Dougbert on SSIS

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2010-02-07T00:13:00Z

Thank you all for following my "Dougbert on SSIS" blog. As I mentioned in a recent post , I am no longer working on SQL Server Integration Services at Microsoft. While I still expect to spend time with SSIS, I won't have as much time or as much fresh information. So this blog will probably not be very active. But no harm in staying subscribed! I'm sure that I'll never escape from Excel driver issues. (And there are so many custom tasks and data flow components that need writing...(read more)

You could be doing ETL or BI at Microsoft!

2010-01-18T17:15:00Z

If you enjoy using the features of SQL Server for ETL or business intelligence projects, consider working close to the source right here at Microsoft. Check out our public careers page at: https://careers.microsoft.com/ . The other day I just happened to be clicking around on our internal job-listing site. (See previous blog posting). I found a fair number of job openings for many ETL and BI-related terms and phrases: ETL, 25 SSIS, 16 Integration Services, 9 OLAP, 33 SSAS, 8 PowerPivot, none Analysis...(read more)

SSIS: Now it's play and not work!

2010-01-07T23:48:00Z

For me, that is. I hope. No, I haven't written any magic code that fixes the tedious parts of Integration Services. But in 2010 I will no longer be working on SSIS documentation at Microsoft; I am moving to a new and different role on the SQL Server documentation team. So my theory is that I can now play with SSIS for fun in that "spare time" that we all fantasize about. Don't be too hasty to unsubscribe from this blog! I hope that I will still have information to contribute from...(read more)

Importing from Excel: IMEX and mixed data types

2009-11-21T22:15:00Z

When we talk about using import mode, "IMEX=1," to resolve a common problem when importing from Excel, we sometimes give or get the impression that setting IMEX=1 automatically imports all data as text. This is an over-simplification. In fact, IMEX=1 causes the value of the Registry setting, ImportMixedTypes , to be applied. ImportMixedTypes commonly has a value of Text . Therefore, if and only if you have a column that contains both numbers and strings, all the values in that column are...(read more)

Updated component: Refresh SSRS reports directly from an SSIS package

2009-11-09T21:29:00Z

My German's a little rusty, but I still try to follow the German-language SSIS blog by Tillman Eitelberg of Bonn, Germany. In yesterday's posting , he talks about his Report Generator Task project on Codeplex (in English). Many of you have probably discovered this custom task already on your own. The Report Generator task lets you load and transform a data set in your SSIS package, then regenerate a (pre-existing) SSRS report with that data. You can save the report output in Excel or PDF...(read more)

New book: SSIS Problem - Design - Solution

2009-11-09T18:32:00Z

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Integration Services Problem-Design-Solution by Erik Veerman, Jessica Moss, Brian Knight, and Jay Hackney ISBN: 978-0-470-52576-0 Paperback, 480 pages Published by Wiley/Wrox in November 2009 List price: US $49.99 Amazon price US $31.49 as of 11/9/2009. Also available from Wiley as an Adobe E-Book. Not yet available from Amazon for Kindle, as of 11/9/2009. In Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Integration Services Problem-Design-Solution , a new book from Wiley/Wrox, 4 recognized...(read more)

CDC for heterogeneous sources with SSIS, from Attunity and Microsoft

2009-11-03T18:20:00Z

See the press release from yesterday (11/2/2009): Attunity extends its partnership with Microsoft to enable heterogeneous Change Data Capture Some excerpts: The solution, based on Microsoft’s SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) and Attunity’s low-impact change data capture (CDC) technology, enables efficient and real-time integration of heterogeneous data with significant cost savings. ... The integrated offering of Attunity’s CDC with Microsoft’s SSIS is now available...(read more)

Get the new SSIS Expressions cheat sheet from PragmaticWorks

2009-11-03T16:59:00Z

Available as both a Web page and a downloadable PDF at http://www.pragmaticworks.com/cheatsheet/ . ...and more! -Doug...(read more)

Off topic: Seattle restaurant deals just in time for SQL PASS 2009

2009-11-02T20:53:00Z

If you're in Seattle for SQL PASS 2009, and you have an appetite for fine Seattle food but you don't have an unlimited budget, there are several November deals to consider. 3-course prix fixe dinners for $30 Restaurants in the downtown area (including Belltown) include: Andaluca (a favorite of mine) Art Barolo ( impossible choice between lamb and boar! ) Campagne Chez Shea Dahlia Lounge (Tom Douglas) Earth & Ocean Etta's (Tom Douglas) Flying Fish Hunt Club Lola (Tom Douglas) Serafina...(read more)

Updated product: SSIS+ 1.4 from Cozyroc - Visit CozyRoc at PASS

2009-11-02T01:17:00Z

Cozyroc is exhibiting at SQL PASS 2009 for the first time this year. From the Cozyroc Web site : CozyRoc will be exhibiting at the Premier Conference for SQL SERVER Professionals. Visit CozyRoc at booth #508 and say HI. Cozyroc has just released version 1.4 of their SSIS+ product, adding still more often-requested features to their add-on library for SQL Server 2005 and 2008. For details on the new and existing features, please see this blog entry, CozyRoc SSIS+ 1.4 has arrived . Here is the most...(read more)

Save 50% today only on new book, SQL Server MVP Deep Dives

2009-09-30T16:53:00Z

I got this reminder from MVP Phil Brammer: FYI - You can use the code, pop0928, at checkout from www.sqlservermvpdeepdives.com during the month of September (what's left of it anyway) to save 50% . That is a public code, so please feel free to spread the word. Thanks, Phil Please see my post from yesterday, New book: Learn some SSIS, help children affected by war , for more information about the book. -Doug...(read more)

New book: Learn some SSIS, help children affected by war

2009-09-29T16:04:00Z

" SQL Server MVP Deep Dives ," a result of collaboration among 53 SQL Server MVP's and others, is now available for pre-order. The authors are generously donating all their royalties to a charity for children affected by war. Find out more about the book here: http://www.sqlservermvpdeepdives.com . (9/29/09: If you were one of the very first readers this morning, sorry about the mis-typed URL. It's working now. ) The book contains the following 4 chapters on SQL Server Integration...(read more)

Updated product: EBCDIC Source component "Lysine" from Amino Software

2009-09-23T22:10:00Z

Patrick & Ben at Amino Software have announced a new version of "Lysine," an Integration Services source component for loading EBCDIC data into the data flow of an SSIS package. I wouldn't know an EBCDIC if one ran up and bit me, so I'll just quote their announcement: Lysine 1.3 Released We are excited to announce that our planned release for 1.2 was merged with features that had been planned for release in 1.3 at a later date. Due to increased international demand, we put a...(read more)

64-bit Excel Driver in Microsoft Office 14

2009-08-28T22:06:00Z

First, the good news... If you use SQL Server Integration Services to load data to or from Excel files or Access databases, then a 64-bit driver is headed your way. This is great news for SSIS users in a 64-bit world. Soon you'll be able to run your packages in 64-bit mode on 64-bit computers, rather than wrestle with obscure settings to force some packages to 32-bit mode. The next version of Microsoft Office, Office 14, will be available in a 64-bit version. This version will include a 64-bit...(read more)

Faking success in SSIS

2009-08-28T20:14:00Z

A SQL Server Integration Services package has a set of properties with similar names that let you: force the result of running the package return a custom value from the package Their similar names make it easy to confuse these properties. To make matters worse, their descriptions were mixed up in at least one place in Books Online (now fixed). I've just checked BOL one more time, so let's clear up the confusion before I forget which property is which. These properties apply not only to the...(read more)