What does Atlan crawl from SqlDBM?
Learn which Atlan assets receive SqlDBM Model Governance values, how SqlDBM matches objects, which field types pair with which custom metadata types, and the limits that apply.
The SqlDBM integration syncs the values of Model Governance fields on a SqlDBM project with custom metadata on the matching warehouse assets in Atlan. On push, other SqlDBM fields, such as content fields, can be mapped as well.
SqlDBM doesn't crawl anything into Atlan and doesn't create assets. Values land on assets that already exist in both SqlDBM and Atlan, matched by name within the parent object inside one database.
Asset types
An Atlan mapping in SqlDBM targets one database inside one connection. Within that database, SqlDBM writes values on the following asset types:
| Atlan asset type | Description |
|---|---|
Schema | Schema within the mapped database. Receives values from SqlDBM fields applicable to objects, when the Atlan property applies to schemas. |
Table | Table within a schema. Receives values from SqlDBM fields applicable to objects. |
View | View within a schema. Receives values from SqlDBM fields applicable to objects. |
Column | Column on a table or view. Receives values from SqlDBM fields applicable to columns. |
The mapped database itself receives no values. SqlDBM offers a property for mapping only when Atlan reports it as applicable to tables or columns on the selected connection.
How objects are matched
| SqlDBM object | Matched to the Atlan asset by |
|---|---|
| Schema | Name, within the mapped database |
| Table or view | Schema and name |
| Column | Table and name |
Matching is automatic. A different casing on one side, or a schema that exists on one side only, are the usual reasons an object stays unmatched. Review unmatched objects on the mapping's Objects tab in SqlDBM.
Supported databases
SqlDBM projects target the databases below. Values sync to each wherever you also catalog it with the corresponding Atlan connector. The integration works with any Atlan connection that catalogs a database, schema, table, and column hierarchy, but only Snowflake has been exercised end to end so far.
| SqlDBM project type | Atlan connector |
|---|---|
| Snowflake | Snowflake |
| Databricks | Databricks |
| Google BigQuery | Google BigQuery |
| Amazon Redshift | Amazon Redshift |
| Azure Synapse | Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics |
| Microsoft SQL Server | Microsoft SQL Server |
| PostgreSQL | PostgreSQL |
| AlloyDB | AlloyDB for PostgreSQL |
| MySQL | MySQL |
| Oracle | Oracle |
| Teradata | Teradata |
For the current list of project types, see Supported databases on SqlDBM's support site.
Metadata fields
SqlDBM doesn't ship a fixed set of custom metadata. The properties it populates are the ones you define in Atlan and map from your own Model Governance fields, such as sensitivity, validation status, or model layer. See Model Governance fields on SqlDBM's support site for how fields are defined.
On push, SqlDBM content fields can also be mapped to a custom metadata property. A pull fills Model Governance fields only.
Field and property types
Each SqlDBM field must be mapped to an Atlan property of a pairing type. A mismatched pair is accepted in the mapping, but its values are skipped on push and the run report says so.
| SqlDBM field type | Atlan property type |
|---|---|
| Text | Text. Integer, Decimal, and Date properties also accept text fields; the value is sent as text and converted. |
| URL | URL, or Text. |
| Checkbox | Boolean. |
| Dropdown | Options, without Allow multiple values. |
| Multiselect | Options, with Allow multiple values. |
SqlDBM's contact-backed fields (business owner, data steward, technical contact) reference a contacts registry rather than holding text. Confirm with SqlDBM how they map before relying on them.
Push behavior
- A push writes each object's mapped values onto its Atlan asset and merges with what's already there. Properties you didn't map are left alone.
- An empty Text or URL field clears the property in Atlan. An unchecked Checkbox or an empty Dropdown is sent as no value.
- A dropdown or multiselect value the Atlan property doesn't offer yet is added as an option, but only on a SqlDBM-owned structure. On a structure owned by another tool the value is skipped, and the run report asks you to add the option in Atlan.
- On a SqlDBM-owned structure, SqlDBM adds your connection to a property's Connections on first push. Atlan takes 30 to 60 seconds to reflect the change. On other structures the value lands but doesn't display until an Atlan admin adds the connection.
Pull behavior
- A pull reads every schema, table, view, and column in the mapped database in one pass.
- Assets deleted in Atlan since the last discovery appear in the run report as not returned. Their values in SqlDBM are left untouched.
- Nothing changes in SqlDBM until a user reviews the comparison screen and applies the result.
Limits
| Topic | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Request rate | SqlDBM paces its calls to your workspace at about 180 per minute across an operation and backs off on Atlan's rate-limit responses. A large push or pull takes minutes, not seconds. |
| Push size | Up to 400 objects per request. Larger pushes run in the background in batches. |
| Database size | SqlDBM reads schemas, tables, and columns in pages of 1,000. A large database can exceed the pull ceiling. The message names the database and asks you to reduce scope or contact SqlDBM support. |
| Number and date values | Sent as text and converted. A value that isn't valid for the property is skipped with value not convertible. Dates travel as epoch milliseconds. |
| Special characters | Angle brackets and ampersands in text are escaped on the wire and arrive intact in Atlan. |
| Concurrency | A push and a pull on the same database never overlap, and neither do pushes from two projects. The second operation is refused with a busy message. Try again when the first one finishes. |
Out of scope
- It doesn't create connections, custom metadata structures, or properties in Atlan.
- It doesn't publish the SqlDBM model itself. Entities, attributes, relationships, and versions from a SqlDBM project don't appear as data model assets in Atlan through this integration. To bring a logical or physical model into Atlan, see Data model ingestion.
- It doesn't write Atlan's built-in description, owners, tags, or terms. Only custom metadata values move.
- It doesn't run on a schedule. Every push and pull is started by a user in SqlDBM.
See also
- Set up SqlDBM: Prepare Atlan and connect it from the SqlDBM dashboard.
- Push and pull: Who starts a sync and what a pull can change.
- Atlan Integration (support.sqldbm.com): The SqlDBM-side reference, maintained by SqlDBM.