> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cloud.cdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Technology

> Connect AI offers an unparalleled level of connectivity and flexibility. With Connect AI, you have a single point of access to all your data in real-time. This page outlines the technology and features offered by Connect AI.

## Broad Data Connectivity

Connect AI is a cloud application that provides real-time data connectivity to your data sources. Any data-centric application can use Connect AI to read and write data from a connected source, including tools for the following categories:

* Business intelligence (BI) and analytics applications
* Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) and data movement
* Data warehousing
* Data governance
* Master data management
* Data integration

## Real-Time Data Access

Connect AI provides live, real-time data connectivity to enterprise SaaS, NoSQL, and Big Data sources through standard interfaces that are widely supported by every data-centric application.

Connect AI key features include the following:

* Does not require software installation, driver configuration, or database use
* Is compatible with a large selection of data applications
* Enables you to read, write, and update live data
* Contains rich metadata-discovery features
* Provides support for on-premise-to-cloud, cloud-to-on-premise, and cloud-to-cloud connectivity

## Centralized Connectivity

Connect AI brings all your data into a central point of integration in the cloud. This integration provides the following benefits:

* All account credentials can be managed in one place. This capability eliminates the need for IT to distribute and maintain credentials to different users in your organization.
* You have granular control over permissions. You can restrict permissions for specific users without having to create multiple accounts in each data source.
* Integrations only need one connection to Connect AI to access all your data sources.

## Robust SQL Support

* **String, Date, Numeric SQL Functions**\
  A library of over 50 included functions can manipulate column values into the results that you want. Popular examples include Regex, JSON, and XML processing functions.
* **Comprehensive Query Processing**\
  Connect AI leverages the same enterprise-class query engine as CData Software’s drivers. This engine enhances the capabilities of data sources with additional client-side processing (when it is needed) to enable analytic summaries of data (for example, SUM, AVG, MAX, MIN, and more).
* **Enterprise-Class Secure Connectivity**\
  Connect AI includes standard enterprise-class security features, such as TLS/SSL data encryption for all client-server communications.
* **Metadata Discovery**\
  Connect AI supports metadata discovery for supported data sources. Data types are returned as standard database types, which facilitates data operations from within BI, ETL, and reporting platforms.