Model Context Protocol (MCP) finally gives AI models a way to access the business data needed to make them really useful at work. CData MCP Servers have the depth and performance to make sure AI has access to all of the answers.
Try them now for free →
Edit and Search Elasticsearch External Objects in Salesforce Connect (API Server)
Use the API Server to securely provide OData feeds of Elasticsearch data to smart devices and cloud-based applications. Use the API Server and Salesforce Connect to create Elasticsearch objects that you can access from apps and the dashboard.
The CData API Server enables you to access Elasticsearch data from cloud-based applications like the Salesforce console and mobile applications like the Salesforce1 Mobile App. In this article, you will use the API Server and Salesforce Connect to access Elasticsearch external objects alongside standard Salesforce objects.
About Elasticsearch Data Integration
Accessing and integrating live data from Elasticsearch has never been easier with CData. Customers rely on CData connectivity to:
- Access both the SQL endpoints and REST endpoints, optimizing connectivity and offering more options when it comes to reading and writing Elasticsearch data.
- Connect to virtually every Elasticsearch instance starting with v2.2 and Open Source Elasticsearch subscriptions.
- Always receive a relevance score for the query results without explicitly requiring the SCORE() function, simplifying access from 3rd party tools and easily seeing how the query results rank in text relevance.
- Search through multiple indices, relying on Elasticsearch to manage and process the query and results instead of the client machine.
Users frequently integrate Elasticsearch data with analytics tools such as Crystal Reports, Power BI, and Excel, and leverage our tools to enable a single, federated access layer to all of their data sources, including Elasticsearch.
For more information on CData's Elasticsearch solutions, check out our Knowledge Base article: CData Elasticsearch Driver Features & Differentiators.
Getting Started
Set Up the API Server
If you have not already done so, download the CData API Server. Once you have installed the API Server, follow the steps below to begin producing secure Elasticsearch OData services:
Connect to Elasticsearch
To work with Elasticsearch data from Salesforce Connect, we start by creating and configuring a Elasticsearch connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to Elasticsearch data:
- First, navigate to the Connections page.
-
Click Add Connection and then search for and select the Elasticsearch connection.
-
Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Elasticsearch.
Set the Server and Port connection properties to connect. To authenticate, set the User and Password properties, PKI (public key infrastructure) properties, or both. To use PKI, set the SSLClientCert, SSLClientCertType, SSLClientCertSubject, and SSLClientCertPassword properties.
The data provider uses X-Pack Security for TLS/SSL and authentication. To connect over TLS/SSL, prefix the Server value with 'https://'. Note: TLS/SSL and client authentication must be enabled on X-Pack to use PKI.
Once the data provider is connected, X-Pack will then perform user authentication and grant role permissions based on the realms you have configured.
- After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.
Configure API Server Users
Next, create a user to access your Elasticsearch data through the API Server. You can add and configure users on the Users page. Follow the steps below to configure and create a user:
- On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
-
Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User.
-
An Authtoken is then generated for the user. You can find the Authtoken and other information for each user on the Users page:
Creating API Endpoints for Elasticsearch
Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the Elasticsearch tables:
-
First, navigate to the API page and then click
Add Table
.
-
Select the connection you wish to access and click Next.
-
With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm.
Gather the OData Url
Having configured a connection to Elasticsearch data, created a user, and added resources to the API Server, you now have an easily accessible REST API based on the OData protocol for those resources. From the API page in API Server, you can view and copy the API Endpoints for the API:
Connect to Elasticsearch Data as an External Data Source
Follow the steps below to connect to the feed produced by the API Server.
- Log into Salesforce and click Setup -> Develop -> External Data Sources.
- Click New External Data Source.
- Enter values for the following properties:
- External Data Source: Enter a label to be used in list views and reports.
- Name: Enter a unique identifier.
- Type: Select the option "Salesforce Connect: OData 4.0".
URL: Enter the URL to the OData endpoint of the API Server. The format of the OData URL is https://your-server:your-port/api.rsc.
Note that plain-text is suitable for only testing; for production, use TLS.
- Select the Writable External Objects option.
Select JSON in the Format menu.
- In the Authentication section, set the following properties:
- Identity Type: If all members of your organization will use the same credentials to access the API Server, select "Named Principal". If the members of your organization will connect with their own credentials, select "Per User".
- Authentication Protocol: Select Password Authentication to use basic authentication.
- Certificate: Enter or browse to the certificate to be used to encrypt and authenticate communications from Salesforce to your server.
- Username: Enter the username for a user known to the API Server.
- Password: Enter the user's authtoken.
Synchronize Elasticsearch Objects
After you have created the external data source, follow the steps below to create Elasticsearch external objects that reflect any changes in the data source. You will synchronize the definitions for the Elasticsearch external objects with the definitions for Elasticsearch tables.
- Click the link for the external data source you created.
- Click Validate and Sync.
- Select the Elasticsearch tables you want to work with as external objects.
Access Elasticsearch Data as Salesforce Objects
After adding Elasticsearch data as an external data source and syncing Elasticsearch tables with Elasticsearch external objects, you can use the external objects just as you would standard Salesforce objects.
-
Create a new tab with a filter list view:
-
Display related lists of Elasticsearch external objects alongside standard Salesforce objects:
-
Create, read, update, and delete Elasticsearch objects from tabs on the Salesforce dashboard:
Troubleshooting
You can use the following checklist to avoid typical connection problems:
- Ensure that your server has a publicly accessible IP address. Related to this check, but one layer up, at the operating system layer, you will also need to ensure that your firewall has an opening for the port the API Server is running on. At the application layer, ensure that you have added trusted IP addresses on the Settings -> Security tab of the administration console.
- Ensure that you are using a connection secured by an SSL certificate from a commercial, trusted CA. Salesforce does not currently accept self-signed certificates or internal CAs.
Ensure that the server you are hosting the API Server on is using TLS 1.1 or above. If you are using the .NET API Server, you can accomplish this by using the .NET API Server's embedded server.
If you are using IIS, TLS 1.1 and 1.2 are supported but not enabled by default. To enable these protocols, refer to the how-to on MSDN and the Microsoft technical reference.
If you are using the Java edition, note that TLS 1.2 is enabled by default in Java 8 but not in Java 6 or 7. If you are using these earlier versions, you can refer to this this Oracle how-to.
