Professional SQL Server™ 2005 Programming

Chapter 19. Getting Integrated

Out with the old, in with the new — that's going to be what this chapter is about. For context, we need to touch base on what the old was — Data Transformation Services, or DTS. That's what we had before we had Integration Services — the topic of this chapter.

I mention DTS for two reasons. First, it was revolutionary. Never before was a significant tool for moving and transforming large blocks of data included in one of the major Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMSs). All sorts of things that were either very difficult or required very expensive third-party tools were suddenly a relative piece of cake. Second, I mention it because it's gone — or, more accurately, replaced.

DTS was completely rewritten for this release and, as part of that, also got a new name: Integration Services.

NOTE

If you're running a mixed environment with SQL Server 2000 or migrating from that version, do not fear. SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) will run old DTS packages with the installation of Legacy Services in the Installation Wizard when you install SQL Server 2005.

Use the SSIS Package Migration Wizard to help upgrade old DTS packages.

In this chapter, we'll be looking at how to perform basic import and export of data, and we'll briefly discuss some of the other things possible with tools like Integration Services.