Webhooks SQL Server Connection: 2 Easy Methods

MSSQL Server is feature-rich and provides tools for performing operations like business intelligence, transactional aspects, and analytical tasks. It accepts data from varied sources and connects Webhooks SQL server allows transferring data from webhooks.

The events act as a trigger to send notifications to destinations in the form of SMS which are very fast when compared to traditional methods like polling. By performing Webhooks SQL server connection, you can store this data of webhooks effectively and then perform analytics in order to find the most triggered events or impact of events on enterprises and many more.

This article will provide different methods to connect webhooks SQL Server.

What are Webhooks?

The automated messages that you receive after an event is triggered in an application or the interface of an application are called Webhooks. These messages are known as Payloads, which are sent to a specific URL. The URL may be the mobile device’s phone number mac address or application address. Webhooks follows the delivery system incorporated by SMS. This makes it faster than polling and also reduces the tasks of information transfer.

The architecture of software applications is employed by Webhooks, which enables it to send an electronic notification that is web-based whenever an event occurs in the application. Webhooks has the provision to modify the calls for each event that is triggered from the application interface. The triggers can be combined with events such as a new user entry into the system, order notification when it is placed, dispatched and delivered, and many more. 

Webhooks uses the concept of if this then that, known as IFTTT. This is when an event is triggered by the application then the webhook starts an API call, which connects to an external application. This permits the flow of information which flows from the application and ends at a third-party API. 

HTTP and HTTPS are used by Webhooks to transmit messages. It also utilizes POST commands to request URLs. The POST data message is accepted and understood by the API that is connected to the application. The data sent is in the form of JSON and XML. Webhooks can be used by creating small applications that accept HTTP requests. Webhooks can be made using serval languages like ASP.NET, the spark for java MVC for C#, and many more. Also, frameworks like symphony and Yii are used. 

Benefits of Webhooks

Webhooks enable the users to create custom notifications for event occurrences on software applications. The notifications can also be customized for changes that happen in an application. These changes could be real-time. It can also be combined with continuous integration platforms and then send real-time notifications. 

For example, if a build failure occurs there will be a push notification that the security team would receive so that the issue can be detected and solved in real-time. It also helps in the syncronization of systems and avoids the use of batch processing. 

Webhooks are a lot faster and more efficient than the polling process. The polling process requires the program to wait for 5-10 minutes after the trigger to call the API. Then API waits furthermore to add the newer APIs and then processes stats. This becomes a cumbersome and difficult task. The notifications and connections are done with ease in Webhooks.

Uses and examples of webhooks

Webhooks is the tool that provides the provision to make API accessible for real-time communications to happen. Communications are usually in formats of text-based responses between sender and receiver. The platforms that inculcate webhooks are Facebook, Github, Trello, and many more. 

Webhooks use case:

• Automated reminders on the email that is repetitive 
• The payment and transaction information is linked to wallets and bank servers routed through money payment platforms and apps. 
• The customer data is synchronized between varied applications. 

What is SQL Server?

SQL Server, also known as Microsoft SQL Server is a popular RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) platform that was developed by Microsoft and released on April 24, 1989. It is written in languages like C and C++. 

SQL servers architecture is based on the relational model created by E.F.Codd. the data is stored in structured formats in form of tables that have specific relations between each table. The data is organized in the form of rows and columns where each column represents a feature and the row represents the record.

Microsoft SQL Server offers varied versions that provide a plethora of functionalities. Some main versions are Express, Enterprise, Standard, Web, and Developer. 

To install SQL Server click here.

Key Features of SQL Server

The main features of SQL Server:

1) Cloud Database Support

Microsoft SQL Server has many versions that can be integrated with Azure SQL and Microsoft SQL. These versions have built-in security and is easy to manage. SQL server’s cloud database support enables it to be readily available and provides fast failover with minimum uptimes.

2) Ease of Management

Microsoft SQL server’s deployment and management is made easy using Kubernetes. It is easily combined and used with Windows and Linux systems.

3) High-Security

SQL Server has a high level of encryption that makes it very secure. The Schemas and tables can be protected easily using passwords and can only be accessed using access privileges only. 

