SSIS: How to run your SQL Server 2000 DTS packages in SSMS 2005/2008?

This article focus on the concept that SQL Server 2000 DTS packages can be run in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 2005/2008 without modification.

Until last week I do believe that SQL Server 2000 DTS packages can not be run on SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio) 2005/2008 directly. The only way was to use the Execute DTS 2000 Package Task in your control Flow.

We can run our SQL Server 2000 DTS packages with SSMS 2005/2008.

The very first thing required is your SQL Server 2005/2008 should have following components installed.

1. Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Backward compatibility Setup
2. Microsoft SQL Server 2000 DTS Designer Components

You can find the #1 in your SQL Server Setup DVD or download it from Microsoft site as per your current SQL environment.

You can find the #2 from Microsoft Download Center http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=11988

After obtaining the two components you need to install it on your SQL Server box

Once you installed the two components. You can open your SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio).

SSMS managed the DTS packages under Management->Legacy->Data Transformation Services

You can Open or Import an existing DTS package by right-clicking on Data Transformation Services

You can select an existing DTS package and it will appear under the Data Transformation Services tree. To open the DTS package right-click on the package name and select Open.

Your DTS package will open in the DTS 2000 Designer window.

You can run your DTS package and do any modification you like to do inside DTS 2000 Package Designer.

Note: Till the time your DTS 2000 Package Designer window is open you can not work with other SSMS windows. You need to close it first.

Moral of the story is you do not need to re-write your existing DTS packages into SSIS packages. You can run them from SSMS 2005/2008…but this do not mean you do not need SSIS further….SSIS is a different platform then the DTS and comes up with so many advantages which are difficult to ignore.

Please add your comments to improve this post or post your suggestions as you like.

SSIS: Data Flow v/s Control Flow

Control Flow and Data Flow are two basis elements for SSIS. Conceptually these two are different. An SSIS developer spends most of his time dealing with these two elements.

Where the Control Flow and Data Flow are located?

If you are working with SQL Server 2005/SQL Server 2008/SQL Server 2008R2/SQL Server Denali (CTP 3), you will find these two tabs whenever you choose to create or open an existing Integrations Services Project in SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio.

What is Control Flow and Data Flow?

Before we begin let us know what these two elements are:

Control Flow:

• Control Flow controls the project/package flow based on task completion, success or task failure.
• In a control flow Task 1 needs to complete before task 2 begins
• Smallest unit of the control flow is a task
• Control flow does not move data from task to task
• Tasks are run in series if connected with precedence or in parallel
• Package control flow is made up of containers and tasks connected with precedence constraints to control package flow

Data Flow:

• Data Flow deals with the Data.
• Unlink control flow, multiple components can process data at the same time
• Smallest unit of the data flow is a component
• Data flows move data, but there are also tasks in the control flow, as such, their success or Failure effects how your control flow operates
• Data is moved and manipulated through transformations
• Data is passed between each component in the data flow
• Data flow is made up of source(s), transformations, and destinations.



So Data Flow is the child of Control Flow. A Control Flow may or may not require a Data Flow.

We will discuss some more basic concepts of SSIS in future posts...till then ...please feel free to add your comments.

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PM: Do you know your Communication Channel?

“Do you know how many communication channel you have with your team?”…one of my friends asked me.

“I do have 100+ TV channels but what is this Communication Channel...you are talking about?” – I asked

“Forget it…I and you are talking to each other right now…can you tell me how many communication channels right now we have between us?”

“You are talking to me and I am talking to you…so I guess just 1 for me and 1 for you” – I explained

“Well this is right…but if a third friend joins us”... My fried quizzing was continued…

“I guess 3” – I tried my best guess

“well it is also right” – he smiled

“..what if have another 1 friend with us”

“I guess 4” – I was confident

“Nope…you will have 6 communication channels” – my fried was smiling now

“How come?” – I was puzzled

“You know the importance of Communication. Today, the most dominated things if you see is information, and communicating of information is the main thing a person do day and night. We all know when we starts in IT sector we assume the only thing our Project Manager do is tell us do this and do that…. and he enjoy chatting, browsing and we do all coding/testing work.” – my fried continues his lectures with me (he has got this opportunity after a long time)

“Hmm…so how come a project manager has anything to do with Communication Chanel?”

“wait. I am coming to that point…Now as you progress and get experienced you realized that your Project Manager do the things which are far more important then our coding and testing stuffs…from many things he do, he spend most of his time in communication. Gathering information and distributing it to the relevant stakeholder. Some stats say he spends 90% of his time in communication.” – My friend continued

- I am listening with patience.

“Now when it comes to communication, the project manager should now how many communication channel he/she does have? To know this there is a very simple formula”

[N(N-1)]/2

Where N is the number of team members.”

“Ok so if we have 2 team members as per this formula we have 2(2-1)/2=1 communication channel” – I said with relief.

“Yes…now use the same formula and answer the 4 friend’s communication channel” – my friend insists

“Well it is 6” – I said with assurance (I knew the formula now.. J)

“That is right – always remember your communication channel”

“Do I need to count my Project manager also when I am calculating my communication channel” – I asked

“Yes you do. Take an example, let us say you have a team of 5 developers, 3 testers, 1 team lead and 1 project manager then total # of team member are (5+3+1+1)=10 and your communication channel as a project manager are 45” – my friend was blessing me with his knowledge.

I thank him for this info as this is great to know your COMMUNICATION CHANNEL

Communication Channel Formula = [N(N-1)]/2

- Please leave your comment to improve this topic or include the one you want to read about

Vikash Kumar Singh

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Know Your EPF Balance via SMS

Everyone working professional consolidate some part of their hard earning in the form of Provident form. Although everyone gets their PF Annual statemet annually or after two years. EPF india has make the process of enquiring the EPF balance every easy. All you need is your PF # and a mobile to get to know your EPF balance. You can follow the below steps to know your balance via SMS.

1)      Go to http://www.epfindia.com/

2)      Click Know Your EPF Balance





3)      Click the below link.

4)   Select your city which should be Haryana (In case you are based out of some other office, then please check with HR for your PF office i.e. where you PF is being deposited).

  

5)      Click Gurgaon as shown below.

6)   Enter your PF number in the first cell (yellow) and third cell (orange) along with your Name & Mobile number in the subsequent fields.

7)      Check box for “I Agree”.

8)      Click Submit.

9)   Upon submission of the request, you will receive an sms (depending on the service provider you are using J) of the PF balance as per the last financial close.

It is important to understand your EPF SMS correctly. Your EPF SMS contains many information that you should understand.

EPF SMS: How to read and interpret it correctly?

You can also download your EPF e-Passbook to see all the amount deposited in your PF account every month

How to download your EPF e-Passbook?