azure Data Catalog loader is used to exchange metadata from Azure Data Catalog about databases, files, and business terms.
Salesforce loader (without data profiling) is used to harvest metadata from the Salesforce application.
Overview of Available Objects for Each Loader Type
Loader Type
Available Objects
Databases
db server, catalog, schema, table / view / procedure / column
Files
file bucket (AmazonS3) / folder, file, sheet, column Possible data profiling (additional information about features and content of the files).
Visualytics (reports)
server, site, project, workbook, worksheet, datasource, column Tableau: site, project, workbook, worksheet Microsoft PowerBI: workspace, workbook Insight QlikView: folder, Qlik data files (data profiling - .qvd, .qvx); report, worksheet; Qlik Sense: stream, workbook, worksheet, report objects (names and types of charts, dimensions, measures)
Workflows
workflow, input, output
Others
Microsoft Azure Data Catalog: glossary, databases, files (without data data profiling) Alteryx Promote loader: predictive model
Salesforce loader: Salesforce tables
How to Use and Configure Loaders
More information on how to use and configure the metadata loaders you can find on the following pages:
The Alteryx Online Help pages Schedule Metadata Loaders and Load Metadata into Connect specify how to use the metadata loaders from Designer.
Now you can run metadata loaders directly in Connect by selecting Connections in the Admin Menu. You have the possibility to start the harvest immediately or to set up a regular harvest. Go to Admin Menu > Connections to configure and run the metadata loaders. For more info see: How To: Fast Deployment of Metadata Loaders in Connect.
Overview of available loaders while using the fast deployment.
View full article