Last Updated: 2024-01-15

Background

Google BigQuery is a fully-managed, serverless data warehouse and analytics platform offered by Google Cloud. It is designed to handle large-scale data analytics and processing using SQL-like queries.

Like other cloud data warehouses, BigQuery enables users to analyze massive datasets in real-time with the ability to run SQL-like queries against large amounts of data without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure.

Scope of tutorial

In this tutorial, you will learn how to configure a Google BigQuery catalog in Starburst Galaxy.

Learning objectives

Once you've completed this tutorial, you will be able to:

Configure a Google BigQuery catalog using Starburst Galaxy.
Access your own Google BigQuery data source using Starburst Galaxy.

Prerequisites

You need a Starburst Galaxy account to complete this tutorial. Please see Starburst Galaxy: Getting started for instructions on setting up a free account.
This tutorial comes with a bring your own storage requirement. Before proceeding with this lesson, you must already have a Google BigQuery account set up.

If this is not the case, please set this up first then return to this tutorial.

About Starburst tutorials

Starburst tutorials are designed to get you up and running quickly by providing bite-sized, hands-on educational resources. Each tutorial explores a single feature or topic through a series of guided, step-by-step instructions.

As you navigate through the tutorial you should follow along using your own Starburst Galaxy account. This will help consolidate the learning process by mixing theory and practice.

Background

Now it's time to pivot over to Starburst Galaxy to begin the process of connecting your BigQuery datasource.

Starburst Galaxy separates users by role. Configuring a new catalog will require access to a role with appropriate privileges. Today, you'll be using the accountadmin role.

This is a quick step, but an important one.

Step 1: Sign into Starburst Galaxy

Sign into Starburst Galaxy in the usual way. If you have not already set up an account, you can do that here.

Step 2: Set your role

Your current role is listed in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Check your role, to ensure that it is set to accountadmin.
If it is set to anything else, use the drop-down menu to select the correct role.

Background

Adding a new BigQuery catalog follows the same process as adding other data sources in Starburst Galaxy.

The steps below will show you how to start the process of configuring a new catalog.

Step 1: Create a new catalog

Create a new catalog for your BigQuery data source.

In the left-hand navigation bar, click Catalogs.
Click the Create catalog button.

Step 2: Select BigQuery

Starburst Galaxy allows the creation of catalogs for a number of different data sources. In this case, you are going to create a new catalog in the BigQuery category.

Click the Google BigQuery tile.

Step 3: Input name and description

The new catalog needs both a name and description. This ensures that you can find it later.

In the Catalog name field, enter the name of the new catalog.
In the Description field, input a description. This can be anything you want, so make it meaningful for you.
Scroll down to continue the configuration process.

Background

When you connect Starburst Galaxy to a new data source, it is necessary to undergo an authentication process. This helps ensure that you are connecting the right data source and that you have the appropriate permissions.

Step 1: Configure GCS JSON Key

Starburst Galaxy supports authentication using a JSON key. This is the only method of authentication available.

Paste your JSON key in the JSON key field.

Background

Every new catalog connection includes a test before you connect it. This helps to ensure that you have input the correct credentials and allows you to quickly fix any problems before actually connecting.

Step 1: Test and Connect

You're almost there! Time to test the connection and then complete the process of creating your new BigQuery catalog.

Click the Test connection button.
Confirm that you see the Hooray! You can now add this catalog to a cluster message.
Click the Connect catalog button.

Background

Starburst Galaxy allows you to configure your catalog in a number of ways regarding access controls.

Step 1: Select read access

Select the appropriate read access for your situation.

Confirm that the read-only catalog button is selected.
Click the Save access controls button.

Background

The catalog is now created, but you are not able to use it until you add it to a cluster. Clusters can include many catalogs. You can either add the new BigQuery catalog to an existing cluster, or do this at a later stage.

Step 1: Add catalog to cluster or skip

You can add a catalog to a cluster at any time.

If you want to add the catalog to a cluster later, click Skip
If you want to add the catalog to a cluster now, select the cluster name from the drop-down menu and click Add to cluster.

Tutorial complete

Congratulations! You have reached the end of this tutorial, and the end of this stage of your journey.

You're all set! Now you can query the data in your BigQuery data source.

Continuous learning

At Starburst, we believe in continuous learning. This tutorial provides the foundation for further training available on this platform, and you can return to it as many times as you like. Future tutorials will make use of the concepts used here.

Next steps

Starburst has lots of other tutorials to help you get up and running quickly. Each one breaks down an individual problem and guides you to a solution using a step-by-step approach to learning.

Tutorials available

Visit the Tutorials section to view the full list of tutorials and keep moving forward on your journey!