Amazon Athena Connector for Python
Amazon Athena Connector allows to connect to serverless, interactive analytics service that provides a simplified and flexible way to analyze petabytes of data where it lives.
In this article you will learn how to quickly and efficiently integrate Amazon Athena data in Python. We will use high-performance Amazon Athena Connector to easily connect to Amazon Athena and then access the data inside Python.
Let's follow the steps below to see how we can accomplish that!
Amazon Athena Connector for Python is based on ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver which is part of ODBC PowerPack. It is a collection of high-performance ODBC drivers that enable you to integrate data in SQL Server, SSIS, a programming language, or any other ODBC-compatible application. ODBC PowerPack supports various file formats, sources and destinations, including REST/SOAP API, SFTP/FTP, storage services, and plain files, to mention a few.
Prerequisites
Before we begin, make sure you meet the following prerequisite: Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK) must be installed on your system.
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Minimum required version: Java 8
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Recommended Java version: Java 21
If your JDBC Driver targets a different Java version (e.g., 11 / 17 / 21), install the corresponding or newer Java version.
Download Amazon Athena JDBC driver
To connect to Amazon Athena in , you will have to download JDBC driver for it, which we will use in later steps. Let's perform these little steps right away:
- Visit Amazon Athena official website.
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Download the JDBC driver, and save it locally,
e.g. to
D:\Drivers\JDBC\athena-jdbc.jar. - Done! That was easy, wasn't it? Let's proceed to the next step.
Create ODBC Data Source (DSN) based on ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver
Step-by-step instructions
To get data from Amazon Athena using Python we first need to create a DSN (Data Source) which will access data from Amazon Athena. We will later be able to read data using Python. Perform these steps:
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Download and install ODBC PowerPack.
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Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):
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Create a User data source (User DSN) based on ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver:
ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver
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Create and use User DSN
if the client application is run under a User Account.
This is an ideal option
in design-time , when developing a solution, e.g. in Visual Studio 2019. Use it for both type of applications - 64-bit and 32-bit. -
Create and use System DSN
if the client application is launched under a System Account, e.g. as a Windows Service.
Usually, this is an ideal option to use
in a production environment . Use ODBC Data Source Administrator (32-bit), instead of 64-bit version, if Windows Service is a 32-bit application.
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Create and use User DSN
if the client application is run under a User Account.
This is an ideal option
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Now, we need to configure the JDBC connection in the new ODBC data source. Simply enter the Connection string, credentials, configure other settings, and then click Test Connection button to test the connection:
AmazonAthenaDSNjdbc:athena://WorkGroup=primary;Region=us-east-1;Catalog=MyAwsDataCatalog;OutputLocation=s3://my-s3-bucket/;com.amazon.athena.jdbc.AthenaDriverD:\Drivers\JDBC\athena-jdbc.jarAKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE******************************[]
Use these values when setting parameters:
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Connection string :jdbc:athena://WorkGroup=primary;Region=us-east-1;Catalog=MyAwsDataCatalog;OutputLocation=s3://my-s3-bucket/; -
Driver class :com.amazon.athena.jdbc.AthenaDriver -
JDBC driver file(s) :D:\Drivers\JDBC\athena-jdbc.jar -
User name :AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE -
User password :****************************** -
Connection parameters :[]
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You should see a message saying that connection test is successful:
Otherwise, if you are getting an error, check out our Community for troubleshooting tips.
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We are at the point where we can preview a SQL query. For more SQL query examples visit JDBC Bridge documentation:
AmazonAthenaDSNSELECT * FROM "r53_rlogs" ORDER BY query_timestamp DESC
SELECT * FROM "r53_rlogs" ORDER BY query_timestamp DESCYou can also click on the <Select Table> dropdown and select a table from the list.The ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver acts as a transparent intermediary, passing SQL queries directly to the JDBC driver, which then handles the query execution. This means the Bridge Driver simply relays the SQL query without altering it.
