From data ingestion to delivery — everything you need in a single platform, without writing code.
Load data from on-prem databases, cloud storage (AWS S3, Azure Blob), REST APIs, Kafka streams, FTP/SFTP, and files (CSV, Excel, JSON, XML, Fixed-Width, Parquet).
In-memory dataset operations, ETL/ELT/ELTL pipelines, data profiling, slow-changing dimensions, master data management with fuzzy matching, and C# scripting transforms.
Excel template-based reporting with embedded graphs and charts. Output to Excel, PDF, CSV, JSON, XML, and Fixed-Width. SSRS integration for enterprise reporting.
Drag-and-drop workflow designer. Build complex data pipelines visually. Conditional execution, looping, task-to-task communication, and JavaScript scripting support.
Role-based access control. Active Directory, OAuth/OpenID Connect, and form-based authentication. PGP/AES encryption. Complete audit logging.
Deploy as SaaS or on-premises. AWS S3, Azure Blob, Kafka integration. Multi-node distributed execution with automatic failover and load distribution.
Write a single SQL query that joins data from multiple heterogeneous databases, files, APIs, and streams — regardless of where the data lives or what protocol it speaks.
SDXR's Universal Data Query engine lets you JOIN data across Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, DB2, Snowflake, CSV files, JSON APIs, Parquet files, and SFTP sources — all in a single query. The engine auto-detects each source type, translates SQL dialect differences, routes through the optimal protocol (ODBC, JDBC, HTTP, File, SFTP, FTP, REST), and returns a unified result set. No data movement. No ETL prerequisite. No vendor lock-in.
The engine automatically routes each data source through the optimal protocol. ODBC for native database drivers, JDBC via the Java bridge for DB2/Snowflake/Spark, HTTP/REST for API endpoints, File I/O for local and network paths, SFTP/FTPs for secure remote file access.
Query flat files as if they were database tables. CSV, JSON, Parquet, XML, Excel, and Fixed-Width files can be joined with live database queries in a single federated operation.
All major relational and NoSQL databases. Any database with an ODBC or JDBC driver is automatically supported — no custom connectors needed.
Write your SQL once — the engine adapts it per database automatically:
| Feature | SQL Server | PostgreSQL | Oracle | MySQL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top N rows | SELECT TOP 100 ... | SELECT ... LIMIT 100 | WHERE ROWNUM < 100 | SELECT ... LIMIT 100 |
| Quoting | [column] | "column" | "column" | `column` |
| Lock hint | (UPDLOCK) | removed | removed | removed |
| Sequence | NEXT VALUE FOR seq | nextval('seq') | seq.NEXTVAL | AUTO_INCREMENT |
| Recursive CTE | WITH cte AS | WITH RECURSIVE cte | WITH cte AS | WITH RECURSIVE cte |
| String concat | + | || | || | CONCAT() |
Write Once, Query Anywhere — Eliminate the need for separate queries per database. Zero Data Movement — Query data where it lives; no ETL prerequisite for cross-source analytics. No Vendor Lock-In — Open protocol support (ODBC/JDBC/REST) means you can swap databases without rewriting queries. Instant Cross-Source Insights — JOIN a PostgreSQL table with a Snowflake warehouse and an S3 CSV file in one SQL statement. Windows & Linux — Deploy on either operating system.
How SDXR's Universal Data Query compares to leading federated query and data virtualization platforms.
| Capability | SDXR | Starburst (Trino) | Dremio | Denodo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federated Cross-Source JOINs | ✓ Full — JOIN across DBs, files, APIs, streams in one query | ✓ Via Trino connectors (50+) | ✓ Via Apache Arrow connectors | ✓ Via data virtualization layer |
| Supported Databases | 18+ — All major RDBMS + NoSQL via ODBC/JDBC | 50+ connectors (requires Trino catalog config) | 30+ connectors (requires Dremio source config) | 150+ connectors (enterprise) |
| Connection Protocols | 7 — ODBC, JDBC, HTTP, REST, File, SFTP, FTPs | JDBC (Trino connectors) | JDBC, ODBC, REST (Arrow Flight) | JDBC, ODBC, REST, OData |
| File Format Querying | ✓ CSV, JSON, Parquet, XML, Excel, Fixed-Width, Avro | ✓ Parquet, ORC, Avro, CSV, JSON (via object store) | ✓ Parquet, ORC, Avro, CSV, JSON, Iceberg | ✓ Parquet, CSV, JSON, XML, Excel |
| Built-in ETL/ELT/ELTL | ✓ Full pipeline engine — 56 task types, visual workflow, SCD, MDM | ✗ Query-only; requires external ETL (dbt, Airflow) | Partial — reflections + basic transforms | Partial — caching + materialization |
| Visual Workflow Designer | ✓ Drag-and-drop with conditional branching, looping, pipeline mode | ✗ No built-in workflow UI | ✗ No built-in workflow UI | ✗ No built-in workflow UI |
| Report Generation | ✓ Excel templates, PDF, SSRS, Word mail merge, charts | ✗ None (BI tool required) | ✗ None (BI tool required) | ✗ None (BI tool required) |
| Multi-Threaded Scheduler | ✓ Built-in — multi-node, auto-failover, pipeline mode, retry logic | ✗ External scheduler needed | ✗ External scheduler needed | ✓ Built-in scheduler |
