SSIS had its day, but in the big leagues it can no longer play
SSIS pulls data from various locations (mostly SQL Server instances but also some flat files and SFTP), mainly for transforming the data …
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What is SSIS?
Microsoft's SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is a data integration solution.
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- Connect to traditional data sources (53)8.888%
- Simple transformations (53)8.585%
- Complex transformations (52)7.777%
- Testing and debugging (48)6.161%
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What is SSIS?
Microsoft's SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is a data integration solution.
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VertifyData is a cloud-based integration platform with core integration capacities, including a drag-and-drop interface and real-time synchronization. It also offers over 80 prebuilt connectors and templates, plus customizable integrations for scaling businesses.
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Demonstration of Multicast transformation in SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
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SSIS Tutorial Part 78- What is Multicast Transformation in SSIS (Quick Demo)
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SSIS Tutorial Part 119-Execute SQL Task (Full Result Set) Demo in SSIS Package
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SSIS Tutorial Part 72- What is Conditional Split Transformation in SSIS (Quick Demo)
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SSIS Tutorial Part 02- How to Load Tab Delimited File To SQL Server Table in SSIS Package
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SSIS Technical Details
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Frequently Asked Questions
Microsoft's SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is a data integration solution.
Reviewers rate Connect to traditional data sources highest, with a score of 8.8.
The most common users of SSIS are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
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SSIS pulls data from various locations (mostly SQL Server instances but also some flat files and SFTP), mainly for transforming the data and putting it in the data warehouse.
- SSIS is good for small, simple data syncs.
- SSIS is good for moving data quickly into SQL Server (good batch performance).
- Very hard to diff for code review when changes are made.
- Very buggy IDE (freezes in Visual Studio, doesn't always show what's in the underlying XML properly)
- Lacking lots of features or more modern tools, like ability to monitor for changes to the source schema and apply them to the target.
June 28, 2022
SSIS, the must have extension for SSMS
SQL Server Integration Service (SSIS) is a component of the Microsoft SQL Server database software that we use to execute a wide range of data migration tasks. SSIS is a fast & flexible data warehousing tool used for data extraction, loading, and transformation like cleaning, aggregating, merging data, etc. It makes it easy to move data from one database to another database. SSIS can extract data from a wide variety of sources like SQL Server databases, Excel files, Oracle and DB2 databases, etc.
- Offers real-time, message-based capabilities
- Tight integration with SQL Server and visual studio
- Ease and speed of implementation
- Standardized data integration
- Sometimes create issues in non-windows environments.
- SSIS lacks support for alternative data integration styles.
- Problematic integration with other products.
We use SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) as part of our on-premise Data Warehouse architecture. We have an ELT pattern and SSIS is used almost exclusively for the Extract and Load steps. Almost all packages are generated using BIML (Business Intelligence Markup Language) as a means of templating and then scripting them.
- Easily connect with a wide variety of sources.
- Provide control and flow to job execution order.
- Able to extend functionality through scripting tasks.
- Not flexible when source/target tables and file formats change.
- Inflexible with regards to varying data types when Excel spreadsheets are used as a source or columns are added (as per previous item).
- Occasional issues around mixed development and production x86/x64 run times can be frustrating.
June 25, 2022
One of the best on-premise ETL tools
SSIS is an on-premise data transformation tool and the first major ETL tool we have used. We use it to ETL data from Workday, and other internal applications/databases to our internal databases. The product addresses the issue of getting data from CSV files from our SFTP and performing update/insert/delete operations on the data in our internal databases.
- Connect to various sources
- Basic transformations are included
- Connect to various destinations
- We still need plugins to connect to SFTP and other sources. Many vendors in the market give this by default
- It's an ETL tool and the ability to do ELT or ETLTL means spinning up more pipelines and packages
- It still has compatibility issues in Visual Studio 2017
June 24, 2022
Amazing data warehousing tool
We are currently using SQL Server as our central relational database. Getting data from multiple sources to our data depository is smooth. We use SQL Server Integration Services to copy and download large files as well as to draw out and modify data from several sources of data like XML data files, DB2 databases, and relational data sources and then load the data into a single destination.
- I am able to use the GIS tools to easily generate solutions without coding.
- Built in tasks that speed up web developing.
- SSIS enables automated data preparations.
- Amazing integration with Microsoft tools.
- Creation of ETL mapping.
- It depends so much on the Microsoft environment and has integration issues with other formats like JSON and Excel.
