Using refinitiv.data Library on a Remote Cluster

Hello LSEG Development Community,

I am seeking assistance and clarification on using the refinitiv.data library in a headless server environment. My goal is to establish a session and retrieve historical data from the Refinitiv Data Platform using the refinitiv.data Python library. However, despite various troubleshooting efforts, I am unable to open a functioning session on the Idun HPC cluster.

Problem Overview:

  • Environment:
    I’m working on a remote cluster (Idun) that does not have a graphical interface or local Refinitiv Workspace installation.
  • Current Attempt:
    • I installed refinitiv.data version 1.6.2 in a virtual environment.
    • I attempted to open a session using rd.open_session(app_key=APP_KEY).
    • The session either remains closed or returns errors related to http://localhost:9000/api/handshake not being reachable.
  • Errors Encountered:
    • "No proxy address identified. Check if Desktop is running."
    • RemoteProtocolError("illegal status line: bytearray(...)")
    • Unable to retrieve data despite the session reporting “opened successfully.”

What I’ve Tried:

  • Specifying Environment:
    Attempted to set environment=rd.Environment.PRODUCTION but received an AttributeError, as the Environment attribute does not appear in version 1.6.2.
  • Direct Connectivity Tests:
    Confirmed that the cluster can connect to api.refinitiv.com via curl and that the refinitiv.data package is properly installed.
  • Package Reinstallation and Version Checks:
    Reinstalled refinitiv.data, confirmed the latest version, and restarted Jupyter kernels. The Environment attribute is still not available, and the default session does not function.

Key Question:

  • Is it possible to reliably open a cloud-based session with refinitiv.data 1.6.2 in a headless server environment (Idun), without a local Refinitiv Workspace instance?
  • If so, what is the correct procedure or configuration to ensure the session can open and provide data access?
  • If the Environment attribute is not available, how can I ensure the library defaults to a valid cloud-based environment and bypasses local desktop dependencies?

Thank you in advance for your guidance. I appreciate any clarification or confirmation on the correct approach.

Best regards,
Karsten Haugland
Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Best Answer

Answers

  • @karsten_haugland Thanks for your question. So it is not possible to run in a cloud environment with the Workspace Desktop product - this is due to licensing issues - it is not designed for this use case. We have other API products (such as LSEG Data Platform aka Refinitiv Data Platform) which runs server-side with no dependency on local API proxy - but the Workspace Desktop product requires this. The application making the API call and the Workspace Desktop need to be running on the same machine. Apologies - probably not the answer you wanted but its for very good reasons. I hope this can help.

  • Thank you, Jason! Does the LSEG Data Platform provide the same level of data coverage as Refinitiv Workspace, including historical pricing, real-time market data, and fundamental data? Are there any key differences in available datasets?