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Data connectors enable you to connect to your company’s data sources. MOSTLY AI supports read and write operations to Azure, GCP, and AWS cloud storage buckets, and the most commonly used databases.

To synthesize databases, you’ll need to create two data connectors—one for the source and another for the destination. The destination database also needs to have the appropriate write permissions configured.
MOSTLY AI currently only supports single-column primary keys in sequential or UUID format. Databases and datasets with complex keys, such as natural keys (e.g., social security numbers), composite keys (spanning multiple keys), or compound keys (e.g., PK = FK), require preprocessing before they can be synthesized.

To configure a data connector, just follow these few simple steps below:

  1. Click on Settings in the left-hand main menu, and then on Data connectors > Create new data connector. You can find this button on the top right corner of the screen.

    Data catalog workflow overview


  2. A modal appears where you can configure the new data connector.
    First, you need to select the type of data source you want to connect to. For Databases, you can choose from MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, or DB2, and for Cloud storage, you can choose from Azure, AWS, or GCP. Click Proceed to confirm your selection.

    Data catalog workflow overview


  3. A form will then appear where you can fill out the authentication details for the selected data source. Please select the appropriate instructions for filling out these fields from the list below.

    For database data connectors, MOSTLY AI needs to know which schema to export the synthetic data to. For PostgreSQL and MySQL databases, this field can be left blank so that the default schema will be used.

    Database

    DB2

    • Data connector name
      You can optionally enter a name for this data connector. This will help with finding the right connector when creating a data catalog.

    • Hostname
      Enter the hostname of the database server.

    • Username
      Enter the username for the database you want to connect to.

    • Password
      Enter the password for this username.

    • Name of the database
      Enter the name of the database you want to connect to.

    • Schema
      Specify the name of the schema to use.

    DB2 authentication details modal
    MS SQL Server

    • Data connector name
      You can optionally enter a name for this data connector. This will help with finding the right connector when creating a data catalog.

    • Hostname
      Enter the hostname of the database server.

    • Username
      Enter the username for the database you want to connect to.

    • Password
      Enter the password for this username.

    • Name of the database
      Enter the name of the database you want to connect to.

    • Schema
      Specify the name of the schema to use.

    MS SQL Server authentication details modal
    MySQL

    • Data connector name
      You can optionally enter a name for this data connector. This will help with finding the right connector when creating a data catalog.

    • Hostname
      Enter the hostname of the database server.

    • Username
      Enter the username for the database you want to connect to.

    • Password
      Enter the password for this username.

    • Name of the database
      Enter the name of the database you want to connect to.

    • Schema (optional)
      Leave blank to use the default schema or specify the name of the schema to use.

    MySQL authentication details modal
    Oracle

    • Data connector name
      You can optionally enter a name for this data connector. This will help with finding the right connector when creating a data catalog.

    • Hostname
      Enter the hostname of the database server.

    • Port
      Enter the port of the database server.

    • Connection type
      Specify either SID or SERVICE_NAME.

    • Username
      Enter the username for the database you want to connect to.

    • Password
      Enter the password for this username.

    • Name of the database
      Enter the name of the database you want to connect to.

    • Schema
      Specify the name of the schema to use.

    Oracle authentication details modal
    PostgreSQL

    • Data connector name
      You can optionally enter a name for this data connector. This will help with finding the right connector when creating a data catalog.

    • Hostname
      Enter the hostname of the database server.

    • Username
      Enter the username for the database you want to connect to.

    • Password
      Enter the password for this username.

    • Name of the database
      Enter the name of the database you want to connect to.

    • Schema (optional)
      Leave blank to use the default schema or specify the name of the schema to use.

    PostgreSQL authentication details modal

    Cloud storage

    Azure

    • Data connector name
      You can optionally enter a name for this data connector. This will help with finding the right connector when creating a data catalog.

    • Account name
      Enter the storage account name.

    • Account key
      Enter the storage account key.

    • Container
      Enter the address of the container you want to connect to.

    Azure authentication details modal
    AWS

    • Data connector name
      You can optionally enter a name for this data connector. This will help with finding the right connector when creating a data catalog.

    • Access key
      Enter the Access Key ID for the user created for use with MOSTLY AI.

    • Secret key
      Enter the Secret Access Key for the user created for use with MOSTLY AI.

    • Region
      Enter the region where the bucket is located.

    • Bucket name
      Enter the name of your Amazon S3 bucket.

    AWS authentication details modal
    GCP

    • Data connector name
      You can optionally enter a name for this data connector. This will help with finding the right connector when creating a data catalog.

    • User/Service-Account Credentials JSON
      Paste the JSON with your user or service account credentials in this field.

    • Bucket name
      Enter the name of the bucket.

    GCP authentication details modal

  4. Once you filled out all the fields, you can click Test connection to verify the authentication details. MOSTLY AI will indicate whether it can connect to the database.

    Data catalog workflow overview


  5. Click Save after you verified the connection. MOSTLY AI will let you know that the data connector has been saved. You can now click on Go to Data Catalogs to create a data catalog for this newly created connector, or click on Back to Data Connectors to view the list of available data connectors.

    Data catalog workflow overview


  6. You can see your newly created data connector if you choose to go back to the Data connectors settings page. Here, you can click on it to review the authentication details, edit them or delete the connector. Use the pen icon or open the kebab menu and click Delete Data Connector to do so.

    Data catalog workflow overview


Sharing your data connector

You can share your data connector with other user groups. The sharing options also let you grant read access to all authenticated users or transfer the data catalog’s ownership to another user.

To do so, click on the kebab icon at the top of the page and select Sharing options from the menu.

Sharing options kebab menu

A dialog box appears where you can select the groups you want to share the data connector with, grant read access to all authenticated users, or transfer the connector’s ownership to another user:

Sharing options kebab menu

After clicking Save, you’ll be asked to confirm your choices. A transfer of ownership or change of groups may cause you to lose access to this data connector. Please review whether this is the case and, if so, whether it’s intended.