Impact of Switching Data Stores on Bold BI Dashboards

When managing dashboards in Bold BI, it’s important to understand the implications of changing the underlying data store. This article outlines the potential effects on dashboard widgets when switching from one data store to another, particularly focusing on the difference between extract mode and live mode data sources.

Understanding Data Source Modes in Bold BI

Bold BI offers two primary data source modes: extract mode and live mode. Each mode has its own set of characteristics and use cases.

Extract Mode

In extract mode, data is imported into the Bold BI server from the data source at scheduled intervals. This snapshot of data is then used to render the dashboard widgets. The key advantage of extract mode is that it can reduce the load on the data source and often results in faster dashboard performance since the data is already prepared and stored locally.

Live Mode

Live mode, on the other hand, queries the data source in real-time every time the dashboard is viewed or refreshed. This ensures that the dashboard displays the most up-to-date information directly from the data source. Live mode is ideal for scenarios where real-time data monitoring is crucial.

Effects of Switching Data Stores

When you switch the data store database, the impact on your dashboards and widgets will depend on the data source mode you are using:

• Extract Mode: If your data source is in extract mode, switching the data store will result in the loss of widget data. This is because the widgets are tied to the data snapshots that were imported from the original data store. When the data store is changed, these snapshots are no longer available, In order to restore the functionality of the dashboard and data source, we must initiate a data source refresh.

• Live Mode: If your data source is in live mode, you will not lose any widget data when switching data stores. Since live mode queries the data source in real-time, the widgets will continue to function as long as they can establish a connection to the new data store and the data structure/schema is compatible.

Additional References

• Difference between the live and extract mode data sources in Bold BI
• How is data processed in various modes of data sources?
• What are Server Configuration, Data Store Configuration and ID Databases?