Open-Source Trino ODBC Driver for MinIO/StorageGRID Integration

Technical Guide: Implementing the Open-Source Trino ODBC Driver for MinIO/StorageGRID Integration



Welcome to this implementation guide for the Trino ODBC driver, designed to integrate seamlessly with MinIO and StorageGRID systems. We have developed this resource to provide you with clear, actionable instructions for implementing, configuring, and optimizing the driver for enhanced data operations in S3-compatible storage environments.

Within this guide, you will find detailed information covering key implementation aspects, from initial driver installation across various platforms to advanced configuration settings. We address critical components including system setup, authentication protocols, and performance optimization strategies, complemented by verification procedures to ensure proper deployment.

This resource is crafted for technical professionals, including database administrators and system architects, who are responsible for establishing robust connections between analytics platforms and object storage systems via Trino’s distributed SQL query engine.

The GitHub repository hosts our open-source ODBC driver for Trino, facilitating efficient data connectivity with MinIO or StorageGRID. In the following sections, we present a structured approach to implementing and configuring the driver for optimal data operations in S3-compatible storage environments.


1. Setup and Installation

Step 1: Clone the Repository

Clone the Trino ODBC driver source code:

git clone <https://github.com/skilld-labs/trino-odbc.git>
cd trino-odbc

Prerequisites

Before compiling, ensure you have the following installed:

  • CMake (version 3.13 or higher)
  • A C++ compiler supporting C++17
  • OpenSSL development libraries
  • Boost libraries

Compilation Steps

  • Create a build directory:
mkdir build
cd build
  • Run CMake to configure the project:
cmake ..
  • Build the project:
cmake --build .

Additional Notes:

  • The exact compilation process may vary depending on your operating system and installed tools
  • You may need to specify additional CMake options if you have non-standard library locations or want to customize the build
  • For Windows users, you might need to specify the generator, for example:
cmake -G "Visual Studio 16 2019" ..

After successful compilation, you’ll find the built ODBC driver in the build directory. The exact filename and location may vary based on your system.

Step 2: Build the ODBC Driver

Follow the build instructions provided in the repository’s developer guide:

  • Ensure that the required dependencies (e.g., ODBC SDK, compilers) are installed on your system.
  • Compile the source code to generate platform-specific binaries:
    • Windows: trino.odbc.dll
    • macOS: libtrino-odbc.dylib
    • Linux: libtrino-odbc.so

Step 3: Install the Driver

Place the compiled binary in the appropriate directory for your platform:

  • Windows: Install the .dll file in the ODBC driver directory.
  • Linux/macOS: Move the .so or .dylib file to /usr/lib or /usr/local/lib.

Register the driver in the ODBC Driver Manager:

  • Linux/macOS: Update the odbcinst.ini file.
[Trino]
Description=Trino ODBC Driver
Driver=/path/to/libtrino-odbc.so
  • Windows: Use the ODBC Data Source Administrator to register the driver.

2. Configuring Trino and ODBC

Step 1: Configure the Trino Hive Connector

Ensure the Trino cluster is configured with the Hive connector to interact with S3-compatible object storage:

  • Edit the Hive connector configuration file (etc/catalog/hive.properties):
connector.name=hive
hive.s3.aws-access-key=your-access-key
hive.s3.aws-secret-key=your-secret-key
hive.s3.endpoint=https://<minio-or-storagegrid-endpoint>
hive.metastore.uri=thrift://<hive-metastore-host>:9083
  • Verify that the storage backend is accessible via the defined S3 endpoint.

Step 2: Create a Data Source Name (DSN)

Define a DSN for the Trino connection in the ODBC configuration files:

  • Linux/macOS: Update the odbc.ini file:
[TrinoDSN]
Driver=Trino
Host=trino-coordinator-host
Port=8080
Catalog=hive
Schema=default
SSL=1
  • Windows: Use the ODBC Data Source Administrator to create a DSN with the above details.

Step 3: Configure Authentication (Optional)

If the Trino cluster uses authentication, update the DSN configuration:

  • Add authentication properties like User, Password, or token-based credentials.

3. Using the ODBC Driver

Step 1: Connection String Syntax

Use the following syntax for connecting to Trino from your application:

DRIVER={Trino ODBC Driver};DSN=TrinoDSN;Host=<trino-host>;Port=8080;Catalog=hive;Schema=default;

Step 2: Environment Variables

For tools that struggle with fully qualified table names, set the environment variable:

export DATABASE_AS_SCHEMA=TRUE

To optimize performance when using ANSI-only data sources, enable:

export ANSI_STRING_ONLY=TRUE

4. Best Practices

Optimizing Storage in MinIO/StorageGRID

  1. Data Formats:
    • Use columnar storage formats like Parquet or ORC for efficient querying.
  2. Partitioning:
    • Organize data into partitions based on query patterns (e.g., date, region) to improve performance.

Leveraging Trino Query Optimizations

  1. Enable predicate pushdown to filter data at the source.
  2. Utilize columnar storage for reduced data transfer and faster processing.

Monitoring and Indexing

  1. Monitor query performance metrics using Trino’s built-in monitoring tools.
  2. Optimize data layouts and indexing based on workload patterns.

5. Verifying the Setup

Step 1: Test the ODBC Connection

Use the isql command to verify the DSN configuration:

isql TrinoDSN

Step 2: Query the Data

Run a basic query using the ODBC connection:

SELECT * FROM hive.<your-schema>.<your-table> LIMIT 10;

Step 3: Integration Testing

Test the connection with BI tools like Tableau or Power BI, ensuring proper rendering of data from MinIO/StorageGRID.

6. Debugging and Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Fixes:

  • Connection Refused:
    • Ensure the Trino coordinator is accessible and the correct port is specified.
  • Authentication Errors:
    • Verify credentials in the DSN or connection string.
  • Slow Performance:
    • Optimize storage formats, partitioning, and enable query optimizations like predicate pushdown.

Enable Debug Logs:

For deeper insights, enable driver logs in the configuration:

LogLevel=6
LogPath=/var/log/trino_odbc.log

By following this guide, you can seamlessly integrate the Trino ODBC driver with MinIO/StorageGRID, enabling powerful SQL-based analytics on scalable object storage systems.


© 2025 ChistaDATA Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Trino™ is a trademark of the Linux Foundation. MinIO® is a registered trademark of MinIO, Inc. StorageGRID® is a registered trademark of NetApp, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, and company names are properties of their respective owners.

This document is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

About Shiv Iyer 246 Articles
Open Source Database Systems Engineer with a deep understanding of Optimizer Internals, Performance Engineering, Scalability and Data SRE. Shiv currently is the Founder, Investor, Board Member and CEO of multiple Database Systems Infrastructure Operations companies in the Transaction Processing Computing and ColumnStores ecosystem. He is also a frequent speaker in open source software conferences globally.