4) End-to-End Business Data Solutions

SQL Server provides end-to-end solutions for business data solutions and focuses on commercial aspects as well. 

Microsoft SQL Server offers tools for Data Administration,  ETL solutions, Online Analytical Processing(OLAP), and Data Mining purposes. It additionally provides Option Reporting, Interactive Analysis, and Visual Data Exploration using SQL Server BI tools.

Methods for Webhooks SQL Server Connection

• Method 1: Simplify Webhooks SQL Server Connection By Eliminating The Need For Code
• Method 2: Using Enzo Online to connect Webhooks SQL Server

Method 1: Simplify Webhooks SQL Server Connection By Eliminating The Need For Code using Hevo

Hevo is the only real-time ELT No-code Data Pipeline Platform that cost-effectively automates Webhooks SQL Server data pipelines that are flexible to your needs. With integration with 150+ Data Sources (40+ free sources), we help you not only export data from sources & load data to the destinations but also transform & enrich your data, & make it analysis-ready.

All of this combined with transparent pricing and 24×7 support makes us the most loved data pipeline software on review sites.

It is a two-step process. 

• Step 1: Configuring the Webhooks as Source
• Step 2: Configuring MSSQL as the Destination

Step 1: Configuring the Webhooks as Source

Hevo has the provision to capture data on a REST endpoint which is routed through a Webhooks Source. The data that is pushed to the endpoint is readily available in the destination in real-time. Once the pipeline is created with Webhooks as a source, Hevo provides an HTTP endpoint. Below is a cURL example to send an event to a webhook URL endpoint.

curl -X POST  https://us-webhook.hevo.io/t/ABCDEF1234 
-d '[{
        "event":"an event name",
        "properties": {
            "a_string_property":"x",
            "a_integer_property":1,
            "a_boolean_property":true,
            "a_nested_property":{
                "a":"x",
                "b":1
            }
        }
    }, {
        "event":"an event name",
        "properties": {
            "a_string_property":"y",
            "a_integer_property":2,
            "a_boolean_property":false,
            "a_nested_property":{
                "a":"y",
                "b":2
            }
        }
    }]'

As you know Webhooks send information in form of a payload, the information sent to the URL consists of two keys

• event: Name of the event.
• properties: Properties of the event as a JSON object to be ingested into the pipelines.

Step 2: Configuring MSSQL as the Destination

Note: For adding the MSSQL Server as the destination for your SQL Server Webhook connection, the database must have CREATE TABLE, ALTER, SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and USAGE grants.

Step 1: Add Destination

You can use one of the following methods to configure the destination.

• After the source is selected for the data pipeline, you can click on ADD DESTINATION button to add SQL Server as the destination. 
• You can also move to the Asset palette and click on Destinations, In the Destinations List View click on the +CREATE button.

Step 2: Select Destination Type

• In the ADD DESTINATION page, select MS SQL SERVER. 
• You can also use the Search Destination Type search box to search for MS SQL SERVER.

Step 3: Configure MS SQL Server Connection Settings

On the next page alter the following parameters in order to configure MS SQL Server Destination.

• Destination Name: This parameter sets the name you give to your destination.
• Database Host: This parameter helps in setting the SQL Servers’ IP Address or DNS. 
• Database Port: This parameter determines the port that would be used by SQL Server to listen for connection. Default value: 1433
• Database User: This parameter adds a user having a non-administrative role in SQL Server.
• Database Password: The password for the destination.
• Database Name: This parameter is used to determine the name of the database where that data is loaded.
• Database Schema: The name of the Destination database schema (Default value: dbo)

Step 4: Test Connection

• After filling in the details, click on TEST CONNECTION to test connectivity to the Destination Postgres server.

Step 5: Save Connection

• Once the test is successful, save the connection by clicking on SAVE DESTINATION.

This concludes the Webhooks SQL Server integration process. This method requires very less effort and is the top recommendation. In case you want to visit the method with a lot more technical aspects along with limitations, here goes.

