1.what is a package?
a).a discrete executable unit of work composed of a collection
of control flow and other objects, including data sources,
transformations ,process sequence, and rules, errors and event
handling, and data destinations.
2.what is a workflow in ssis ?
a).`a workflow is a set of instructions on how to execute tasks.
(It is a set of instructions on how to execute tasks such as
sessions, emails and shell commands. a workflow is created form
work flow mgr.)
3.what is the diff between control flow Items and data flow
Items?
a).the control flow is the highest level control process.It
allows you to manage the run-time process the run time process
activIties of data flow and other processes wIthin a package.
when we want to extract, transform and load data wIthin a
package. you add an ssis dataflow task to the package control
flow.
4.what are the main component of ssis(project-archItecture)?
A).ssis archItecture has 4 main components
1.ssis service
2.ssis runtime engine & runtime executables
3.ssis dataflow engine & dataflow components
4.ssis clients
5.different components in ssis package?
a).1.control flow
2.data flow
3.event handler
4.package explorer
containers:::provide structure and scope to your package
types of containers:
i. task host container :the task host container services a
single task.
ii. sequence container :It can handle the flow of subset of a
package and can help you drive a package into smaller more
manageable process.
uses:-1.grouping tasks so that you can disable a part of the
package that no longer needed.
2.narrowing the scope of the variable to a container.
3.managing the property of multiple tasks in one step by setting
the properties of the container.
iii.for loop container:evaluates an expression and repeats Its
workflow until the expression evaluates to false.
iv.for each loop container:defines a control flow repeatedly by
using an enumerator.
the for each loop container repearts the control flow for each
member of a specified enemurator.
tasks:::It provide the functionalIty to ur package.
It is a individual unIt of work.
event handler::respond to raised events in your package.
precedence constraints::provide ordinal relationship b/w various
Items in ur package.
6.how to deploy the package?
a).to deploy the package first we need to configure some
properties.
goto project tab->package properties->we get a window,configure
deployment utilIty as "true"
mention the path as "bin/deployment"
7. Connection manager:
a).It is a bridge b/w package object
provides logical representation of a
the properties of the connection mgr
connection that integration services
run.
and physical data. It
connection at design time
describes the physical
creates when the package is
8. Tell the utilIty to execute (run) the package?
a) In BIDS a package that can be executed in debug mode by using
the debug menu or toolbar or from solution explorer.
In production, the package can be executed from the command line
or from a Microsoft windows utilIty, or It can be scheduled for
automated execution by using the sql server agent.
i).goto->debug menu and select the start debugging button
ii).press F5 key
iii).right click the package and choose execute package.
iv).command prompts utilIties
a).DTExecUI
1. To open command prompt->run->type dtexecui->press enter
2. The execute package utilIty dialog box opens.
3. in that click execute to run the package.
WaIt until the package has executed successfully.
b).DTExec utilIty
1.open the command prompt window.
2.command prompt window->type dtexec/followed by the DTS, SQL,
or file option and the package path ,including package name.
3.if the package encryption level is encrypt sensItive wIth
password or encrypt all wIth password, use the decrypt option to
provide the password.
If no password is included, dtexec will prompt you for the
password.
4. Optionally, provide addItional command-line options
5. Press enter.
6. Optionally, view logging and reporting information before
closing the command prompt window.
The execute package utilIty dialog box opens.
7. In the execute package utilIty dialog box, click execute
package.
WaIt until the package has executed successfully.
v).using sql server mgmt studio to execute package
1. In SSMS right click a package, and then click run package.
Execute package utilIty opens.
2. Execute the package as described previously.
9. How can u design SCD in SSIS?
a) Def:-SCD explains how to capture the changes over the period
of time.
This is also known as change data capture.
type1: It keeps the most recent values in the target. It does
not maintain the history.
type2: It keeps the full history in the target database. For
every update in the source anew record is inserted in the
target.
type3: It keeps current & previous information in the target.
in-SSIS:
------type1: It can do require re-creating any aggregation that would
be affected by the change.
type2: changes can cause a serious inflation in the number of
members of a dimension.
type3: as wIth a type 1 change, type 3 change requires a
dimension update, so u need to re-process
All aggregations affected after change.
10. How can u handle the errors through the help of logging in
SSIS?
a) To create an on error event handler to which you add the log
error execute sql task.
11. What is a logfile and how to send log file to mgr?
a) It is especially useful when the package has been deployed to
the production environment, and you can not use BIDS and VSA to
debug the package.
SSIS enables you to implement logging code through the Dts. Log
method.
When the Dts. Log method is called in the script, the SSIS
engine will route the message to the log providers that are
configured in the containing package.
12. What is environment variable in SSIS?
a) An environment variable configuration sets a package property
equal to the value in an environment variable.
Environmental configurations are useful for configuring
properties that are dependent on the computer that is executing
the package.
13. about multiple configurations?
a) It means including the xml configuration, environment
variable, registry entry, parent package variable, SQL Server
table, and direct and indirect configuration types.
14. How to provide securIty to packages?
a) In two ways
1. Package encryption
2. Password protection.
15. as per error handling in T/R, which one handle the better
performance? Like fail component, redirect row or ignore
failure?
a) Redirect row provides better performance for error handling.
16. Staging area??
a) It is a temporary data storage location. Where various data
T/R activIties take place. A staging area is a kItchen of data
warehouse.
17. Task??
a) An individual unIt of work.
Types:.....
1. Active x script task
2. Analysis services execute DDL task
3. Analysis services processing task
4. Bulk insert task *
5. Data flow task *
6. Data mining query task
7. Execute Dts 2000 package task
8. Execute package task *
9. Execute process task
10. Execute sql task *
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
File system task
Ftp task
Message queue task
Script task *
Send mail task *
Web service task
Wmi data reader task
Wmi event task
Xml task
18. Event handling & logging?
a) You can select the t/r fails and exIts up on an error, or the
bad rows can be redirected to a failed
Data flow branch. Ignore failure, redirect row.
Logging also improved there are more than a 12 events that can
be logged for each task or package. You can enable partial
logging for one task and enable much more detailed logging for
billing tasks.
Ex:-on error
On post validate
On progress
On warning
--->log file can be wrItten to usually any connection
Sql profiler
Text files
Sql server
Window event log
Xml file
19. Import & export wizard?
a) Easiest method to move data from sources like oracle, db2,
sql server.
Right click on database name->goto task->import and export
wizard
Select the source
Select the destination
Query copy of tables
Execute
Finish
20.solution explorer?
after creating project
project name
-data source
-data source views
-packages
-miscellaneous
21. Precedence constraints?
a) Constraints that link executable, container, and tasks wIthin
the package control flow and specify condItion that determine
the sequence
And condItions for determine whether executable run.
22. Data pipeline?
a) The memory based, multIthreaded, buffered t/r process flow
data through an SSIS data flow task during package execution.
23. TRANSFORMATIONS??
It is an object that generates, modifies, or passes data.
1.AGGEGATE T/R:-It applies an aggregate function to grouped
records and produces new output records from aggregated results.
2.AUDIT T/R:-the t/r adds the value of a system variable, such
as machine name or execution instance GUID to a new output
column.
3.CHARACTER MAP T/R:-this t/r makes string data changes such as
changing data from lower case to upper case.
4.CONDITIONAL SPLIT:-It separate input rows into separate output
data pipelines based on the boolian expressions configured for
each output.
5.COPY COLUMN:-add a copy of column to the t/r output we can
later transform the copy keeping the original for audIting
personal
6.DATA CONVERSION:-converts a columns data type to another data
type.
7.DATA MINING QUERY:-perform a data mining query against
analysis services.
8.DERIVED COLUMN:-create a new derive column calculated from
expression.
9.EXPORT COLUMN:-It allows you to export a column from the data
flow to a file.
10.FUZZY GROUPING:-perform data cleansing by finding rows that
are likely duplicates.
11.FUZZY LOOKUP:-matches and standardizes data based on fuzzy
logic.
eg:-transform the name jon to john
12.IMPORT COLUMN:-reads the dat from a file & adds It into a
dataflow.
13.LOOKUP:-perform the lookup of data tobe used later in a
transform.
ex:-t/f to lookup a cIty based on zipcode.
1.getting a related value from a table using a key column value
2.update slowly changing dimension table
3.to check whether records already exist in the table.
14.MERGE:-merges two sorted data sets into a single data set
into a single data flow.
15.MERGE JOIN:-merges two data sets into a single dataset using
a join junction.
16.MULTI CAST:-sends a copy of two datato an addItional path in
the workflow.
17.ROW COUNT:-stores the rows count from the data flow into a
variable.
18.ROW SAMPLING:-captures the sample of data from the dataflow
by using a row count of the total rows in dataflow.
19.ROW SAMPLING:-captures the sample of the data from the data
flow by using a row count of the total rows in data flow.
20.UNION ALL:-merge multiple data sets into a single dataset.
21.PIVOT:-converts rows into columns
22.UNPIVOT:-converts columns into rows
24. Batch?
a) A batch is defined as group of sessions. Those are 2 types.
1. Parallel batch processing
2. Sequential batch processing
-----For executing the package we can use "execute package
utilIty"-------for deploying the package we can use "package deployment
utilIty"�
SSRS:-1. What are the main components of reporting services?
a) Report designer, report server, report manager, report user.
2. Where can u publish the report?
a) By using report designer or publish reports on report server.
3. What are the necessIty things for creating matrix report?
a) Page, column, row, details
4. for generating reports which is used like RDBMS OR CUBE?
a) Depends on data
5. What is assembly code in SSRS?
a)
6. What is Rdl file?
a) Rdl is a Report DefinItion Language. Every report is saving
wIth Rdl Extension.
7. How can u create a job?
a) Job is a group of reports.
The reports can be processed eIther sequentially or parallel.
SSAS:1. What are the fixed measure and calculated measure?
a) Normally we used fixed measures in SSIS mainly for
calculating measures.
Where as calculated measures uses in SSAS, while creating cube
we can mention this calculated measure in the OLAP.
2. What are measures?
a) Measures are numeric data based on columns in a fact table.
3. What are cubes?
a) Cubes are data processing unIts composed of fact tables and
dimensions from the data warehouse. They provided
multidimensional analysis.
4. What are virtual cubes?
These are combination of one or more real cubes and require no
disk space to store them. They store only definItion and not the
data.
DATAWARE HOUSE CONCEPTS:1. Diff b/w OLTP AND OLAP?
A)
OLTP OLAP
_________________________________________
1.transactional processing 1.query processing
2.time sensItive 2.history oriented
3. Operator & clerks view 3.Managers, CEOs, PM�s views
4. organized by transaction 4.organized by subjects
(Order, input, inventory) (product, customer)
5.relatively smaller DB 5.large DB size
6.volatile data 6.non-volatile
7.stores all data 7.stores relevant data
8. Not flexible 8.flexible
2. Diff b/w star schema and snowflake?
a) STAR SCHEMA SNOWFLAKE
_____________________________________
1.centrally located fact table 1.centraly located fact table
surrounded by de normalise surronded by the normalized
Dimensions. dimension table.
2.all dimensions will be link 2.all dim link wIth each other
(or)
directly wIth fact table. 1-N relationship wIth other table.
3.It is easy to understand by 3.It is diff to understand.
end user or tech people 4.It is diff to retrieve the data while
4.We can easily retrieve data parsing the query against the
facts n dim.
By passing the simple queries.
5.increase the query perform- 5.more joins.
ance because It involve less
Joins.
What are fact tables?
a) A fact table is a table that contains summarized numerical
(facts) and historical data.
This fact table has a foreign key-primary key relation wIth a
dimension table. the fact table maintains the information in 3rd
normal form.
3. Types of facts?
a)
1. AddItive:-able to add the facts along wIth all the dimensions
-discrete numerical measures.
-Ex:-retail sales in $
2. semi addItive:-snapshot taken at a point in time
- Measure of intensIty
-not addItive along time dimensions
ex:-account balance, inventory balance
3.non-addItive:-numerical measures that can't be added across
any dimensions.
-intensIty measure arranged across all dimension
ex:-room temperatures, averages
4. Data warehouse?
a) A data ware house is a collection of data marts representing
historical data from diff operational data sources (OLTP).
The data from these OLTP are structured and optimized for
querying and data analysis in a data warehouse.
5. Data mart?
a) A data mart is a subset of a data warehouse that can provide
data for reporting and analysis on a section, unIt or a
department like sales dept, hr dept.
6. What is OLAP?
a) OLAP stands for online analytical processing. It uses
databases tables (fact and dimension table) to enable multi
dimensional viewing, analysis and querying of large amount of
data.
7. What is OLTP?
a) OLTP stands for online transactional processing. Except data
warehouse databases the other databases are OLTP.
These OLTP uses normalized schema structure.
These OLTP databases are designed for recording the daily
operations and transactions of a business.
8. What are dimensions?
Dimensions are categories by which summarized data can be
viewed. For example a profIt summary fact table can be viewed by
a time dimension.
9. What are conformed dimension?
a) The dimensions which are reusable and fixed in nature.
Example customer, time, geography dimensions.
10. Staging area?
a) It is a temporary data storage location, where various data
t/r activIties take place.
11. Fact grain(granularIty)?
a) The grain of fact is defined as the level at which the fact
information is stored in a fact table.
12. What is a fact less fact table?
a) The fact table which does not contain facts is called as fact
table.
Generally when we need to combine two data marts, then one data
mart will have a fact less fact table and other one wIth common
fact table.
13. What are measures?
a) Measures are numeric data based on columns in a fact table.
14. What are cubes?
a) Cubes are data processing unIts composed of fact tables and
dimensions from the data warehouse. They provided
multidimensional analysis.
15. What are virtual cubes?
These are combination of one or more real cubes and require no
disk space to store them. they store only definItion and not hte
data.
16.SCD's?
a)
type-I(current data)
type-II(full historical information& Current data)
type-III(Current data & Recent data)
SQL-SERVER-2005:1. Surrogate key?
a)It is an artificial or synthetic key that is used as a
substItute for a natural keys.
It is just a unique identifier or number for each row that can
be used for the primary key to the table.
(It is a sequence generate key which is assigned to be a primary
key in the system(table)).
2.primary key?
a)can be used to uniquely identify every row of the table.
------unique + not null------3.foreign key?
a)It is a column r combination of columns that contain values
that are found in primary key of some table.
It may be null, not unique.
4.composIte key?
a)It is a primary key consisting of more than one column.
4. indexes?
a) It is an access strategy that is a way to sort and search
records in the table.
Indexes are essential to improve the speed wIth which records
can be located and retrieved from a table.
Types: - cluster index (can create only one index on table)
Non-cluster index (can create 249 indexes on table)
Unique index
Composite index
(Simple index, reverse key index, bitmap index, function index)
5. View?
a) It is used for data security reason
To reduce the redundant data.
6. Cluster?
a) 1-many access path.
Clusters are used to store data from diff tables in the same
physical data blocks.
7. Sequences?
a) It is used to quickest way to retrieve the data.
8. Cursors?
a) Implicit cursor
Explicit cursor
Parameter cursor
9. Triggers?
a) Row trigger
Statement trigger
10. Transactions?
Save point
Commit & rollback.
11. Security?
a) Encryption
Locking
Level of lockings row level, page level, table level
12.constraints?
a)primary->
foreign(reference)->
check->
unique->
13. Diff b/w having and where?
a) after performing 'group by' operation 'having wil again
filter the records based on having condItion
'where' is used to filter the data based on a condItion and It
applies to retrive on a particular column.
14. Joins?
a) Join can combine the information from two tables into a
single unit.
inner join:they matched the records together based on one or more common
fields(matched-records only).
outer join:full join:-It combines the all rows on both sides of the join.
cross join:-
15. Union & union-all?
a) Union:-columns, data types should be same
Select distinct values
Remove duplicates
Union-all:-displays all the rows exact & duplicates.
16. Diff b/w drop, delete & truncate?
delete:-delete all rows at a time
delete a single row data based on condItion.
memory allocation will be there
structure will be there
truncate:-delete all rows at a time
can't delete single row at a time
memory allocation deleted
table structure wil be there
drop :- delete all rows at a time
can't delete single row at a time
memory allocation can be deleted
table structure also do deleted
----------------queries--------------1.Nth highest salary?
select rownum,sal from (select rownum,sal from emp order by sal
desc)
group by rownum,sal having rownum=&N; (OR)
select top 1 sal from (select top 10 sal from emp order by sal
desc) A
Here are some SSIS related Interview Questions with answers.
hope they help.
1) What is the control flow
2) what is a data flow
3) how do you do error handling in SSIS
4) how do you do logging in ssis
5) how do you deploy ssis packages.
6) how do you schedule ssis packages to run on the fly
7) how do you run stored procedure and get data
8) A scenario: Want to insert a text file into database table,
but during the upload want to change a column called as months January, Feb, etc to a code, - 1,2,3.. .This code can be read
from another database table called months. After the conversion
of the data , upload the file. If there are any errors, write to
error table. Then for all errors, read errors from database,
create a file, and mail it to the supervisor.
How would you accomplish this task in SSIS?
9)what are variables and what is variable scope ?
Answers
For Q 1 and 2:
In SSIS a workflow is called a control-flow. A control-flow
links together our modular data-flows as a series of operations
in order to achieve a desired result.
A control flow consists of one or more tasks and containers that
execute when the package runs. To control order or define the
conditions for running the next task or container in the package
control flow, you use precedence constraints to connect the
tasks and containers in a package. A subset of tasks and
containers can also be grouped and run repeatedly as a unit
within the package control flow.
SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) provides three
different types of control flow elements: containers that
provide structures in packages, tasks that provide
functionality, and precedence constraints that connect the
executables, containers, and tasks into an ordered control flow.
A data flow consists of the sources and destinations that
extract and load data, the transformations that modify and
extend data, and the paths that link sources, transformations,
and destinations. Before you can add a data flow to a package,
the package control flow must include a Data Flow task. The Data
Flow task is the executable within the SSIS package that
creates, orders, and runs the data flow. A separate instance of
the data flow engine is opened for each Data Flow task in a
package.
SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) provides three
different types of data flow components: sources,
transformations, and destinations. Sources extract data from
data stores such as tables and views in relational databases,
files, and Analysis Services databases. Transformations modify,
summarize, and clean data. Destinations load data into data
stores or create in-memory datasets.
Q3:
When a data flow component applies a transformation to column
data, extracts data from sources, or loads data into
destinations, errors can occur. Errors frequently occur because
of unexpected data values.
For example, a data conversion fails because a column contains a
string instead of a number, an insertion into a database column
fails because the data is a date and the column has a numeric
data type, or an expression fails to evaluate because a column
value is zero, resulting in a mathematical operation that is not
valid.
Errors typically fall into one the following categories:
-Data conversion errors, which occur if a conversion results in
loss of significant digits, the loss of insignificant digits,
and the truncation of strings. Data conversion errors also occur
if the requested conversion is not supported.
-Expression evaluation errors, which occur if expressions that
are evaluated at run time perform invalid operations or become
syntactically incorrect because of missing or incorrect data
values.
-Lookup errors, which occur if a lookup operation fails to
locate a match in the lookup table.
Many data flow components support error outputs, which let you
control how the component handles row-level errors in both
incoming and outgoing data. You specify how the component
behaves when truncation or an error occurs by setting options on
individual columns in the input or output.
For example, you can specify that the component should fail if
customer name data is truncated, but ignore errors on another
column that contains less important data.
Q 4:
SSIS includes logging features that write log entries when runtime events occur and can also write custom messages.
Integration Services supports a diverse set of log providers,
and gives you the ability to create custom log providers. The
Integration Services log providers can write log entries to text
files, SQL Server Profiler, SQL Server, Windows Event Log, or
XML files.
Logs are associated with packages and are configured at the
package level. Each task or container in a package can log
information to any package log. The tasks and containers in a
package can be enabled for logging even if the package itself is
not.
To customize the logging of an event or custom message,
Integration Services provides a schema of commonly logged
information to include in log entries. The Integration Services
log schema defines the information that you can log. You can
select elements from the log schema for each log entry.
To enable logging in a package
1. In Business Intelligence Development Studio, open the
Integration Services project that contains the package you want.
2. On the SSIS menu, click Logging.
3. Select a log provider in the Provider type list, and then
click Add.
Q 5 :
SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) makes it simple to
deploy packages to any computer.
There are two steps in the package deployment process:
-The first step is to build the Integration Services project to
create a package deployment utility.
-The second step is to copy the deployment folder that was
created when you built the Integration Services project to the
target computer, and then run the Package Installation Wizard to
install the packages.
Q 9 :
Variables store values that a SSIS package and its containers,
tasks, and event handlers can use at run time. The scripts in
the Script task and the Script component can also use variables.
The precedence constraints that sequence tasks and containers
into a workflow can use variables when their constraint
definitions include expressions.
Integration Services supports two types of variables: userdefined variables and system variables. User-defined variables
are defined by package developers, and system variables are
defined by Integration Services. You can create as many userdefined variables as a package requires, but you cannot create
additional system variables.
Scope :
A variable is created within the scope of a package or within
the scope of a container, task, or event handler in the package.
Because the package container is at the top of the container
hierarchy, variables with package scope function like global
variables and can be used by all containers in the package.
Similarly, variables defined within the scope of a container
such as a For Loop container can be used by all tasks or
containers within the For Loop container.
Question 1 - True or False - Using a checkpoint file in SSIS is
just like issuing the CHECKPOINT command against the relational
engine. It commits all of the data to the database.
False. SSIS provides a Checkpoint capability which allows a
package to restart at the point of failure.
Question 2 - Can you explain the what the Import\Export tool
does and the basic steps in the wizard?
The Import\Export tool is accessible via BIDS or executing the
dtswizard command.
The tool identifies a data source and a destination to move data
either within 1 database, between instances or even from a
database to a file (or vice versa).
Question 3 - What are the command line tools to execute SQL
Server Integration Services packages?
DTSEXECUI - When this command line tool is run a user interface
is loaded in order to configure each of the applicable
parameters to execute an SSIS package.
DTEXEC - This is a pure command line tool where all of the
needed switches must be passed into the command for successful
execution of the SSIS package.
Question 4 - Can you explain the SQL Server Integration Services
functionality in Management Studio?
You have the ability to do the following:
Login to the SQL Server Integration Services instance
View the SSIS log
View the packages that are currently running on that instance
Browse the packages stored in MSDB or the file system
Import or export packages
Delete packages
Run packages
Question 5 - Can you name some of the core SSIS components in
the Business Intelligence Development Studio you work with on a
regular basis when building an SSIS package?
Connection Managers
Control Flow
Data Flow
Event Handlers
Variables window
Toolbox window
Output window
Logging
Package Configurations
Question Difficulty = Moderate
Question 1 - True or False: SSIS has a default means to log all
records updated, deleted or inserted on a per table basis.
False, but a custom solution can be built to meet these needs.
Question 2 - What is a breakpoint in SSIS? How is it setup? How
do you disable it?
A breakpoint is a stopping point in the code. The breakpoint can
give the Developer\DBA an opportunity to review the status of
the data, variables and the overall status of the SSIS package.
10 unique conditions exist for each breakpoint.
Breakpoints are setup in BIDS. In BIDS, navigate to the control
flow interface. Right click on the object where you want to set
the breakpoint and select the 'Edit Breakpoints...' option.
Question 3 - Can you name 5 or more of the native SSIS
connection managers?
OLEDB connection - Used to connect to any data source requiring
an OLEDB connection (i.e., SQL Server 2000)
Flat file connection - Used to make a connection to a single
file in the File System. Required for reading information from a
File System flat file
ADO.Net connection - Uses the .Net Provider to make a connection
to SQL Server 2005 or other connection exposed through managed
code (like C#) in a custom task
Analysis Services connection - Used to make a connection to an
Analysis Services database or project. Required for the Analysis
Services DDL Task and Analysis Services Processing Task
File connection - Used to reference a file or folder. The
options are to either use or create a file or folder
Excel
FTP
HTTP
MSMQ
SMO
SMTP
SQLMobile
WMI
Question 4 - How do you eliminate quotes from being uploaded
from a flat file to SQL Server?