- Error messages are unclear, this makes us spend a lot of time figuring out what has gone wrong making the debugging process hectic.
June 24, 2022
Good for startups or companies with limited data variability, Big data companies will need better tools
SQL Server is the legacy Database and Data Warehouse in the company. SSIS is used for most ETLs where the data is sourced from / put into SQL Server, depending on the use case. It is an MS native and easy-to-use ETL tool that comes with the SQL Server Data Tools suite. I use the tool personally to deploy ETLs for business stakeholders as a request arises.
- Standard ETL use cases for daily loads
- Loading incoming data from Vendors which is placed on FTP and adding them to the SQL Warehouse
- Creating outgoing data files and writing them to Vendor FTPs
- Easy Active Directory integration for seamless connections to SQL Server
- CI/CD by hosting the code on visualstudio.com
- API connections are not a native functionality. We use Zappysys extensions but they work only in certain cases.
- Dependency executions - no simple way to create a hierarchy/chain of executions. Ex: Define if the execution of the child process should be stopped if a parent fails or a certain condition is triggered in the parent process and then redirect to a different part of the chain (think like a flowchart for executions).
A good tool for SQL server query and data migration. The way it stores data and makes it easier for the user to write queries over the server. Compatibility with different BI tools is awesome as it is easy to integrate Microsoft SQL servers with different BI tools like google data studio and PowerBI.
- Assists in connecting to several data sources and loading the resulting data.
- Less expensive than other ETL tools of same stature.
- Does away with the requirement for coding scripts.
- There isn't a lot of room for building user-required automation.
- Some activities need manual labour, such as exporting multiple tables in CSV format one at a time.
Microsoft's SQL Server Integration helps in keeping a track of our data dump in a suitable & orderly manner. The service not only helps in making sure the data is readily available but it also helps in bifurcating the data according to our needs & requirements. The data is quickly available when needed & helps in our workings on a daily basis.
- Data Mapping & Integration
- Maintaining data sources as per needs
- Keeping track of all activities pertaining to data sources
- Speed at which data is retrieved from the data sources
- Ease of connecting to various data sources
- Integration with other cloud services
June 24, 2022
Tool for data integration and migration
In our organization, we have two Microsoft windows servers. We integrate their data sync via SQL Server Integration Services. It's easy for us to migrate our data from one server to another server. The debugging capabilities are great, particularly during data flow execution. We can look into the data and see what's going on in the pipeline.
- Encrypt files with SSIS and send them to various network locations this way we solve complex business problems.
- We can migrate DTS packages to SSIS while choosing to run DTS packages using DTS runtime or incorporate DTS packages into SSIS this way we migrate DTS packages to SQL Server Integration Services.
- We can transform data to make sure it complies with the rules of the database they are migrating to other servers with Integrations Services.
- User-required automation needs much more scope.
- Exporting numerous tables in CSV format has to be done one by one by manual.
June 23, 2022
SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is a winner and helps solve many business problems effectively.
We used Integration Services to extract and transform data from a wide variety of sources such as XML data files, flat files, and relational data sources, and then load the data into one or more destinations. We also used the graphical Integration Services tools to create business solutions for the firm.
- Create Packages in SQL Server Data Tools
- Reuse Control Flow across Packages by Using Control Flow Package Parts
- Build Integration Services User Interface
- We can improve Integration Services error messages, including a list of most Integration Services errors and their description.
- Improvement to create custom event handlers for these events to extend package functionality.
- Better support for tools and wizards helping with Legacy Package Deployment.
June 23, 2022
Worth of money
As a BI / Data Analyst, I have to deal with multiple data source integrations independent of to live environment. So, I have to combine data query many query tables. I need to maintain the schemas of databases with multiple data sources.
- Integration with multiple data sources
- Creating Schemas
- Data modeling
- Data cleaning
- Ease of use for initial get into application
- Application Loading
June 23, 2022
Data processing with SSIS
Being part of the Healthcare department, we need to automate the data transfer from and to the company and hospitals. SQL Server Integration Services, allowed us, to create a robust platform, to process millions of records from each hospital everyday, the whole year, just taking care of small incidents, such formats, not related to the SSIS, itself. So, we relied on this process for keeping the data and the collection, working efficiently and providing outstanding service.