Some important features of Hevo are,

• Monitoring and Observability: Monitor pipeline health with intuitive dashboards that reveal every stat of pipeline and data flow. Bring real-time visibility into your ELT with Alerts and Activity Logs 
• Stay in Total Control: When automation isn’t enough, Hevo offers flexibility – data ingestion modes, ingestion, and load frequency, JSON parsing, destination workbench, custom schema management, and much more – for you to have total control.    
• Auto-Schema Management: Correcting improper schema after the data is loaded into your warehouse is challenging. Hevo automatically maps source schema with destination warehouse so that you don’t face the pain of schema errors.

Method 2: Using Enzo Online to connect Webhooks SQL Server

The Webhooks SQL Server is hosted on the tool called Enzo Online. 

Step 1: Configure Enzo Online

• For Webhooks SQL Server to be hosted on Enzo Online configure a connection string, and SQL server service. 
• For creating a connection string, you will require is SQL Servers connection string.

• Once the string for connection is generated next step is to create an SQL Server service.

Step 2: Configure SQL Server Service

• Select the connection string that was previously created in the connection section.
• Now you can make SQL requests to the database using HTTP commands.

Step 3: Trying Webhooks

• To make HTTP calls to Enzo, you will require two parts of information: Enzo Instance URL and Enzo Auth Token.
• You can find both these parameters in Enzo Accounts Menu.

Let’s test SQL Server access using Fiddler, a popular HTTP debugging tool. Start Fiddler and click on the Composer tab. Under the Parsed tab, enter the following information.

HTTP Type	GET
URL	https://daas001.enzounified.com/bsc/sqlserver/run
Headers	authToken: YOUR_ENZO_AUTH_TOKEN_config: azuredbsql: SELECT name FROM sys.tables

• You will now receive a JSON response from Enzo Online.

• In fact, you can pass all the parameters as an HTTP query, like this, and use your browser directly:

https://daas001.enzounified.com/bsc/sqlserver/run?_config=azuredb&sql=SELECT name FROM sys.tables&authToken=YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN 

As seen this method for Webhooks SQL Server requires a lot more technical understanding. Also, it requires more parameters to be tweaked. This results in unreliable connections. Also for each change, all the parameters need to be updated reducing efficiency. 

Limitations of Using Enzo Online to Connect Webhooks SQL Server

• There is a possibility of compromising data integrity while using Enzo, which acts as an intermediary tool. 
• Enzo Online may not support the entire range of SQL operations. You may need manual intervention for advanced querying. 
• Enzo Online introduces an additional layer of communication between webhooks and SQL servers, which may result in latency. 

Use Cases of Connecting Webhooks to SQL Server

Here are some applications for connecting Webhooks to SQL server:

• Multicast Architecture: Connecting Webhooks to SQL server enables to building of multicast architecture. It helps to send messages to multiple destinations at the same time. This helps in reducing latency. 
• Application Development: Webhooks pipelines send messages through simple HTTP requests. Thus, it makes application development cost-effective by lowering maintenance of messaging architecture
• Analytics: It streamlines your workflow by enabling automation and collaboration which helps to reduce latency and increases productivity.

Conclusion

Webhooks help in providing real-time communication to applications whenever an event is triggered. It is used by all major enterprises since it is faster than the polling process. MS SQL server is one of the top plates in Database Server solutions. It provides an end-to-end solution for enterprise data. When Webhooks SQL Server connection is made, all the webhooks information is transferred to SQL server, which allows performing analytics on information to gain insights like the most triggered part of the application, or time-frame that the triggers occur, and many more.

This article provided two methods to perform Webhooks SQL Server connection. The first Method is an easy-to-use, no-code solution that provides a  reliable connection. The second is a more hard-coded solution that requires more coding aspects and is not very reliable as it is prone to human errors. 

There are various trusted sources like Webhooks that companies use as it provides many benefits, but, transferring data from it into a data warehouse is a hectic task. The Automated data pipeline helps in solving this issue and this is where Hevo comes into the picture. Hevo is a No-code Data Pipeline and has awesome 150+ pre-built Integrations that you can choose from.

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Hevo will automate your data transfer process, hence allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business like Analytics, Customer Management, etc. Hevo provides a wide range of sources – 150+ Data Sources (including 40+ Free Sources) – that connect with over 15+ Destinations. It will provide you with a seamless experience and make your work life much easier.

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Share your experience of learning about the Webhooks SQL Server in the comments section below.