SSIS Vs Linked Server with SQL Agent Jobs

  • Dear Experts,

    Need advice in planning.

    There are tables which needs to be exported to / imported from databases on different SQL instances DAILY and also want to have exception handlers or notifications of the daily run and the status (especially on failure of perticular table). Please let me know whether to go with SSIS or create a linked server and schedule Job also let me know the advantages and disadvantages over both. At the max the below steps will be involved:

    1. Drop the existing tables at destination

    2. Create Tables at destination

    3. Insert Data at destination.

  • I would nearly always advise the SSIS route. It's more flexible and it enables you to do transformations that you can't (easily) do with T-SQL. It's also easy to handle errors and send notifications.

    Using a linked server is less secure since it increases the surface area of your server, giving another possible avenue of attack.

    John

  • Personally I would go with SSIS as it was created for this kind of work.

    There are many advantages of using SSIS to name but a few:

    - Good error handling possibilities

    - Bulk Inserts

    - Visibility of what is happening in the pipeline

    - Configurations

    I'm sure there are more that will be added to the thread!

    A disadvantage of using SSIS is the appalling error messages and it can at times be a pig to work with (my personal opinion not a statement of fact!)

    Question why steps 1 & 2 what are your reasons for dropping and recreating the tables already in place?

    Andy

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    A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila. Mitch Ratcliffe

  • Good Question. This is required as there will be changes made to the columns at Source (adding or dropping columns). If we go with SSIS, we need to do mapping too.

    Please advice that SSIS is the better choice.

  • pawana.paul (5/11/2012)


    Good Question. This is required as there will be changes made to the columns at Source (adding or dropping columns). If we go with SSIS, we need to do mapping too.

    Please advice that SSIS is the better choice.

    Now that is a much more complicated process...

    I have had colleagues who have done this in the past successfully using SSIS but not

    without some pretty complicated dynamic SQL and a combination of #Temp tables, agent jobs.

    Without this SSIS will pick up that column names have changed or no longer exist and fail as a consiquence without you manually amending the ETL's

    Sorry that may not be much help but as I've personally never had to overcome this challenge (yet) its all I can offer.

    Andy

    ==========================================================================================================================
    A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila. Mitch Ratcliffe

  • Thanks Andy. Appreciate your help.

    Others,

    Request you to advice if you have any inputs on this.

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