- Data transfer
- Automation
- Programability
- Scheduling
- Clarity on errors
- Support
June 23, 2022
SSIS, free but not intuitive
SQL Server Integration Services is an extremely powerful tool that we're using exclusively for SQL Server inventory and other jobs. While it is very powerful, it's also not exactly intuitive in my opinion. I had not used this before my current job, and it was already setup when I joined. I've had to edit some of those jobs a handful of times and I just have not yet been able to make it 'click' in how it works. I seem to think oppositely of how this was designed (potentially just the jobs I've had to interact with), but almost everything is counter-intuitive.
- Runs flawlessly after setup properly
- Powerful, as mentioned
- Free
- Confusing operation, even with its gui
- Requires special install and setup
- Requires the Visual studio integration services install (separate interface from SSMS)
- Could be more easily integrated into SSMS, but may also be used for other products that I'm not aware of
December 08, 2021
Provides value to cost and excellent with MSBI Stack, But needs more features/updates
SQL Server Integration Services has been useful in implementing Extract, Load, and transform logic from various sources and destinations. we also use it to download data files from SFTP, FTP locations. We use it to refresh extract in tableau and run other 3rd party services via executing process tasks. It has been useful to address many other such challenges.
- FTP Downloads.
- Run 3rd party softwares.
- Intuitive UI.
- Need more connectors/sources/destination components.
- Ability to support not just Microsoft services but others too.
- More updates & new features.
We use SQL Server Integration Services to consolidate data from multiple vendor products. SSIS is the engine that gathers that data and stores it on our main SQL database instance for reporting purposes. It is being used by the enterprise in our organization. It created one pain of glass using SQL Reporting Services to show what systems are in what vendor products - such as agents installed yes/no? Last checking date/time, etc...
- If the job fails, we are alerted
- It has a easy to use GUI to build projects
- Does well with gathering data from different types of data sets
- Converting flat files of data requires a data transformation that is tedious
May 01, 2021
SQL Server Express + SSIS basics
We are using the SSIS as a major data export/import & converter between different data sources, including relatively old legacy stuff out from 90th. The beauty of SSIS is really advanced capabilities of data converts and mix up the data from different sources with all respect to keys and data relations. We use this mostly as an addition to the SQL Server Express edition (as a part of the import/export wizard) but on the sandbox I doing the tests of SQL Server 2016 Standard edition to mix up several RDBMS for data extraction into one data warehouse.
- Extraction and convert data from various sources
- Pipelining in the data extraction process
- Unions between different data sources akin one meta datasource
- Some labels in Visual Studio snap-in for MS SQL Server are collapsed on non-English (German & Russian tested) locales.
SQL Server Integration Services is used by our department to support the entire organization. Several developers design our packages and as well our DBA team who develops, reviews, and implements these in production.
SSIS is a critical component in making data available across disparate systems from custom databases to local vendor and online applications.
- SQL Server Integration Services design of dataflows allow us collect and merge data from a large variety of sources.
- The structure of packages in a solution allow us to separated distinct functions yet share a common collection of parameters to ensure consistency.
- The availability of environments to provide differing parameters is also a powerful option to allow us to design reusable solutions.
- The deployment process could use the improvement of deploying the Parameters into an environment of choice. Having to do this manually is time consuming and error prone.
- Propagation of values from within a package to a parent package is lacking. This is helpful when using a parent package to execute and report on a collection of smaller related packages.
Our department uses SQL Server Integration Services for extractions, ETL, migrations, etc.
- Import data into tables
- A lot of documentation/support on the web
- Scheduling packages
- Very easy to use
- Error messages are could be more clear
February 17, 2020
SSIS Just Works
SSIS is being used for data interchange. This includes using it for traditional ETL to a corporate data warehouse, as well as for the production or intake of flat files for interchange with external sources. Sources include traditional RDBMS, web services based cloud sources, and flat files. We are beginning the process of extending SSIS to the cloud in conjunction with Azure Data Factory.
- Process flow.
- Connection to a wide array of sources.
- Built-in upsert component.
- Better operability with source control systems.
January 19, 2020
Great Tool For ETL Design
In my department, we design and manage ETL processes. We use SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) to design a data warehouse. To create a data warehouse, we can make the stage layer and DWH layers with the SSIS ETL tool. We create data marts using aggregate functions in the SSIS ETL tool. In addition, we use the SSIS ETL tool to move data between databases.
- Data migration is pretty fast.
- SQL Server is highly compatible with the database.
- We receive errors in moving JSON data to the database. It does not work efficiently in JSON-related data.
- ODBC connections give a connection error after a certain period of time.
