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Architecture of Integration Services

As shown in the following diagram, Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services consists of diverse components.

Integration Services architecture

Of the components shown in the previous diagram, here are some important components to using Integration Services succesfully:

  • SSIS Designer
    SSIS Designer is a graphical tool that you can use to create and maintain Integration Services packages. SSIS Designer is available in Business Intelligence Development Studio as part of an Integration Services project.

    For more information, see SSIS Designer and Integration Services in Business Intelligence Development Studio.

  • Runtime engine
    The Integration Services runtime saves the layout of packages, runs packages, and provides support for logging, breakpoints, configuration, connections, and transactions.

    For more information, see Integration Services Packages.

  • Tasks and other executables
    The Integration Services run-time executables are the package, containers, tasks, and event handlers that Integration Services includes. Run-time executables also include custom tasks that you develop.

    For more information, see Integration Services Tasks, Integration Services Containers, and Integration Services Event Handlers.

  • Data Flow engine (also known as the pipeline) and Data Flow components
    The Data Flow task encapsulates the data flow engine. The data flow engine provides the in-memory buffers that move data from source to destination, and calls the sources that extract data from files and relational databases. The data flow engine also manages the transformations that modify data, and the destinations that load data or make data available to other processes. Integration Services data flow components are the sources, transformations, and destinations that Integration Services includes. You can also include custom components in a data flow.

    For more information, see Data Flow Task and Data Flow Elements.

  • API or object model
    The Integration Services object model includes managed application programming interfaces (API) for creating custom components for use in packages, or custom applications that create, load, run, and manage packages. Developer can write custom applications or custom tasks or transformations by using any common language runtime (CLR) compliant language.

    For more information, see Developer's Guide (Integration Services).

  • Integration Services Service
    The Integration Services service lets you use SQL Server Management Studio to monitor running Integration Services packages and to manage the storage of packages.

    For more information, see Integration Services Service and Introducing SQL Server Management Studio.

  • SQL Server Import and Export Wizard
    The SQL Server Import and Export Wizard can copy data to and from any data source for which a managed .NET Framework data provider or a native OLE DB provider is available. This wizard also offers the simplest method to create an Integration Services package that copies data from a source to a destination.

    For more information, see Importing and Exporting Data by Using the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard.

  • Other tools, wizards, and command prompt utilities
    Integration Services includes additional tools, wizards, and command prompt utilities for running and managing Integration Services packages.

    For more information, see Integration Services Wizards and Command Prompt Utilities (Integration Services).

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