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What is a Datasource?

In PersivX, a datasource refers to any origin of data that can be connected, imported, or managed within the PersivX environment. PersivX supports two types of datasources, each serving a unique purpose depending on how users wish to manage their data:

  • Live Datasources (with Database Connection) - Performance is determined by the database capabilities.
  • Imported Datasources - Supports out-of-core processing, larger-than-memory data handling, merging multiple datasources to create one or more reports, and periodic refresh schedules.


1. Live Datasource

A Live Datasource connects directly to an external database in real-time. PersivX queries data from this database on demand, without importing or saving the data inside the PersivX environment.

Data Handling: PersivX only reads data from live datasources and never writes back to the database. The data is fetched in real-time, ensuring users are always working with the most up-to-date information from the connected database.

No Data Storage in PersivX: The data is retrieved dynamically through queries whenever needed, making it suitable for applications where data changes frequently and live insights are required.


Advantages of Live Datasources:

  • Always up-to-date: Data is fetched directly from the live database every time a query is run.
  • No data replication: Data is not copied or stored within PersivX, reducing storage use within the environment.


Check out How to connect to a live database

Use Case:

A live database connection is ideal for organizations that maintain their data in centralized databases and need to create real-time reports or dashboards based on this data.



2. Imported Datasources

An Imported Datasource refers to data that is loaded directly into the PersivX environment from external files or APIs. The data is stored within the PersivX workspace, enabling users to manage, analyze, and visualize it without requiring a live connection to the original source.

Data Handling: Imported datasources are uploaded, processed, and stored within PersivX, allowing for efficient use of data even without access to the original source.

Storage in PersivX: The data is encrypted and saved within the PersivX environment, enabling users to work with the imported data even when disconnected from the source.


Advantages of Imported Datasources:

  • Larger-than-memory Data Processing:
    Users can work with datasets larger than the available memory, thanks to PersivX’s efficient data handling and query processing capabilities.
  • Merging Multiple Datasources:
    Users can merge data from various imported sources to create a comprehensive single workspace, facilitating complex analyses.
  • Offline Access:
    Data remains available in PersivX even when the original data source is inaccessible or offline.


Continue learning more at PersivX Workspaces

Use Case:

Imported datasources are best for users looking for
- Blending / Merging data from multiple data sources
- Faster data processing at the cost of loosing live analytics
- APIs, files, Google Sheets, Kaggle, etc. - where the data is more static or doesn’t need live updating.