Overview of SQL-Based Data Loading¶
This section is an overview containing information you need to know before using any of the following methods to load data from external tables in cloud storage using SQL:
To use the Actian SQL CLI for issuing SQL commands, see Actian SQL CLI.
The loading methods that Actian Data Platform supports are:
| Loading Method | Supported Clients | Performance | Supported Formats | Supported Object Stores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COPY VWLOAD | • Actian SQL CLI • JDBC • ODBC |
Fastest | Delimited text | • AWS S3 • Azure Blob (General-purpose v2 accounts only) • Google Cloud • Gzipped delimited text |
| External Tables | • Actian SQL CLI • JDBC • ODBC |
Fast | • Delimited text • Delimited text (gzipped) • JSON • Parquet |
• AWS S3 • Azure Blob (General-purpose v2 accounts only) • Google Cloud |
Here is an overview of each data loading method:
| Loading Method | Overview of Steps |
|---|---|
| COPY VWLOAD | 1.Set up cloud storage credentials.Follow the procedure for your cloud storage platform in Set Up Access Credentials for Cloud Storage Accounts.2.Load data using the COPY VWLOAD statement.See Loading Delimited Text Data Using COPY VWLOAD (SQL) and COPY VWLOAD). |
| External Tables | 1.Set up cloud storage credentials.Follow the procedure for your cloud storage platform in Set Up Access Credentials for Cloud Storage Accounts.2.Specify your cloud storage credentials for your Actian warehouse.Follow the procedure for your cloud storage platform in Grant Access to Warehouse or Database for External Tables Access.3.Load data from external tables.Follow the procedure for your cloud storage platform in Loading Delimited Text Data from External Tables (SQL). |
In addition to delimited text files, you can load Parquet and JSON data. See:
For more information, see Grant Access to Warehouse or Database for External Tables Access.