| Data Quality / MDM | ✓ Profiling, compare, MDM with 6 fuzzy match engines | ✗ Requires external tools | ✗ Requires external tools | Partial — basic profiling |
| Deployment | Windows & Linux — on-prem, cloud, hybrid. Self-hosted. | Kubernetes, cloud, on-prem (Trino cluster) | Kubernetes, cloud (Dremio Cloud), on-prem | On-prem, cloud, hybrid (JVM-based) |
| Pricing Model | Self-hosted license — no per-query or per-user consumption fees | Per-node or consumption-based ($$$$) | Per-core or cloud consumption ($$$$) | Per-core enterprise license ($$$$) |
| Encryption & Security | ✓ PGP/AES, AD/OAuth/OIDC, RBAC, audit logs, TLS | ✓ RBAC, LDAP, encryption at rest | ✓ RBAC, SSO, encryption | ✓ RBAC, SSO, column-level masking |
| Custom Extensibility | ✓ Custom .NET DLLs, PowerShell, Python, Java at runtime | Custom Trino connectors (Java SPI) | UDFs (limited) | Custom wrappers (Java) |
Starburst (built on Trino) is a query-only platform — it requires external ETL tools (dbt, Airflow, Spark) for data movement and transformation, external schedulers for orchestration, and external BI tools for reporting. SDXR is an all-in-one platform: federated querying + ETL/ELTL pipeline engine + visual workflow designer + report generation + scheduler + data quality/MDM — all integrated. No ecosystem assembly required. Additionally, Starburst requires a Trino cluster with Kubernetes, while SDXR runs as a simple Windows Service or Linux daemon with zero cluster overhead.
Dremio excels at interactive SQL analytics on data lakes (Apache Iceberg), but it's not a data operations platform. It lacks built-in ETL, workflow automation, scheduling, file operations, email delivery, encryption, and report generation. SDXR provides all 56 task types in one platform. Dremio's pricing is consumption-based (per-core), making costs unpredictable at scale. SDXR offers a straightforward self-hosted license. Dremio also requires Kubernetes for production deployment, while SDXR runs on any Windows or Linux server.
Starburst, Dremio, and Denodo are federated query engines — they answer SQL queries across sources. But they stop there. To build a complete data pipeline, you still need: an ETL tool, a scheduler, a workflow engine, a report generator, a file mover, an encryption tool, and a monitoring system. SDXR replaces all of these with a single, integrated platform. Federated querying is just one of 56 capabilities. This means fewer moving parts, lower TCO, simpler operations, and faster time-to-value.
Build complex data pipelines by drag-and-drop assembly of tasks — no coding required.
Bring data in from anywhere — on-prem databases, cloud storage, APIs, streams, and files.
Powerful ETL/ELT/ELTL pipelines with profiling, MDM, and C# scripting.
Excel template-based reporting with automatic distribution via email, FTP, and shared folders.
Create rich Excel reports with embedded graphs, charts, pivot tables, and conditional formatting. Use existing Excel templates as the base, and SDXR populates data automatically.
Generate reports in Excel, PDF, CSV, JSON, XML, Fixed-Width, and Parquet. Multiple sheets per workbook with dynamic sheet naming from stored procedures.
Email distribution with attachments. FTP/SFTP delivery. Shared folder distribution. Word mail merge with database data. PDF merging for consolidated reports.
Extract data from any source to any format with full control over structure and delivery.
Sources: Database objects (Table/View/Stored Procedures), files (CSV, XML, JSON), and custom sources.
Output Formats: Excel, CSV, Fixed-Width, JSON, XML, Parquet, PDF, DataSet objects, and message queues.
Delivery: Local filesystem, network shares, FTP/SFTP, AWS S3, Azure Blob, email attachments, and REST APIs.
Distributed, multi-node, multi-threaded execution with automatic failover.
Multiple ways to initiate workflow execution.
Daily, Business Day, Monthly, Quarterly, Yearly. Include/exclude specific days.
Watch for file arrival. Group triggers (All or Any). Archive and process folders.
Trigger any workflow via REST API call. External system integration.
Repeat at configurable intervals until completion or failure.
Multi-layer security with encryption, audit trails, and granular access control.
Flexible deployment supporting on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments on both Windows and Linux operating systems.
Custom tasks, PowerShell scripts, and user-defined functions for unlimited flexibility.
Supply your own C# code as a DLL and SDXR will execute it at runtime with full access to task and schedule parameters. Using the GenericMethod task type, you can do anything that isn't built-in.
Execute any external command, PowerShell script, Python script, or Java program via the RunCmd task type. Full integration with workflow parameters and output capture.
Every automation capability available in the SDXR platform.
From data ingestion to transformation to reporting to delivery — all in one platform, with zero code required.