How to load data from SFTP Bulk to Kafka

Learn how to use Airbyte to synchronize your SFTP Bulk data into Kafka within minutes.

Try Airbyte Cloud Manual method (the hard way)

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Set up a SFTP Bulk connector in Airbyte

Connect to or one of 400+ pre-built or 10,000+ custom connectors through simple account authentication.

Set up Kafka for your extracted SFTP Bulk data

Select where you want to import data from your source to. You can also choose other cloud data warehouses, databases, data lakes, vector databases, or any other supported Airbyte destinations.

Configure the SFTP Bulk to Kafka in Airbyte

This includes selecting the data you want to extract - streams and columns -, the sync frequency, where in the destination you want that data to be loaded.

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How to Sync to Manually

Step 1: Set Up Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) Access

Before transferring data, ensure you have valid credentials to access the SFTP server. This includes the hostname, username, password, and the path to the files. Test your connection using an SFTP client to verify access.

Step 2: Develop a Script to Download Files from SFTP

Create a shell script (or use Python with `pysftp` or Paramiko library) to automate the downloading of files from the SFTP server. The script should:
- Connect to the SFTP server using the credentials.
- Navigate to the directory containing the data files.
- Download the files to a local directory on your machine or server.

Step 3: Set Up Apache Kafka

Install and configure Apache Kafka on your local machine or server. This involves:
- Downloading Kafka binaries from the Apache Kafka website.
- Extracting the downloaded files.
- Configuring the `server.properties` file to set up the Kafka broker.
- Starting the Zookeeper server and Kafka broker using the provided shell scripts.

Step 4: Write a Producer Script for Kafka

Develop a script to read the downloaded files and produce messages to the Kafka topic. This can be done using a language like Python with the `kafka-python` library or Java with the Kafka client library. The script should:
- Read the contents of each downloaded file.
- Format the data as required (e.g., JSON, CSV).
- Send the data as messages to a specific Kafka topic.

Step 5: Create a Kafka Topic

Use the Kafka command-line tools to create a topic where the data will be published. This involves:
- Navigating to the Kafka installation directory.
- Using the `kafka-topics.sh` script to create a new topic with the desired name and configurations such as partitions and replication factor.

Step 6: Schedule the Scripts

Automate the process by scheduling the SFTP download and Kafka producer scripts using a task scheduler. On Unix-like systems, you can use `cron` jobs to schedule these scripts at regular intervals. Ensure:
- The download script runs first and completes before the producer script.
- Log the outputs for monitoring and troubleshooting.

Step 7: Monitor and Maintain

Regularly monitor the system for any failures or issues. This includes:
- Checking Kafka broker logs for errors.
- Ensuring the SFTP server is reachable and files are downloaded correctly.
- Verifying that messages are being published to Kafka and consumed as expected.
- Implementing alerts or notifications for any failures in the process.

By following these steps, you can effectively move data from an SFTP server to Kafka without relying on third-party connectors or integrations.