November 24, 2019
Our use of SSIS
We use SQL Server Integration Services to import data into and out of our main SQL server databases. This data comes from a variety of external sources and sometimes there is data format mismatch between source and destination. With an SSIS package, we can retain the mapping and data formats integrity from the source to the destination without having to go through the process every time.
- Easy to manage projects and packages.
- Ideal for repetitive tasks.
- Can handle complex tasks consisting of multiple, diverse packages.
- Include SSIS in the default installation of SQL.
- The flexibility and different packages and options can make it confusing for first-time users.
- Recommendations in the selections could make it easier to build a solution.
October 13, 2019
SSIS enables you to build the data lake of your dreams!
The IT department at our organization uses SQL Server Integration Services. We use SSIS to perform extract, transform, and load (ETL) data operations. Our primary use is to move data from a source system or database, restructure the data to optimize it for reporting, and store it in a database instance used for reporting.
- Handles multi-step, complex data moves.
- Pulls from a variety of data sources.
- Add-ons are readily available to extend their usefulness.
- Integration with SQL Server and data tools.
- The package publishing feature has gotten better over the years, but it could still be simplified.
- Incorporating features from add-ons into the standard application would be helpful (mostly in relation to data sources).
- Easier configurations for multiple publishing targets (dev/test/prod) with associated data connections.
July 30, 2019
SQL Server Integration Services, worth a look
We use SSIS in a number or different use cases. 1. Traditional ETL for our data warehouse. 2. Automate reporting. We have a number of reports that go out to thousands of customers daily. We have implemented SSIS to run these. 3. Application integration. With SSIS we are able to quickly integrate from our order entry and operations software into our ERP and Financial software.
- It sits inside of Visual Studio and SSMS so you have a consistent look and feel across toolsets
- Extensions. We use Pragmatic work transforms that seamlessly fit into SSIS to make certain tasks easier
- Performance. SSIS is not the fastest tool out there but it is more than enough for our needs and since it is bundled with SQL Server you get great value.
- Funny thing, working with Excel requires hacks and work arounds. Really wish Microsoft would fix this.
- More transformations to reduce the need of 3rd party tools. Tasks like SFTP would be nice.
We are currently using SSIS packages on two major projects:
1. To populate our data warehouse. Running SSIS packages from the server on a 10-minute schedule, we extract, transform and load the data into the warehouse to support all internal reporting and provide data as a service to our global partners.
2. Bulk data import to our CRM system. Building packages to run on-demand to bulk import structured data to our CRM instance.
In the past, we have used SSIS packages to complete a one-time migration from a legacy CRM system to the current CRM.
1. To populate our data warehouse. Running SSIS packages from the server on a 10-minute schedule, we extract, transform and load the data into the warehouse to support all internal reporting and provide data as a service to our global partners.
2. Bulk data import to our CRM system. Building packages to run on-demand to bulk import structured data to our CRM instance.
In the past, we have used SSIS packages to complete a one-time migration from a legacy CRM system to the current CRM.
- Ease of use - can be used with no prior experience in a relatively short amount of time.
- Flexibility - provides multiple means of accomplishing tasks to be able to support virtually any scenario.
- Performance - performs well with default configurations but allows the user to choose a multitude of options that can enhance performance.
- Resilient - supports the configuration of error handling to prevent and identify breakages.
- Complete suite of configurable tools.
- Connection managers for online data sources can be tricky to configure.
- Performance tuning is an art form and trialing different data flow task options can be cumbersome. SSIS can do a better job of providing performance data including historical for monitoring.
- Mapping destination using OLE DB command is difficult as destination columns are unnamed.
- Excel or flat file connections are limited by version and type.
Even though we are a smaller company, we use this huge army Swiss knife to accomplish a number of technical IT tasks. First and foremost we use it to integrate systems like MS CRM and SAP, constantly enhancing the data flow and making tasks easier to accomplish for the users. Secondly, I personally use it clean up data and maintaining my BI ETL scripts running out 12-year-old data warehouse for our analysis cube. The actual tool is currently only in use by the IT department by using Visual Studio (BIDS).
- Almost no programming is needed, like drawing simple flow diagrams.
- If you want to be more advanced you can add some VB or C# programming if needed.
- Microsoft tool using all the great connectors, using any data source
- Easy to add a third part like Cozyroc
- File handling
- Integration with office tools could always be improved, MS, as usual, provides these 80% solutions to make room for third vendors.
- Error message or event handling, better messages and link to processes.