Apache NiFi

Apache NiFi automates the flow of data between systems. Apache NiFi supports JDBC, enabling it to extract and manipulate data from backends for which a JDBC driver is available. Easysoft's Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge extends the number of backends that are available to Apache NiFi by bridging between JDBC and ODBC. You can then also manipulate data from backends for which an ODBC driver is available. For example, you can connect Apache NiFi to Salesforce by using the Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge and a Salesforce.com ODBC Driver:

Apache NiFi -> Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge -> Salesforce ODBC driver -> Salesforce

Important At some point since we tested the product, Apache NiFi started using JDBC 3.x methods. For example, Apache NiFi 1.10 uses JDBC 3.x. The Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge does not support JDBC 3.x and so will not work with later versions of Apache NiFi.

Note Currently, the Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge supports 32-bit ODBC drivers only. Most Easysoft ODBC drivers have a 32-bit version. On Windows, all recent Easysoft ODBC drivers install both a 32-bit and a 64-bit ODBC driver.

These steps show how to access some ODBC data from Apache NiFi on Windows:

  1. Configure a System ODBC data source for the database that you want to connect to in Apache NiFi.

    To do this, use the 32-bit version of ODBC Data Source Administrator on your Apache NiFi machine. On some versions of Windows, this is located in Control Panel > Administrative Tools. On some version of Windows, you need to search for ODBC in the taskbar search box. The 32-bit version of ODBC Data Source Administrator should be clearly labelled. If in doubt, in the Windows Run dialog box, type:

    %windir%\syswow64\odbcad32.exe
  2. Download the Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge. (Registration required.)
  3. Install and license the Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge on the machine where the Apache NiFi is installed.

    For installation instructions, see the Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge documentation.

  4. Copy the Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge JAR file, EJOB.jar, to the Apache NiFi lib subfolder, for example, C:\nifi-1.3.0-bin\nifi-1.3.0\lib.

    EJOB.jar is installed in the following location on the machine where you installed the Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge:

    <easysoft_install>\Jars

    On 64-bit Windows, the default location for <easysoft_install> is <drive>:\Program Files (x86)\Easysoft Limited\Easysoft JDBC-ODBC Bridge.

  5. Start Apache NiFi. For example: 
    cd C:\nifi-1.3.0-bin\nifi-1.3.0\bin
run-nifi.bat
  6. In your web browser, go to the Apache NiFi UI: 
    http://hostname:8080/nifi
  7. Click the Apache NiFi background canvas, and then choose the Cog button from the Operate sidebar.
  8. In the NiFi Flow Configuration page, choose the Controller Services tab.
  9. Choose the + button.
  10. In the Add Controller Service page, choose DBCPConnection Pool, and then choose Add.
  11. Choose the Pencil icon to configure the new DBCPConnection Pool.
  12. In the Configure Controller Service page, fill in the table:
    Property Value
    Database Connection URL jdbc:easysoft://localhost/odbc_data_source:logonuser=windows_user:logonpassword=password
    Database Driver Class Name easysoft.sql.jobDriver
  13. Click the Lightning Bolt icon to enable the new DBCPConnection Pool.

    The data is now available for use in Apache NiFi. For example, you can use the DBCPConnection Pool as the source for a QueryDatabaseTable processor.