Atlas SQL Interface MongoSQL
Parent: MongoDB BI Connector and SQL Access · Published reference · snapshot 2026-09-08 · skill mongodb-atlas-expert/references/mongodb-bi-connector.md
↓ Facts as markdownall context files
Two distinct approaches for SQL-based BI tool integration with MongoDB:
These notes link each claim to its source. Some citations identify archived research reports that are no longer hosted on this site. A published reference means the content is available; it does not certify independent review or accuracy.Read the editorial policy and follow the sources before relying on a claim.
Overview
- Two distinct approaches for SQL-based BI tool integration with MongoDB: [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#overview]
- Legacy BI Connector (mongosqld): EOL September 2026. Self-hosted translation layer. [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#overview]
- Atlas SQL Interface (current): Managed service via Atlas Data Federation. Certified connectors for Tableau and Power BI. [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#overview]
What It Is
- A self-hosted binary (mongosqld) that acts as a MySQL-protocol SQL translation layer in front of MongoDB. BI tools connect via ODBC/JDBC as if connecting to a MySQL database. [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#what-it-is]
DRDL Schema Files
- mongosqld uses DRDL (Document Relational Definition Language) files to define the SQL schema mapping: [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#drdl-schema-files]
EOL Timeline
- September 2026: BI Connector reaches end-of-life; mongosqld will no longer be supported or updated [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#eol-timeline]
- Migration: All customers should migrate to Atlas SQL Interface (if on Atlas) or third-party tools (Hasura, DBeaver, etc.) [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#eol-timeline]
Architecture
- Atlas SQL Interface uses Atlas Data Federation (FDI) as its query engine. No self-hosted binary needed. [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#architecture-1]
Certified Connectors
- Custom connector in the Tableau Exchange or direct download [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#certified-connectors]
- Supports Tableau Desktop, Tableau Server, Tableau Prep [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#certified-connectors]
- Tableau Cloud: check current status (in progress as of 2025) [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#certified-connectors]
- Driver: JDBC or MongoDB ODBC Driver (Windows/Linux/macOS) [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#certified-connectors]
- Certified by Microsoft; available in Microsoft AppSource [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#certified-connectors]
- Supports DirectQuery (live Atlas queries) and Import mode [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#certified-connectors]
- Driver: MongoDB ODBC Driver [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#certified-connectors]
- Via ODBC connection with MongoDB ODBC Driver [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#certified-connectors]
- Windows only (ODBC data source configuration) [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#certified-connectors]
JDBC Connection
- Connection setup in Tableau: [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#jdbc-connection]
- Select "Other Databases (JDBC)" connector [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#jdbc-connection]
- URL: jdbc:mongodb://atlas-sql-<fdi-id>.mongodb.net:27017/<database>?ssl=true [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#jdbc-connection]
- Class name: com.mongodb.mongosql.MongoSQLDriver [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#jdbc-connection]
ODBC Connection (Power BI / Excel)
- Download MongoDB ODBC Driver 2.0+ [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#odbc-connection-power-bi-excel]
- In Windows ODBC Data Source Administrator: Add new DSN [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#odbc-connection-power-bi-excel]
- Server: atlas-sql-<fdi-id>.mongodb.net [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#odbc-connection-power-bi-excel]
- Database: <virtual database name> [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#odbc-connection-power-bi-excel]
- Authentication: username/password [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#odbc-connection-power-bi-excel]
DirectQuery vs Import Mode (Power BI)
- DirectQuery performance depends on Atlas query performance. Index optimization applies here too - slow MQL = slow DirectQuery. [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#directquery-vs-import-mode-power-bi]
Atlas Cluster Requirements
- Atlas clusters: MongoDB 5.0+ [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#atlas-cluster-requirements]
- Self-managed Enterprise: MongoDB 6.0+ (JDBC/ODBC 3.0.1+) [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#atlas-cluster-requirements]
- Data Federation is provisioned automatically when Atlas SQL Interface is enabled [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#atlas-cluster-requirements]
Cost
- Atlas SQL Interface incurs Data Federation query processing costs: [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#cost]
- $5.00/TB of data processed per query [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#cost]
- Partition strategy and Parquet format reduce costs significantly [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#cost]
- DirectQuery workloads (multiple users, frequent refreshes) accumulate more data processed charges than scheduled Import [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#cost]
Pre-migration checklist
- Verify cluster is on MongoDB 5.0+ [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#pre-migration-checklist]
