How to work with Bing Ads Data in Apache Spark using SQL

Apache Spark is a fast and general engine for large-scale data processing. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for Bing Ads, Spark can work with live Bing Ads data. This article describes how to connect to and query Bing Ads data from a Spark shell.

The CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Bing Ads data due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries to Bing Ads, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Bing Ads and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations (often SQL functions and JOIN operations) client-side. With built-in dynamic metadata querying, you can work with and analyze Bing Ads data using native data types.

Install the CData JDBC Driver for Bing Ads

Download the CData JDBC Driver for Bing Ads installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.

Start a Spark Shell and Connect to Bing Ads Data

1. Open a terminal and start the Spark shell with the CData JDBC Driver for Bing Ads JAR file as the jars parameter: $ spark-shell --jars /CData/CData JDBC Driver for Bing Ads/lib/cdata.jdbc.bingads.jar
2. With the shell running, you can connect to Bing Ads with a JDBC URL and use the SQL Context load() function to read a table.

   The Bing Ads APIs use the OAuth 2 standard. To authenticate, you will need valid Bing Ads OAuth credentials and you will need to obtain a developer token. See the Getting Started section in the Bing Ads data provider help documentation for an authentication guide.

   Built-in Connection String Designer

   For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Bing Ads JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.bingads.jar

   Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

   Configure the connection to Bing Ads, using the connection string generated above.

   scala> val bingads_df = spark.sqlContext.read.format("jdbc").option("url", "jdbc:bingads: OAuthClientId=MyOAuthClientId; OAuthClientSecret=MyOAuthClientSecret; CallbackURL=http://localhost:portNumber; AccountId=442311; CustomerId=5521444; DeveloperToken=11112332233;").option("dbtable","AdGroups").option("driver","cdata.jdbc.bingads.BingAdsDriver").load()
3. Once you connect and the data is loaded you will see the table schema displayed.

4. Register the Bing Ads data as a temporary table:

   scala> bingads_df.registerTable("adgroups")

5. Perform custom SQL queries against the Data using commands like the one below:

   scala> bingads_df.sqlContext.sql("SELECT Id, Name FROM AdGroups WHERE CampaignId = 234505536").collect.foreach(println)

   You will see the results displayed in the console, similar to the following:

Using the CData JDBC Driver for Bing Ads in Apache Spark, you are able to perform fast and complex analytics on Bing Ads data, combining the power and utility of Spark with your data. Download a free, 30 day trial of any of the 200+ CData JDBC Drivers and get started today.