Some JDBC drivers don't support
INSERT/UPDATE/DELETEstatements, so you may get an error saying "action is not supported" or a similar one. Please, be aware, this is not the limitation of ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver, but is a limitation of the specific JDBC driver you are using. -
Click OK to finish creating the data source.
Video Tutorial
Read data in Python
Using ODBC DSN
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Use this code snippet to read the data using
AmazonAthenaDSNdata source:AmazonAthenaDSN')
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When you run the code it will make the API call and read the data:
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Here is Python program's code in text format:
import pyodbc conn = pyodbc.connect('DSN=AmazonAthenaDSN') cursor = conn.cursor() #execute query to fetch data from API service cursor.execute("SELECT id,title FROM products") row = cursor.fetchone() while row: print(row) row = cursor.fetchone() ##For loop example #for row in cursor: # print(row)
Using a full ODBC connection string
If you want to avoid being dependent on a DSN and creating multiple DSNs for each platform (x86, x64), then you can use a fully qualified connection string. Simply go to your DSN and copy the Connection String:
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Open ODBC data source configuration and click Copy settings:
ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver - Amazon AthenaAmazon Athena Connector allows to connect to serverless, interactive analytics service that provides a simplified and flexible way to analyze petabytes of data where it lives.AmazonAthenaDSN
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The window opens, telling us the connection string was successfully copied to the clipboard:
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Then in your Python code use Connection String when initializing OdbcConnection object, for example:
conn = pyodbc.connect('DRIVER={ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver};ServiceUrl=https://yourservices.provider.com/api/xxxx....;AuthName=Http;')
How to install `pyodbc` in the Python?
You would need to install pyodbc in Python if you intend to establish connections to databases that support ODBC (Open Database Connectivity). This module facilitates communication between Python applications and various database management systems, enabling you to perform operations such as querying, retrieving data, and managing databases. Here's how you can install pyodbc in Python:
Installation Steps:
Ensure you have Python installed on your system. If not, download it from the official Python website and follow the installation instructions.
Open your terminal or command prompt.
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Use the following command to install
pyodbcusing pip, the Python package installer:python -m pip install "pyodbc"Make sure you have a stable internet connection and the necessary permissions to install Python packages.
Reasons to Install:
- If pyodbc is not installed, your Python script will generate the following error:
"ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pyodbc'"
. Database Connectivity:
pyodbcallows Python to connect to various databases that support ODBC, such as Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and more.Data Operations: It facilitates the execution of SQL queries, retrieval of data, and other database operations from within Python scripts.
Cross-Platform Support:
pyodbcis designed to work across different operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions.Simplicity and Efficiency: The module provides an intuitive interface for managing database transactions and connections, simplifying the process of working with databases in Python.
By installing pyodbc, you can seamlessly integrate your Python applications with a wide range of ODBC-supported databases, enabling efficient and effective data management and analysis.
Centralized data access via Data Gateway
In some situations, you may need to provide Amazon Athena data access to multiple users or services. Configuring the data source on a Data Gateway creates a single, centralized connection point for this purpose.
This configuration provides two primary advantages:
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Centralized data access
The data source is configured once on the gateway, eliminating the need to set it up individually on each user's machine or application. This significantly simplifies the management process.
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Centralized access control
Since all connections route through the gateway, access can be governed or revoked from a single location for all users.
| Data Gateway |
Local ODBC
data source
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Simple configuration | ||
| Installation | Single machine | Per machine |
| Connectivity | Local and remote | Local only |
| Connections limit | Limited by License | Unlimited |
| Central data access | ||
| Central access control | ||
| More flexible cost |
If you need any of these requirements, you will have to create a data source in Data Gateway to connect to Amazon Athena, and to create an ODBC data source to connect to Data Gateway in Python.
Let's not wait and get going!
