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Data sources here, data sources there…managing your data connections can be a challenge for both business analysts and server administrators. As of January 2017, Alteryx users can connect to more than 80 different data sources. With this many data sources, it can become difficult to manage credentials, ensure valid connections, share workflows with credentials, and ensure the integrity of your data sources. With the release of Alteryx Analytics 11.0, we are excited to announce the Data Connection Manager feature which is specifically targeted at helping folks get a better grasp of their data connections for improved governance. Let’s dive into the primary benefits of this feature:
1) Server administrators have a central repository to create, manage, and share connections
Server administrators are now empowered to manage the data connections and no longer have to deal with the challenges of trying to support individual users creating, managing and sharing connections across the organization. Administrators can leverage easy to use dialogs to create Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle connections. Alteryx Server also supports the use of a valid connection string. Once the connections are created, administrators can share those data connections with a studio or user. With the ability to create or edit connections and share or revoke permissions, administrators can enforce data governance by appropriately designating access to data sources.
2) Business Analysts can simply drop available data connections into workflows
Business analysts can avoid dealing with complex connection strings that may or may not work. Analysts can simply select a data connection that has been shared. If they want to create a connection, they can leverage the seamless dialogs to create Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle connections or use a simplified version to make other connections. This feature allows business analysts to access data through a quick selection and not bother with credentials or detailed connection info.
3) Business Analysts can easily share workflows and analytic applications that leverage data connections
Business Analysts can easily utilize any number of available data connections in their workflow and then create an analytic application for broader use through their Gallery. Data connections are validated for each Gallery run so that Server administrators and IT can rest assured that data is protected. With the ability to leverage these connections in the company Gallery, business analysts do not have to bother with sharing exported workflows, sharing XML files, and worrying about credentials leaking into the wrong hands.
In summary, the data connection manager will help ensure that server administrators are delivering data to the right people with the right levels of access. In addition, server administrators have greater visibility and control in the data governance space and business analysts can get to their data insights even quicker.
The Data Connection Manager is just one of the many features released in Alteryx Analytics 11.0, please join us for a live webinar “Bridging the Gap: Self-Service Data Analytics meets Data Governance”, to see this and the other new features in action. You can also, follow our 11.0 release blog series.
