Import and Export Data Catalog Metadata¶
You can export and import the Data Catalog’s configuration and metadata (categories, tags, saved queries, etc.) as a collection of JSON files packed in a zip file.
Note
To export and import the Data Catalog’s metadata you need to connect
with a global administrator or
with a user account granted with the IMPORT / EXPORT privilege.
Export Metadata¶
To export the metadata, go to Administration > Import / Export > Export. The Export dialog will appear.
Dialog to export Data Catalog’s metadata¶
By default, it will export all the Virtual DataPort servers registered in the Data Catalog, together with its catalog metadata:
Databases
Views
Web services
Categories
Tags
Custom properties
Saved queries
Usage statistics
Endorsements, warnings and deprecations
You can choose additional settings to be exported by checking the corresponding options:
Content search settings
Personalization settings
Kerberos settings
Permissions settings
Recommendation data
Requests data
Email settings
Assisted query settings
Note
The personalization check box does not include the email settings. There is a specific check for this configuration.
By default, Data Catalog encrypts sensitive data within the export file using a unique encryption key that is stored in the installation. Due to this unique installation-specific configuration, sensitive data within metadata exports will not be compatible between installations unless a custom key is used to export and import in other environments or both installations have been configured with the same encryption key. You can also modify the export key used to encrypt sensitive data with the configure_datacatalog_export_key script. This way, only those Data Catalog that have configured the same export key will be able to import the metadata. In addition, you can specify a custom export key for a particular export file:
Enable the option Use custom password for sensitive data encryption.
Enter the custom export key in the Custom password field.
Enter the custom export key again in the Confirm custom password field.
You will need to provide the custom export key when importing this export file. Otherwise, the import will fail.
Import Metadata¶
To import the metadata, go to Administration > Import / Export > Import. The Import dialog will appear.
Dialog to import Data Catalog’s metadata¶
Here you can drag-and-drop a metadata file previously exported or select one in the file chooser by clicking the drop area. If the Data Catalog already contains some metadata, you can override it by checking the Override existing metadata option.
If the export file was exported with a custom export key, you must provide it as follows:
Enable the option Use custom password for sensitive data encryption.
Enter the custom export key in the Custom password field.
Take this into account:
To import the Kerberos settings or the recommendation data you need to check the Override existing metadata option.
By default, importing the permissions settings will merge the permissions in the export file with the ones in your Data Catalog. If you check the Override existing metadata option, the permissions settings will be merged as well, except for the roles that are present both in the Data Catalog and in the export file, that will be replaced.
Note
As an alternative, you can use the following methods to export and import the Data Catalog’s metadata, which provide the same features explained before:
With the import and export scripts located at
<DENODO_HOME>/tools/data-catalog.Using the REST API of the Data Catalog.
They are useful to automate the promotion of categories and tags between environments (e.g. from testing to production).