AI Data Access Strategy​

Accessing data for AI applications can be done either through an API or by directly accessing the database. Direct Database Access has many disadvantages and is not receommended.

EasyManage AI Strategy​

Accessing Data via MCP Server & API is highly recommended over direct database access. Hence we have adopted this strategy in Easymanage AI.

Zero-Copy Access to Data: Access data in real-time from multiple different databases at the same time, without data movement or copies.

Please find details on these methods.

AI Data Access Methods via API Vs Direct​

Accessing Data via MCP Server & API​

Advantages​

• Security and Access Control: APIs provide a controlled interface, allowing granular access permissions to specific data and operations, reducing the risk of unauthorized access or malicious queries.
• Abstraction and Simplicity: APIs abstract the complexity of the underlying database structure, offering a simplified and consistent interface for data retrieval, regardless of the database technology.
• Encapsulation of Logic: APIs can embed business logic and data transformations, ensuring data consistency and reducing the need for complex logic within the AI application.
• Scalability and Performance Optimization: APIs can be designed to optimize queries and data retrieval processes, potentially improving performance and scalability, especially in distributed systems.
• Version Control and Evolution: APIs allow for versioning, enabling updates and changes to the underlying data structure or logic without breaking existing AI applications.

Disadvantages​

EasyManage address some of the API approach disadvantages through solutions.

• Limited Flexibility for Custom Queries: Custom or complex queries might be more challenging to execute compared to direct database access.

  • Solution: Flexible SQL-like querying via APIs feature.

• Development and Maintenance Effort: Creating and maintaining APIs requires development effort.

  • Solution: No-Code Generate API, MCP Server.

• Performance Overhead: due to the additional layer of communication.

Accessing Data via Direct Database Access​

Advantages​

• Maximum Flexibility for Custom Queries: Direct access allows for highly customized and complex queries.
• Potentially Higher Performance for Large Datasets
• Direct Control over Data: Developers have direct control over data manipulation.

Disadvantages​

• Security Risks: Direct database access can expose sensitive information and increase the risk of unauthorized access or accidental data corruption.
• Complexity and Dependence on Database Knowledge: Requires a deeper understanding of the database schema and query language, increasing the learning curve and potential for errors.
• Maintenance Challenges: Changes to the database schema can directly impact the AI application, requiring updates to queries and potentially breaking functionality.
• Scalability Challenges: Managing direct database connections and ensuring performance can become more complex in highly scalable or distributed AI systems.

Zero Copy​

Zero copy architecture ensures AI agents access to real-time data without copy or moving, but with governance and security in place. There are RBAC models and access control that these agents have to adhere to.

Zero copy architecture is preferred approach for enterprise AI transformation.

Get fully-featured, secure, and fast REST APIs for Snowflake in 1 hour!

Get REST APIs on Snowflake in 1 Hour​

Instant REST APIs​

EasyManage generates your REST APIs based on your Snowflake tables and views, and gives you flexible, fully-featured REST APIs in an hour. No more coding backend manually.

Inbuilt Authorization​

• Easily configure role-based authorization and granular access authorizations.
• Use out-of-box authentication or Integrate with your custom authentication system to easily create a secured REST API backend.

More Details​

For working with Snowflake - you can use work around solution in EasyManage Builder For Import Tables.

Please refer to:

• How to Use? Snowflake
  • Please see Snowflake To PostgreSQL data type mapping
  • Migrate snowflake schema to postgres and proceed to build APIs. Then at runtime, edit configuration to RUN APIs against your Snowflake instance.

More Details on using Postgres work around​

For PostgreSQL details refer to PostgreSQL sections in:

Building With Databases Reference​

PostgreSQL Databases Data Types Mapping to EasyManage Types​

Database API Reference​

Database Feature Reference​