About Data Sources and TDV
TDV integrates your data sources into a single virtual data layer that can be used to model rich information resources. You can add many types of data sources to the TDV platform using Studio, defining connection profiles, specific source capabilities, and detailed source introspection metadata. TDV views and procedures built on the data modeling layer can take advantage of capabilities unique to each data source, allowing you to integrate those disparate parts into a single virtual data layer.
Adding a data source means creating a metadata representation of the underlying native data source in the TDV repository. It does not mean replication of the data or replication of the source. The data source metadata for each data source type includes things like how the data source:
• Defines and stores data, including catalogs, schemas, tables, and columns.
• Accepts and responds to requests for data.
• Handles insert, update, and delete transactions.
• Executes stored procedures.
• Makes data-related comparisons.
A virtual layer of information about data source capabilities allows the TDV Server Query Engine to create efficient query execution plans that leverage data source strengths and inherent advantages of preprocessing data at the source.
The following sections elaborate on the preparation and use of data sources: