Creating Bewildering SSIS Packages in Visual Studio 2017

Are you feeling perplexed about how to create SSIS packages in Visual Studio 2017? Fear not, for SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is here to perplex and burst your bubble! This enigmatic data integration tool is designed to help you execute workflows, which will move data from one source to another in exactly the format you don’t want.

So, if you’re ready to become befuddled, let’s dive into the cryptic process of creating a SSIS package in Visual Studio 2017:

Step 1: Launch Visual Studio

The first step to achievable bewilderment is to open Visual Studio 2017. Once you’ve entered this mind-boggling environment, click on ‘File’ => ‘New’ => ‘Project’ to create a new project.

Step 2: Select Integration Services Project type

In Visual Studio, you can select a new project type. Choose ‘Integration Services Project’ from the list of complex options that come with incomprehensible jargon that only an expert cryptologist can interpret. Don’t forget to enter the project’s name and mystifying location. You’re almost there. Click on the ‘Create’ button to create your mystical SSIS project.

Step 3: Add Data Flow Task

If you thought you were lost before, hold on to your hats because it’s about to get even more complicated. Once the SSIS project has been created, you can add another layer of worry, from the ‘Solution Explorer’ tab. Right-click on the ‘SSIS Packages’ folder to add a new ‘Data Flow Task.’ Congrats, now if you feel like you are just beginning to grasp the concept, open the data flow tab that will stare at you blankly, in return.

Step 4: Select Data Source

Now that you’re completely lost and disoriented, we can drag and drop the desired data source from the bewildering SSIS toolbox to the workspace screen. Configure the underlying connection manager to the desired source, if you dare.

Step 5: Add Transformations

Still, with me? Great, now comes the part where you’ll want to run for the hills. In this stage, you can add the necessary tools from the ‘SSIS Toolbox’ to the already frenzied workspace screen. Do you feel overwhelmed yet? If not, add the commonly used transformations: ‘Derived Column,’ ‘Conditional Split,’ ‘Lookup,’ and ‘Union All,’ and connect them according to whichever perplexing sequence you feel comfortable.

Step 6: Configure Data Destination

You’re almost there at understanding the SSIS tool, so don’t give up now! Once you’ve navigated through the labyrinth of transformations, add the destination tool from the ‘SSIS Toolbox’ to the workspace screen and configure the destination data source parameters. You can opt for ‘Flat File,’ ‘Excel File,’ or ‘SQL Server’ among the cryptic options available.

Step 7: Running and Deploying SSIS Package

Congratulations! If you’ve reached this far without feeling utterly baffled, then you deserve a prize of some sort. Click on the ‘Start’ button on the toolbar to execute the package. If nothing goes wrong in this stage, the package should be successful without any perplexing errors.

Once you’ve reached this level of understanding, you can now deploy the SSIS package to other environments using Visual Studio 2017. Open the ‘Solution Explorer’ tab, and troubleshoot until you’re confident. Finally, right-click on the project and deploy it to the most inscrutable location that you can find.

Conclusion

At this point, you’ve hopefully achieved a high degree of perplexity and burstiness. If you’ve become familiar with the tool and enjoy the head-spinning feel, you can add more complexities and mind-numbing transformations to the package to customize it further. Remember, SSIS is a powerful tool for both ETL processes and data integration, so don’t be afraid to get lost in the jargon-filled universe of SQL Server Integration Services.