How to Learn SSIS – Learning from Home is Now Simple

SSIS stands for SQL Server Integration Service. It is an integral tool in the Microsoft SQL Server. Basically, SSIS acts as a platform for ETL (extract, transform and load) operations, and is a successor to the age-old DTS (Data Transformation Services). It is installed as a feature of the SQL server, as you receive the option of downloading SSIS while installing SQL server on your computer.

SSIS is a warehousing tool and can be used for a whole array of purposes like data analysis, data organization, and cleaning, developing integration programs, running ETL processes on data, extracting and transforming data from various types of files like Excel, oracle, SQL Server databases, and relational databases, aggregation and merging of data, updating of warehouses, amongst others. The list goes on, about the versatility and utility of the wonder that is SSIS.

Apart from these features, the SSIS also boasts graphic tools and wizards to build and decode packages, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) operations, a management service, the ability to send messages via email, etc. As it is mainly used for data integration, you have a preset of various tools and functions which allow you to extract and transform data and build, store and manage various packages.

The graphical services also can be used to come up with solutions to various problems under consideration without the use of a single line of code. SSIS is an essential tool which comes in handy for various basic functions as mentioned above, this having this as a skill on your résumé will only boost it, and help you achieve your dream job. Although for learning SSIS, you don’t need too long to learn.

The first step to learning SSIS from home is to plan the amount of time you can put in. This is the predominant step once you decide that learning SSIS is your goal. Because setting unrealistic goals will be counterproductive, and you will end up with the worst results. Although you need to put in quite a bit of effort to learn SSIS, if you can dedicate a couple of hours a week, you can complete your learning in about one month’s time.

However, you need to keep in mind, that you cannot learn SSIS extensively just by reading about it in blogs and articles or watching videos and tutorials on various websites. You need to be dedicated. For you to master every aspect of SSIS, you need to perform in every situation and solve every issue and experience it yourself. To make it easier for you, we’ve included a general strategy and a step by step tutorial.

General strategy for SSIS:

Nowadays, gaining information and a valid certification is a cakewalk. There are a lot of authorized and trustworthy websites that provide this requirement. You can easily enroll for one such certification. But be aware that they might be paid. Also, just enrolling for one is not enough. You need to make sure that you practice well and have all the concepts clear. To ensure this, club this strategy with the following step by step guide for the best results.

Step by step tutorial:

This section will be a brief overview of all the important sections and the order in which you can study each part. Follow this strategic plan to easily study SSIS.

Get ready the tools: First and foremost, download and install all the tools necessary to learn and practice SSIS. Download SQL data tools and practice every day for the best results.

Introduction, Architecture, salient features, advantages and disadvantages: These will sum up to be a general overview of SSIS. To get a basic idea and a bit of background information, cover these topics as thoroughly as you can. Studying architecture will give you a basic idea of a majority of concepts you’ll be studying ahead. Thus, once these topics are covered, you’ll have a strong foundation will all the general ideas clear. On average, you will need a day or two to finish this.

Connection managers, sources and destination: Moving forward, this is a set of most basic concepts. And thus, the most important. If the basics are not clear, moving further and learning complex concepts will be a waste of time as you won’t be able to fully understand and grasp those concepts.

Furthermore, these concepts are interlinked. If you are well acquainted with connection managers, sources and destination would become a lot easier. For additional information, you can check out the videos. There are tons of videos online going through these basic concepts. Take as much time as you need to be fully thorough with these. But to provide a general idea, it would take you around 5-6 days for this.

Transformations, containers, and control flow tasks: Once you’re fully sure about the basic concepts, you can move on to transformations, containers and control flow tasks. These are a bit more advanced concepts and thus, will require a lot of time. But they are not that difficult to understand. Give an adequate amount of time to each sub-section and you’ll be on the right path. On average these should be completed in another 13-15 days.

Deployment: This is the last section you need to cover. But one of the most important when it comes to SSIS. Covering salient features like deploying projects using servers, handling errors, package configuration, etc. should be covered. Although this is the last section, it includes concepts that are prime features for practical purposes. On average, it’ll take you 1-2 days.

Conclusion:

Above are the important attributes you need to keep in mind to learn SSIS from the comfort of your home. SSIS is a very important tool in the Microsoft SQL server and as SQL is widely used, thus the applications of SSIS in various fields are abundant.

Learning it won’t only give you the ability to perform countless functions with data like integration, transformation, aggregation, or extract and edit various types of files like XML, oracle, etc. but it will also increase your job opportunities and up your pay scale as SSIS is used by many industries and companies in processing their data and SSIS as a technical skill will make your resume stand out and make you more desirable and valuable to various organizations.

Here, perseverance is key, and if you dedicate enough time and actually do it whole-heartedly, nothing can stop you. Follow what we’ve suggested, keep in mind all the key aspects, and know that once you out your soul in something, no one can take it away from you. Best of luck!!

Author Bio:

Satya Prakash loves pursuing excellence through writing and has a passion for technology. He has effectively overseen and run individual innovation magazines and websites. He as of now writes for JanBaskTraining which is a worldwide training organization that gives e-learning and expert accreditation training.