Adding a data source

Data Sources are how you connect SquaredUp to the tools and services your organization relies on, such as Azure, GitHub, AWS, SQL databases, or even simple CSV files. Once connected, SquaredUp can index, explore, and visualize the data from these sources through dashboards, data streams, and objects.

This article introduces how data sources work in SquaredUp, how to add your first instance, and highlights the next steps on your journey to achieving operational intelligence.

See Plugins and data sources for a deeper look, as well as help with troubleshooting.

What Is a Data Source?

A data source is any external system you connect to SquaredUp. SquaredUp has an extensive list of available data sources which can be viewed here.

Adding your first data source

You can add a data source in just few main steps. The exact configuration involved depends on the plugin settings, but the process is always similar.

1. Navigate to the workspace you want to add the data source to.From your workspace, click Add data source
   in the left-hand menu.
2. Click Add data source
   in the left-hand menu.
3. Search for the service you want to connect, for example Sample Data.

4. Select the plugin to open its configuration page.
5. Configure the plugin as required. In this case, simply enter a Display Name to identify it (e.g. My first data source).

6. Click Add. The indexing window displays and the plugin uses the provided configuration details to create a connection to the data source.
7. Once completed successfully the following message displays. Click Continue to complete the process.

Once a data source is added, you'll notice that it automatically appears under the Data Sources section of the navigation pane, under which you’ll also see a curated set of pre-built dashboards and perspectives that were installed with the plugin.

Next Steps

Now that you've added a data source to your workspace, you're ready to take the next step towards operational intelligence and start uncovering valuable insights within your data!

Building dashboards

When you feel ready, you can jump in and start building your own dashboards and discovering new insights.

You can do this by cloning and making tweaks to the pre-built dashboards installed with the data source, by or creating an entirely new dashboard from scratch.

Pre-built dashboards

If you're after inspiration for what's possible with your shiny new data source, one of the easiest ways to get started with data source is by diving into the pre-built dashboards and perspectives installed with the plugin. These can be accessed from both the navigation pane and the overview page.

Each data source has a bespoke set of pre-built dashboards and perspectives, designed to help you quickly understand trends, spot anomalies, and make data-driven decisions right out of the box.

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