In the SSIS package on the Flat File Connection Manager Editor,
enter quotes into the Text qualifier field then preview the data
to ensure the quotes are not included.
Additional information: How to strip out double quotes from an
import file in SQL Server Integration Services
Question 5 - Can you name 5 or more of the main SSIS tool box
widgets and their functionality?
For Loop Container
Foreach Loop Container
Sequence Container
ActiveX Script Task
Analysis Services Execute DDL Task
Analysis Services Processing Task
Bulk Insert Task
Data Flow Task
Data Mining Query Task
Execute DTS 2000 Package Task
Execute Package Task
Execute Process Task
Execute SQL Task
etc.
Question Difficulty = Difficult
Question 1 - Can you explain one approach to deploy an SSIS
package?
One option is to build a deployment manifest file in BIDS, then
copy the directory to the applicable SQL Server then work
through the steps of the package installation wizard
A second option is using the dtutil utility to copy, paste,
rename, delete an SSIS Package
A third option is to login to SQL Server Integration Services
via SQL Server Management Studio then navigate to the 'Stored
Packages' folder then right click on the one of the children
folders or an SSIS package to access the 'Import Packages...' or
'Export Packages...'option.
A fourth option in BIDS is to navigate to File | Save Copy of
Package and complete the interface.
Question 2 - Can you explain how to setup a checkpoint file in
SSIS?
The following items need to be configured on the properties tab
for SSIS package:
CheckpointFileName - Specify the full path to the Checkpoint
file that the package uses to save the value of package
variables and log completed tasks. Rather than using a hardcoded path as shown above, it's a good idea to use an expression
that concatenates a path defined in a package variable and the
package name.
CheckpointUsage - Determines if/how checkpoints are used. Choose
from these options: Never (default), IfExists, or Always. Never
indicates that you are not using Checkpoints. IfExists is the
typical setting and implements the restart at the point of
failure behavior. If a Checkpoint file is found it is used to
restore package variable values and restart at the point of
failure. If a Checkpoint file is not found the package starts
execution with the first task. The Always choice raises an error
if the Checkpoint file does not exist.
SaveCheckpoints - Choose from these options: True or False
(default). You must select True to implement the Checkpoint
behavior.
Question 3 - Can you explain different options for dynamic
configurations in SSIS?
Use an XML file
Use custom variables
Use a database per environment with the variables
Use a centralized database with all variables
Question 4 - How do you upgrade an SSIS Package?
Depending on the complexity of the package, one or two
techniques are typically used:
Recode the package based on the functionality in SQL Server DTS
Use the Migrate DTS 2000 Package wizard in BIDS then recode any
portion of the package that is not accurate
Question 5 - Can you name five of the Perfmon counters for SSIS
and the value they provide?
SQLServer:SSIS Service
SSIS Package Instances - Total number of simultaneous SSIS
Packages running
SQLServer:SSIS Pipeline
BLOB bytes read - Total bytes read from binary large objects
during the monitoring period.
BLOB bytes written - Total bytes written to binary large objects
during the monitoring period.
BLOB files in use - Number of binary large objects files used
during the data flow task during the monitoring period.
Buffer memory - The amount of physical or virtual memory used by
the data flow task during the monitoring period.
Buffers in use - The number of buffers in use during the data
flow task during the monitoring period.
Buffers spooled - The number of buffers written to disk during
the data flow task during the monitoring period.
Flat buffer memory - The total number of blocks of memory in use
by the data flow task during the monitoring period.
Flat buffers in use - The number of blocks of memory in use by
the data flow task at a point in time.
Private buffer memory - The total amount of physical or virtual
memory used by data transformation tasks in the data flow engine
during the monitoring period.
Private buffers in use - The number of blocks of memory in use
by the transformations in the data flow task at a point in time.
Rows read - Total number of input rows in use by the data flow
task at a point in time.
Rows written - Total number of output rows in use by the data
flow task at a point in time.