What is SSIS?

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This SSIS Tutorial blog will mainly focus on various aspects of SSIS. You will learn – what SSIS is, its components, features, functions, and several frequently asked questions.

The SSIS full form is SQL Server Integration Services. It is basically a component of Microsoft SQL Server database software that is used to perform data migration at scale. As a platform, SSIS enhances data integration and workflow applications.

SQL Server Integration Services is a platform for developing enterprise-level data integration and data transformation solutions. Use Integration Services to manage databases, copy files and download data, load data warehouses, cleanse and analyze data, and manage SQL Server objects.

Integrating Services extracts and transforms data from a wide range of sources, such as XML files, flat files, and relational data sources, and loads that data onto one or more destinations.

Many tasks and transformations are built into Integration Services for building packages, and you can manage them in the Integration Services Catalog Database.

Watch this SSIS Tutorial for beginners video-

What are the SSIS components?

Let’s move ahead in this SSIS tutorial and learn what the components of SSIS are:

  • Control Flow (for storing containers and tasks)
  • Data Flow (Source, destination, and transformations)
  • Event Handler (for managing messages and e-mails)
  • Package Explorer (for offering an all-in-one view)
  • Parameters (for fostering user interaction)

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We can use SSIS to implement ETL, or extract, transform, and load data into a Data Warehouse.

The ETL acronym stands for Extraction, Transformation, and Loading. This process involves extracting, transforming, and loading data into the final repository. ETL is the process of loading data into the warehouse from the source system. In this section, we’ll describe the ETL process step-by-step.

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Extraction (E):  Collection of data from different sources.

Transformation (T):  A different form of data obtained from different sources and converted according to business needs.

Loading  (L):  Data warehouse contains the loaded data.

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Features of SSIS

Next in the SSIS tutorial, have a look at key features of SSIS – 

  • Data cleansing and profiling for a better quality of data
  • Smooth data integration from disparate data sources
  • Seamless integration with other components of Microsoft SQL products
  • Enriched studio environment and graphical tools/wizards
  • Workflow functionalities like file transfer protocol
  • APIs for SSIS object modeling
  • Efficient implementation of high-speed data connectivity/integration
  • Packaged data source connectors
  • Organized data mining query and lookup transformation
  • Master and metadata management

Key Functions of SSIS

Now, let’s understand the key functionalities of SSIS.

  1. Studio environments
  2. Packages
  3. Expressions
  4. Event handler

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  1. Studio Environments

SQL Server Integration Services included two studios

SSDT:  SQL  Server Data Tools

It helps to develop the integration service packages, and we can perform the following jobs in SSDT:

  • Copy basic package data from source to destination
  • Complete flow control and data flow are included when to create the packages
  • We can update the properties of packages while run time
  • Deployment creating
  • Save package copies to SQL server msdb

Step 1: Open the SQL Server data tools.
Step 2: Click on File –> New –> Project
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SSMS: SQL Server Management Studio

It helps to manage packages in a production environment and we can perform the following jobs in SSMS.

  • Folder creation to organize the packages
  • With the help of Execute package utility, we can run the packages and store them on the local computer.
  • Generate a command line when we run the execute package utility.
  • Storing and fetching packages to and from the SQL Server msdb.

2. Packages

An SSIS package is a collection of control flow and data flow, control flow includes the two things such as task and data flow task and Data flow includes source, transformation, and destination.

3. Expressions
SSIS Expression is a combination of literals, identifiers, and operators
Literals: An interpreted variable is known as a literal, different type of literals are

  • Numeric literal: expression supports integral literal and nonintegral literal
  • String literal: It has zero or more characters enclosed with the quotation and also it always followed by the symbol.
  • Boolean literal: It has only two options true or false.

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4. Event Handling
Creating an event handler is similar to building packages and SSIS event handlers are

OnError,OnExecStatusChanged,OnInformation,OnPostExecute,OnPostValidate,OnPreExecute,OnProgress,OnTaskFailed,OnVariableValueChanged,OnWarning.

