Can an SSIS package run without Integration Services being installed?

  • First off, its been over 12 years since being asked to deploy an SSIS package.  I remember that we used to run them using dtexec.  However, I'm not having much success.

    I've reviewed this article referenced in another thread. That's only 9 years old.  I was optimistic that switching from the project deployment model to the package approach would remove the dependency.  Seems the SSDT works a little different now, and when I try opening the manifest, I get a prompt to pick an app.

    Full context, the current client shifted to MySql  some time ago and no long have MS Sql server running anywhere.  There's just one Express instance running that's served fine for the Fuzzy lookup operation in testing.

    So here's my code/error:

    dtexec /F "CleanMasterData.dtsx"


    Error: 2021-11-16 13:39:20.18

       Code: 0xC000F427

       Source: Identify Erroneous Speciality Audit SSIS.Pipeline

       Description: To run a SSIS package outside of SQL Server Data Tools you must install Enterprise Edition of Integration Services or higher.

    End Error

    So, just looking for confirmation that there's no way to get this running without Integration services?  I did a rough calculation and with their AWS affinity, its probably going to run about $600/month to have a server running for this one package.

  • Even 12 years ago, as far as I remember, SSIS would have to have been installed to allow the unattended running of SSIS packages, and the same is true today.

    However, running the package interactively in SSDT should work OK.

    Sounds like it may be time to rewrite "CleanMasterData.dtsx" using a technology more accessible to your client.

    If you haven't even tried to resolve your issue, please don't expect the hard-working volunteers here to waste their time providing links to answers which you could easily have found yourself.

  • Short of writing your own dtsx processor, there is no way to run dtsx packages without SSIS. dtexec is the executable that parses & implements the logic in dtsx files. I'm not sure why you'd need Enterprise Edition.

    How frequently is the package executed? Can you just spin up an instance at scheduled times to run a package?

    Long term, if the client is determined to go open source and/or save money (not necessarily synonymous), they/you may want to implement an alternative ELT/ELT process.

  • Thanks for the replies.  I'll pass along that I've confirmed the dependency.  They'd like to have it run weekly, so I like the thought that they could start up/shut down the resource.

    Several months ago, I'd suggested using a sql adaptation of the levenshtein algorithm that I found here.  Then we could have the whole process run in MySql.

  • you don't need enterprise to have SSIS - but the other editions lack some functionality - fuzzy lookup is only available on the enterprise version so if this is the only reason why you are using SSIS I would advise changing to another ETL tool.

    see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/integration-services/integration-services-features-supported-by-the-editions-of-sql-server?view=sql-server-ver15

  • Thanks for the additional insight!  This is also good to know!

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