Federation to another Application
External applications that need to display or consume xAssets data can retrieve it using several methods. This page describes the available approaches and when to use each one. This is the reverse of Federated Data, which brings external data into xAssets.
Prerequisites
- An understanding of which data the external application needs
- Network connectivity between the external application and the xAssets server
- Appropriate permissions configured for the chosen access method
Access Methods
| Method | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| REST API | Call the xAssets REST API to retrieve data as XML or JSON. The API supports querying, saving, and running transformations programmatically. | Recommended for most integrations. See the REST API chapter for details. |
| Direct SQL connection | Query the xAssets SQL Server database directly from the other application. Use the xAssets Query Designer to generate the SQL, then embed it in the external application. | Read-only access only. Direct SQL updates bypass xAssets business rules, audit logging, and triggers, and are not supported. |
| SOAP web services | Retrieve XML via the legacy SOAP web services interface. | Available for backward compatibility with older integrations. REST is preferred for all new work. |
Choosing the Right Method
Use the REST API when:
- The external application can make HTTP requests
- You need both read and write access
- You want the integration to respect xAssets security, business rules, and audit trails
- You need structured JSON or XML responses
Use Direct SQL when:
- The external application needs read-only access to large volumes of data
- Performance is critical and the overhead of HTTP requests is unacceptable
- The external application is a reporting tool (such as Power BI or SSRS) that can connect directly to SQL Server
- You have confirmed that read-only access is sufficient and no write-back is needed
Warning: Never update the xAssets database directly through SQL. Direct updates bypass business rules, triggers, security checks, and audit logging. All write operations should go through the REST API or the xAssets user interface.
Related Articles
- REST API Overview — programmatic access to xAssets data
- API Getting Started — making your first API call
- Federated Data — querying external data from within xAssets (the reverse direction)