Example:  Let us consider two excel sheets as follows:

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File 1

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File 2

Translate File 1 into a second Excel sheet, i.e., a File 2 sheet compatible format.

Step 1: Create a new project

Click file –> new –> project. Select Integration service from the group.

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It will open up the SSIS designer, which we will use for creating and maintaining Integration service packages.

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In the SSIS package folder, we can see the default package created with the name “Package.dtsx”.
Step 2: Create a connection manager to an excel sheet.

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Select Excel and click on “Add.” Select the browser button and choose the Excel file path
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Step 3: Rename the connection manager.

Right-click on the connection manager and change the name to SourceExcelManager.

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Step 4: Repeat step 3 and create another connection manager and point to the resultant file. Change the name to DestinationExcelManager.

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Step 5: Create control flow: transfer data from source Excel to destination Excel.

We should select the control flow in the SSIS designer. Drag data flow task from the toolbox to designer

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Rename the data flow task into “source Excel to destination Excel transfer task”.
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Flow control: It helps to define the workflow and also control the flow of execution.

Step 6: Create the data flow

It helps to define the flow of data between source and destination.

Step 7: Create an Excel Source

Choose an Excel source from the source group and place it in the designer.

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Step 8: Configure the Excel sheet

Double click the Excel source.

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Select Data Source as “SourceExcelManager”, Data Access Mode as “Table or View” and Name of the sheet as “DataSheet1”

Step 9: Create a derived column.

In this toolbox from the Transformation, the group drags the Derived column to the SSIS designer.

Step 10: Connect Source to Derived column

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Click on this arrow and connect it to derive a column.

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Step 11: Configure the derived column
Double click on the derived column.
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Write down Derived Column Name as Name, Select expression as Title + “ “ + FirstName + “ “ + LastName
Click Ok.

Step 12: Create an Excel Destination

Add excel designation in the SSIS toolbox.

Step 13: Attach the Derived column to the excel destination.

Following step 10, connect the derived column and excel destination.

Step 14: Configure Excel Destination

Double click on the excel destination

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Locate connection Manager to “ExcelConnectionManager”, the Data Access Mode to “Table or View” and the Name of the excel sheet to “Datasheet1”.

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Click on mapping

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Step 15: Execute the package
Press F5

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We can find the output like below

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Uses Of SSIS

  1. Combining data from heterogeneous data stores
  2. Populating data warehouses and data marts
  3. Cleaning and standardizing data
  4. Building BI into the data transformation process
  5. Automating administrative functions and data loading

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is SSIS used for?

The following are some common uses of SSIS:

  • Data archiving (export)
  • Data loading (import)
  • Data transfer between two data sources
  • Cleansing or transforming dirty data
  • DBA tasks like filtering old files or indexing databases

How do I start SSIS?

  1. Click Start
  2. Point to All Programs
  3. Point to Microsoft SQL Server
  4. Click SQL Server Management Studio
  5. In the Connect to Server dialog box, select Integration Services in the Server type list.
  6. Provide a server name in the Server name box
  7. Click Connect

Is SSIS easy to learn?

SSIS is not difficult but takes patience and a lot of time to master. To gain full proficiency in SSIS, it is advised for learners to take up the SSIS Training and Certification course. This way learners will be able to learn SSIS comprehensively from experienced instructors and at the same time validate their skills with an SSIS certification.

You can also check out our SSIS video tutorial on YouTube to learn SSIS at an elementary level.

Is SSIS an ETL tool?

SSIS is a proprietary offering from Microsoft that helps perform ETL (Extract, Transform, and Load) operations. Apart from ETL, SSIS can be used to perform several other operations including data warehousing and data pumping.

What is the difference between SSIS and SSRS?

Although both SSIS (SQL Server Integration Services) and SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services) are parts of the SQL Server, they serve different purposes altogether. While SSIS is used for ETL, data warehousing and data pumping, SSRS is used for Report building, Report Managing, and Report Designing.

Do you need SSIS installed to run a package?

You need to install SSIS on the server where you need to run the required package, as associated binaries are required. However, the adjacent SSIS service need not be co-installed.

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