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Version: v2.10.0

Metastore Setup - Databricks Unity Catalog

Metastore

A Unity Metastore in Yeedu links your Databricks Unity Catalog to external object storage (S3, ADLS, GCS) and controls metadata storage and access.

A Unity Metastore configuration includes:

  • Unity Metastore URL
  • Databricks Personal Access Token
  • Default Catalog
  • Storage Type
  • External Storage Path (e.g., Amazon S3)
  • Storage Secret (credentials for your object store)

metastore

Scope Levels for Secrets

We apply our usual scope system to the secrets used in a Unity metastore (Databricks PAT & Storage Secret):

ScopeVisibility
UserOnly the creator can read/use
WorkspaceAll users in one workspace
TenantVisible to all users within the tenant

Creating a Metastore

Click + Metastore at the top right of the Metastore page.

metastore

Provide the required details

Basic Details

  • Name: Required; must be unique
  • Description: (Optional) Add details for clarity
  • Metastore Type: Select DATABRICKS UNITY

Metastore Details

  • Unity Metastore URL: Enter the unique endpoint assigned to your Unity Metastore (e.g., https://adb-.../api/2.1/unity-catalog)
  • Databricks Personal Access Token: Select Personal Access Token Secret from the dropdown
  • Default Catalog: Enter the default catalog. If you aren't sure of the exact name, use Fetch Catalogs to choose one after retrieving the list

External Storage Location

  • Storage Type: Choose from Google Cloud Storage, ADLS Gen2, Amazon S3
  • Bucket URL: e.g., s3://my-bucket-name
  • Storage Secret: Select object-storage credentials

You don't have to prepare these secrets in advance: choose existing secrets, or create new ones directly in the UI.

metastore metastore metastore metastore metastore

Multi-catalog setup

  1. In the metastore edit page, set Default Catalog (e.g., qa_demo)
  2. Click Fetch Catalogs
  3. In the Select Catalog modal:
    • Search by name
    • Select catalog checkboxes (bronze_1, qa_demo (Default), tpcds_catalog)
    • Optional: clear or adjust as needed
    • Click Select
  4. Verify selected entries appear in Additional Catalogs Selected chips
  5. Click Update

metastore

Example screenshot behavior

In the screenshot above the selected catalogs are bronze_1, qa_demo and tpcds_catalog, the default catalog badge sits on qa_demo (Default), and main, samples and system are left unchecked. The buttons available in that modal are Reset, Select, Clear All Catalogs and Update.


Note: we recommend a UI resolution of 1920x1080.