Axon DataStore v2

The Axon DataStore offers a structured and performance-optimized platform for accessing Axon Records and Axon Standards data. This section covers key improvements over DataStore v1, including enhanced data modeling, automatic view updates, incremental data extraction, and support for Master Indices. It also outlines access control options, connectivity requirements, disaster recovery planning, integration guidance, and recommendations for reliable querying and dashboard development.

Introduction

The Axon DataStore is a read-only Azure SQL database designed to support reporting and analytics for Axon Records and Axon Standards. It provides structured access to Axon Records and Axon Standards data through SQL views, powers Axon’s in-product Analytics dashboards, as well as allows seamless querying and reporting with third-party tools. When your organization's personnel use Axon Records and Axon Standards in the normal course of operations, data is synchronized to the DataStore where it is processed and presented in SQL views.

You can use the DataStore to support varying data needs, including:

• Building analytics reports with tools like Power BI, Crystal Reports, and Tableau
• Running ad hoc queries for deeper insights
• Transferring data into data warehouses
• Integrating with downstream systems

The original DataStore (DataStore v1) has received detailed feedback highlighting long-standing issues, including lack of clear entity relationships, delays in accessing JSON-extracted columns, slow query performance with JSON operators, and difficulty in identifying and loading incremental data changes. To address these issues, Axon is introducing a new DataStore version 2 that improves usability and understandability, performs faster, and allows for direct data access.

The following sections outline the improvements in DataStore v2.

1. Structured data access with clear entity relationships

In DataStore v1, the data is either obscured in complex JSON blobs or relationships between views are not easily understandable, making it difficult to query the needed data.

DataStore v2 structures all data fields in an explicitly declared tabular format with clear entity relationships that can be directly accessed via standard SQL queries. Because all data fields are pre-extracted into columns, the DataStore v2 does not provide raw JSON blobs. Queries do not require extracting or referencing values stored in JSON blobs, which:

• Makes specific data fields easier to find
• Eliminates the performance hit incurred by performing data extraction from inside of JSON blobs

2. Data Model automatically derived from application forms

DataStore v2 structures all data fields in an explicitly declared tabular format that follows the structure and naming convention of the forms that organization personnel interact with in Axon Records and Axon Standards. This helps IT personnel and data analysts better understand the source of data in any given table, reducing the risk of errors.

3. Automatic table updates when forms change

With DataStore v1, you had to either wait for Axon Support to create custom views (which could take several weeks), or resort to JSON extraction from raw data to query data related to any form changes. In DataStore v2, structural changes for forms will automatically reflect in the DataStore as follows:

• Columns are added for any new fields added to forms.
• Columns are retained for fields removed from forms if data exists in any row.
• Columns are removed for any completely empty columns that correspond to fields removed from forms.
• New views are added for net-new custom forms.

4. Reliable, incremental data extracts

The lack of incremental data-pulling support in DataStore v1 required you to track changes across multiple views or frequently replace large datasets, creating inefficiencies and unnecessary strain on both your systems and the DataStore.

To address this, the DataStore v2 supports industry-standard Change Data Capture (CDC) mechanisms based on incremental data-pulling, providing a transaction record that is faithful to all transactions performed in the database over a defined time period, including DELETE operations. This provides a well-defined interface where you can detect any changes in the DataStore and reliably build your data extraction pipelines.

5. Standardized incident reporting and Master Name Indices

With DataStore v1, assembling complete and accurate data often proved challenging. Retrieving the latest incident information required piecing together multiple rows, each representing a different version of the same report. Similarly, the absence of a Master Indices (MxI) forced you to manually extract and compile identities from related reports, leading to time-consuming, inconsistent, and inefficient processes.

DataStore v2 streamlines reporting by providing structured identity tracking and incident reporting. Master Indices (MxI) eliminate the need for manual identity extraction, offering a pre-built, standardized, and up to date list for persons, vehicles, organizations, and locations. The LatestIncidentReport view consolidates the most recent version of an incident into a single row, reducing complexity. These enhancements improve accuracy, minimize manual effort, and simplify data analysis.

6. Self-Service access control

The "all-or-none" access model in DataStore v1 was often frustrating, since users either had full access or none at all. Managing access also required relying entirely on Axon Support, leaving administrators unable to see who had active credentials or to grant or revoke access themselves. This lack of visibility and control made it harder to enforce security policies, onboard new users efficiently, and remove access when necessary.

DataStore v2 introduces a more secure and streamlined access control mechanism, enabling administrators to manage credentials independently without relying on Axon Support. Administrators can generate and revoke access in a self-service manner, eliminating the need for manual requests. Additionally, by the end of 2025, you will be able to implement fine-grained access controls, restricting user access to specific views to ensure data security and compliance.

Axon Analytics and Power BI

The Analytics module in Axon Records and Axon Standards uses Power BI to visualize data. The video below provides a comprehensive overview of setting up a dashboard in Power BI, from data import to final customization and filtering.

This video covers the following topics:

• Importing data into Power BI
• Preparing and transforming data
• Building and customizing visualizations
• Customizing dashboard layouts
• Using slicers for data filtering

Once a Power BI dashboard has been created, it can be uploaded into the Analytics module in Axon Axon Records and Axon Standards. The following video uses the Use of Force dashboard in Axon Standards to explain how users can interact with the Power BI dashboards and visualizations.

This video covers the following topics:

• Using tab and visualization filters
• Exploring map visualizations
• Viewing tool tips
• Interacting with tables and hyperlinks
• Dashboard privileges
• Activity log tabs
• Editing and exporting dashboards