Creating Amazon Athena data source in Gateway
In this section we will create a data source for Amazon Athena in Data Gateway. Let's follow these steps to accomplish that:
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Search for
gatewayin Windows Start Menu and open ZappySys Data Gateway Configuration:
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Go to Users tab and follow these steps to add a Data Gateway user:
- Click Add button
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In Login field enter username, e.g.,
john - Then enter a Password
- Check Is Administrator checkbox
- Click OK to save
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Now we are ready to add a data source:
- Click Add button
- Give Datasource a name (have it handy for later)
- Then select Native - ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver
- Finally, click OK
AmazonAthenaDSNZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver
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When the ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver configuration window opens, configure the Data Source the same way you configured it in ODBC Data Sources (64-bit), in the beginning of this article.
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Very important step. Now, after creating or modifying the data source make sure you:
- Click the Save button to persist your changes.
- Hit Yes, once asked if you want to restart the Data Gateway service.
This will ensure all changes are properly applied:
Skipping this step may result in the new settings not taking effect and, therefore you will not be able to connect to the data source.
Creating ODBC data source for Data Gateway
In this part we will create ODBC data source to connect to Data Gateway from Python. To achieve that, let's perform these steps:
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Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):
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Create a User data source (User DSN) based on ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server:
ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server
If you don't see ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server driver in the list, choose a similar version driver. -
Then set a Name of the data source (e.g.
Gateway) and the address of the Data Gateway:GatewayDSNlocalhost,5000
Make sure you separate the hostname and port with a comma, e.g.localhost,5000. -
Proceed with authentication part:
- Select SQL Server authentication
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In Login ID field enter the user name you used in Data Gateway, e.g.,
john - Set Password to the one you configured in Data Gateway
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Then set the default database property to
AmazonAthenaDSN(the one we used in Data Gateway):AmazonAthenaDSN
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Continue by checking Trust server certificate option:
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Once you do that, test the connection:
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If connection is successful, everything is good:
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Done!
We are ready to move to the final step. Let's do it!
Accessing data in Python via Data Gateway
Finally, we are ready to read data from Amazon Athena in Python via Data Gateway. Follow these final steps:
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Go back to Python.
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Use this code snippet to read the data using
GatewayDSNdata source:GatewayDSN')
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Read the data the same way we discussed at the beginning of this article.
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That's it!
Now you can connect to Amazon Athena data in Python via the Data Gateway.
john and your password.
Troubleshooters & resources (JDBC Bridge Driver)
Below are some useful community articles to help you troubleshoot and configure the ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver:
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How to combine multiple JAR files
Learn how to merge multiple
.jardependencies when your JDBC driver requires more than one file. -
How to fix JBR error: “Data lake is not available / Unable to verify trust for server certificate chain”
Resolve SSL or certificate validation issues encountered during JDBC connections.
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System Exception: “Java is not installed or not accessible”
Fix Java path or environment issues that prevent the JDBC Bridge from launching Java.
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JDBC Bridge Driver disconnect from Java host error
Troubleshoot unexpected disconnection problems between SSIS and the Java process.
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Error: Could not open jvm.cfg while using JDBC Bridge Driver
Resolve JVM configuration path errors during driver initialization.
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How to enable JDBC Bridge Driver logging
Enable detailed driver logging for better visibility during troubleshooting.
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How to pass JDBC connection parameters (not by URL)
Learn how to specify connection properties programmatically instead of embedding them in the JDBC URL.
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How to fix JDBC Bridge error: “No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it”
Troubleshoot firewall or local port binding issues preventing communication with the Java host.
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How to use JDBC Bridge options (System Property for Java command line, e.g., classpath, proxy)
Configure custom Java options like classpath and proxy using JDBC Bridge system properties.
Conclusion
In this article we showed you how to connect to Amazon Athena in Python and integrate data without any coding, saving you time and effort. It's worth noting that ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver allows you to connect not only to Amazon Athena, but to any Java application that supports JDBC (just use a different JDBC driver and configure it appropriately).
We encourage you to download Amazon Athena Connector for Python and see how easy it is to use it for yourself or your team.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact ZappySys support team. You can also open a live chat immediately by clicking on the chat icon below.
Download Amazon Athena Connector for Python Documentation