- Enable Atlas Data Federation on the project [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#pre-migration-checklist]
- Map DRDL schema columns to Atlas SQL Interface schema (jsonSchema format) [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#pre-migration-checklist]
- Update BI tool connection: switch from mongosqld host to FDI hostname [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#pre-migration-checklist]
Schema Migration
- DRDL columns → jsonSchema properties: [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#schema-migration]
Anti-Patterns
- Using BI Connector for new deployments (post-2024): EOL is September 2026; invest in Atlas SQL Interface [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#anti-patterns]
- DirectQuery without optimizing MongoDB indexes: Every Power BI interaction queries Atlas live; unindexed queries = slow dashboards [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#anti-patterns]
- Schema auto-infer on heterogeneous collections: Auto-infer samples 1,000 documents and may miss fields in outliers; validate schema explicitly for production [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#anti-patterns]
- Not setting a Data Federation query byte limit: Runaway DirectQuery workloads can drive significant $5/TB costs [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#anti-patterns]
References
- BI Connector Documentation (Legacy) [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#references]
- Atlas SQL Interface [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#references]
- Atlas SQL JDBC Driver [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#references]
- Atlas SQL ODBC Driver [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#references]
- BI Connector EOL Announcement [archived source: https://llms-explorer.com/sources/mdb-context-hub/mongodb-bi-connector/#references]
Where this helps
- Connecting a BI tool like Tableau or Power BI to MongoDB via SQL when the team needs a managed, non-self-hosted path instead of running the legacy mongosqld binary. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Planning a migration off the legacy BI Connector before its September 2026 end-of-life, since mongosqld will no longer be supported or updated after that date. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Deciding between DirectQuery (always live against Atlas) and Import mode in Power BI, understanding that DirectQuery performance depends directly on the same MQL index optimization that would matter for any other query. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Estimating and controlling Data Federation query-processing cost ($5.00/TB processed) before turning on a DirectQuery workload with multiple concurrent users and frequent refreshes. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
Project ideas
- Migrate an existing BI Connector (mongosqld) deployment to the Atlas SQL Interface, following the pre-migration checklist: confirm MongoDB 5.0+, enable Atlas Data Federation, and map DRDL schema columns to the new jsonSchema format. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Set up a certified Power BI or Tableau connection via the MongoDB ODBC or JDBC driver against an Atlas SQL Interface (FDI) hostname, and validate DirectQuery performance against the underlying collection's indexes. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Build a Data Federation cost guardrail by setting a query-byte limit, so a runaway DirectQuery workload with frequent refreshes can't silently drive up the $5/TB processing charge. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Explicitly validate a heterogeneous collection's schema instead of relying on Atlas SQL Interface's default 1,000-document auto-infer sample, which can miss fields that only appear in outlier documents. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
Common mistakes
- Standing up a new BI Connector (mongosqld) deployment today instead of building directly on the Atlas SQL Interface, given the legacy connector's September 2026 EOL. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Running DirectQuery workloads against unindexed MongoDB queries — every Power BI interaction queries Atlas live, so an unindexed query becomes a slow dashboard, not just a slow one-off query. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Trusting the default 1,000-document schema auto-infer for a heterogeneous collection in production without validating it — it can miss fields that only show up in outlier documents. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Turning on DirectQuery for a high-refresh, multi-user dashboard without setting a Data Federation query-byte limit, letting cost accumulate unnoticed at $5.00/TB processed. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
Known issues
- The legacy BI Connector requires Windows for its ODBC data-source configuration, which is a platform constraint some customers won't discover until they try to set it up on Linux or macOS. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Self-managed Enterprise deployments need MongoDB 6.0+ and JDBC/ODBC driver 3.0.1+ to use the Atlas SQL Interface pattern — the version floor is stricter than the 5.0+ required for Atlas clusters themselves. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Tableau Cloud support status for the certified connector was still being checked as of this pack's generation ('in progress as of 2025'), so it shouldn't be assumed available without verifying current status. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.
- Data Federation query cost isn't a flat fee — it scales with data processed per query, so partition strategy and Parquet format choices materially affect ongoing cost, not just initial setup. [source] — AI-suggested, synthesized from this pack's existing facts — not extracted from a source document.