Database data sets are data sets that are created by connecting the platform directly to an external database. The data remains in the database and is accessed on demand for visualization and analysis.
Like file-based data sets, database data sets contain spatio-temporal data that can be used throughout the platform. However, there are several important differences in how they are created, managed, and analyzed.
The platform supports two main types of data sets:
File-based (native) data sets Created by uploading files to the platform. These data sets are processed and stored internally.
Database data sets Created by connecting to an existing external database. The platform reads data directly from database tables.
Compared to file-based data sets, database data sets have the following characteristics:
They are created externally before being added to the platform. You are responsible for creating tables, loading data, and defining appropriate indexes to ensure good performance.
They are read-only from the platform’s perspective. The platform never writes data back to the database and therefore does not require write permissions.
They do not require processing. Data is consumed in its final form as provided by the database.
They support a limited subset of data set types and analytics (see below).
They do not support the concept of data stores.
They only support historical data. Database contents must remain static after the initial configuration; real-time updates are not supported.
The table below shows which data set types are supported by file-based and database data sets.
| Data set type | File-based data sets | Database data sets |
|---|---|---|
Geometry data |
✔ |
✔ |
Time series data |
✔ |
✔ |
Points data |
✔ |
❌ |
Movement data |
✔ |
❌ |
Movement path data |
✔ |
✔ |
Some limitations apply when analyzing database data sets. The following table compares which types of analytics are available for file-based and database data sets.
| Analytics type | File-based data sets | Database data sets |
|---|---|---|
Visual analytics |
✔ |
✔ |
Trend analytics |
✔ |
✔ |
Categorized trend analytics |
✔ |
❌ |
Distribution analytics |
✔ |
✔ |
Origin-destination analytics (movement path data) |
✔ |
✔ |
Origin-destination analytics, precomputed (time series data) |
❌ |
✔ |
Dwell time analytics |
✔ |
❌ |
TX diagrams |
✔ |
✔ |
The following capabilities are currently not supported for database data sets:
Asset route filters, except for single area-based through filters (for example, those commonly used in selected link analysis)
Real-time data
Travel time computations