Last Updated: 2024-01-04

Background

Google Cloud Storage (GCS) is a cloud-based storage solution provided by Google under the Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

It is designed to house and manage large amounts of data in a scalable and secure manner. It is one of the main underlying technologies used to create cloud object storage data lakes.

Scope of tutorial

In this tutorial, you will learn how to configure a catalog in Starburst Galaxy that connects to Google Cloud Storage (GCS).

Learning objectives

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

Configure a GCS catalog using Starburst Galaxy.
Choose which metastore and table format is best for your GCS catalog.
Access your own GCS 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 GCS data source 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

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: 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 GCS bucket follows the same process as adding other data sources in Starburst Galaxy. This is one of the main ways that Starburst Galaxy is used to connect to data lakes.

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 GCS data source.

Hover over the left-hand navigation menu to expand it.
Select Data>>Catalogs.
Click the Create catalog button.

Step 2: Select Google Cloud Storage

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 Google Cloud Storage category.

Click the Google cloud storage tile.

Step 3: Input name and description

The 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 with GCS using a JSON key. This is the only method of authentication available.

In the GCS JSON key field, paste your JSON key.

Background

Starburst Galaxy uses a metastore to keep track of the location of your data when it is added to the data lake, in this case to GCS.

You have two options when choosing a metastore. Take some time to consider your options, then proceed with the steps corresponding to the metastore of your choice.

Step 1: Select the Metastore

Now, it's time to select the Metastore. Starburst Galaxy allows you to use two different types of metastore with GCS:

Galaxy Metastore
Hive Metastore

The steps required to set up each metastore differ.

For the next part of this tutorial, follow the instructions corresponding to the metastore of your choice.

Step 2 (Option 1): Using the Starburst Galaxy Metastore

Starburst Galaxy includes its own metastore, which can be used to easily store metadata. Using this option is often the simplest metadata management solution.

The choice of metastore is completely decoupled from the choice of storage option, allowing you to mix and match.

Select Starburst Galaxy.
Enter the Default GCS bucket name.
Enter the Default directory name.

Select Allow creating external tables.

This will allow you to create external tables outside of the default GCS bucket.

Select Allow writing to external tables.

This will allow you to write data into external tables outside of the default GCS bucket.

Step 2 (Option 2): Using the Hive Metastore

Starburst Galaxy also allows you to use the Hive Metastore. This is sometimes a good option for certain users.

The choice of metastore is completely decoupled from the choice of storage option, allowing you to mix and match.

Select Hive Metastore.
Select the Connection type you want to use, either a direct connection or a connection through SSH tunnel.

Select Connect via SSH tunnel from the drop-down menu.
In the Hive Metastore host field, input your IP address and DNS name.
In the Port field, input your Hive Metastore port number.
Select Allow creating external tables.

This will allow you to create external tables outside of the default GCS bucket.

Select Allow writing to external tables.

This will allow you to write data into external tables outside of the default GCS bucket.

Background

Table formats control the way that data is stored. These include popular modern, open table formats like Iceberg or Delta Lake, or older table formats like Hive.

Choose the default table format that fits your use case. In many cases, the best option is Iceberg, and Starburst Galaxy is designed to take advantage of its many enhanced features.

Step 1: Select the default table format

Use the radio buttons to select the default table format. We highly recommend using Iceberg as a default for most users.

Select Iceberg, Hive, or Delta Lake.

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 GCS 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. The most important of these involves granting write access or restricting the catalog to read-only access.

Take some time to consider whether you require write access, or whether read-only access will be sufficient.

Step 1: Select read access

Select the appropriate read access for your situation.

If you want to restrict the write access, select the read-only catalog button.
If you want to grant write access, deselect the read-only catalog button.
Click the Save access controls button.

Step 2: Add catalog to cluster or skip

At this point, you can either add the new catalog to a cluster, or choose to skip this and connect it later.

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 GCS data lake.

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!