Create a database connection for a public secure connections instance

Looker (Google Cloud core) must be connected to a database to let users explore data and create content. Learn how to create a database connection for a Looker (Google Cloud core) public secure connections instance to use as the basis for any LookML project, or for a specific LookML project.

See the Connecting Looker (Google Cloud core) to your database documentation page for instructions on creating a database connection to an instance configured for private connections. See the BigQuery default connection for Looker (Google Cloud core) quickstart to use the BigQuery Quickstart Connection to create a default BigQuery connection that can use Application Default Credentials.

Before you begin

To follow along with this quickstart, you'll need a database dialect that is compatible with Looker (Google Cloud core). For a list of compatible dialects, see Supported dialects for Looker (Google Cloud core).

Required roles

To complete this quickstart, you need the appropriate Identity and Access Management (IAM) role and Looker role.

Identity and Access Management roles

Your Looker (Google Cloud core) administrator grants you access to the Looker (Google Cloud core) application through Google Cloud's Identity and Access Management system.

To get the permission that you need to access the Looker (Google Cloud core) application, ask your administrator to grant you the Looker Instance User (roles/looker.instanceUser) IAM role on the Google Cloud project that contains the Looker (Google Cloud core) instance. For more information about granting roles, see Manage access to projects, folders, and organizations.

This predefined role contains the looker.instances.login permission, which is required to access the Looker (Google Cloud core) application.

You might also be able to get this permission with custom roles or other predefined roles.

Looker permissions

You must have the Looker Admin role or have the manage_project_connections Looker permission.

Navigate to the Connect your database to Looker page

  1. On the Looker (Google Cloud core) homepage, click the Create button in the main navigation menu to open the drop-down menu.
  2. From the drop-down menu, select Connection to open the Connect your database to Looker page.

Create your database connection

On the Connect your database to Looker page, complete the following steps:

  1. In the Name section, enter a name for your connection. This name will appear in the Connection field of the Create a Model page, as well as the Connections page.

  2. In the Connection Scope section, select All Projects to create a connection that will be used for all LookML projects in your Looker (Google Cloud core) instance, or select Selected Project to create a connection that will be used only for the LookML project that you specify.

  3. If you chose Selected Project in the Connection Scope section, select the project that you want to use this connection for.

  4. In the Dialect section, choose the appropriate dialect for your database. You can also begin typing the dialect name and Looker will display suggestions for the dialect names that match what you've typed.

  5. Once you select a dialect for the connection, Looker displays the connection settings fields that apply to your database dialect. Fill in the subsequent settings that Looker displays:

  6. In the Optional Settings section, expand or collapse the sections to see and configure the available options for your database connection. You can also click Expand all to expand all the sections.

  7. To test your connection configuration settings, click Test. If your connection is configured correctly, you'll see a green check mark.

  8. To create your connection, click Create.

You can view and manage the connection on the Connections admin page.

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