Eyal Golombek - PeerSpot reviewer
Database administrator at a recruiting/HR firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 10
Good for importing XML files and offers good performance with increased time savings
Pros and Cons
  • "The performance is better than doing it in some alternative ways. We don't have to worry about so much manual work."
  • "At one point, we did have to purchase an add-on."

What is our primary use case?

Mostly we are receiving files in either XML or Excel and then we collect them in databases. Sometimes it's CSV and sometimes it is also Excel. Mostly, it is XML.

How has it helped my organization?

We have many regulations that we must follow, and this solution helps us manage that. There are rules that we must follow, and we get files in a uniform structure, and we need to import them into databases. Doing it with SSIS saves us a lot of time.

What is most valuable?

The performance is better than doing it in some alternative ways. We don't have to worry about so much manual work. 

Mostly it was helping us with importing XML files by checking the access and then doing some look-ups and containers to implement loops and things like that mostly. That was quite helpful in terms of saving time. 

Technical support is helpful.

What needs improvement?

No big improvements are needed at this time. 

At one point, we did have to purchase an add-on.

Since we are not using it for a whole ETL, or for a data warehouse, maybe I'm missing something.

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For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for almost eight years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The performance is very good. It makes it easier to do things that you would have to do differently otherwise.

I'd rate the overall stability eight out of ten. We haven't had any stability issues in many years. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is pretty good. I'd rate the ability to expand at a seven out of ten. 

There are only three of us using the solution at this time. 

How are customer service and support?

We contacted technical support maybe once. I don't remember when it was, however, once, we had to look at some dump size, and we called Microsoft to help us with that. They did help us, however, it was a very long time ago and I don't remember too many details about the problem or experience. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

While we are using it quite a lot, my understanding is that the company will go with Talend and not SSIS for a data warehouse project. I don't have any influence on that.

That said, we are not going to do any conversion from SSIS to Talend on what exists in our existing project. The data warehouse will be a totally new project, and they will go with Talend.

We did not use any other solution previously.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy. I'd rate it an eight out of ten in terms of ease of implementation.

The deployment itself only took a couple of hours. 

The installation that comes with SQL just requires some tweaking with Visual Studio or something like that. We had some problems with maybe deploying the product from the local machine, however, in the end, we solved it.

We have three people handling the initial setup. All of us are DBAs.

What about the implementation team?

We handled the initial setup ourselves, in-house.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There are occasionally add-ons for SSIS that may increase the price. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

In the past, we did not evaluate any other solutions. 

What other advice do I have?

We are end-users. 

The SQL version that we are using is 2019. However, I'm not sure about the exact version of SSIS we're using. We installed it with the 2019 version.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Integration developer at Blackwoods
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Integrates well with Visual Studio and good graphical interface that displays ETL process step-by-step
Pros and Cons
  • "The setup was easy. All Microsoft products are easy to set up."
  • "Performance could be better."

What is our primary use case?

SSIS (SQL Server Integration Services) is primarily an ETL tool. It's frequently used for data integration and transformation. In the past, we used it to integrate data into our systems. Microsoft is now focusing on Azure Data Factory for cloud solutions, but SSIS is still a viable on-premises option.

How has it helped my organization?

SSIS utilizes SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) for management. I've used SSMS for many years and find it quite user-friendly, even for those new to SQL Server.

What is most valuable?

Being a Microsoft product, it integrates well with Visual Studio, a familiar development environment. It also has a graphical interface that displays the ETL process step-by-step. 

It's a familiar tool within the Microsoft ecosystem, which has its advantages. 

What needs improvement?

It lacked robust cloud integration and sometimes struggled with specific data types from sources.

Another area of improvement is performance. It has always been an issue. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I used it for more than ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable product. I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. 

I don't believe SSIS is a major development focus for Microsoft right now. Performance enhancements are always a concern.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability mainly depends on the underlying SQL Server installation. A more powerful server can naturally handle larger data volumes. There might be performance bottlenecks specific to SSIS itself.

There are around two to three end users in my department. There might be more in the company. 

How are customer service and support?

I usually resolve issues on my own.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was easy. All Microsoft products are easy to set up. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It comes with SQL Server. We didn't have a separate license for it.

What other advice do I have?

It does its job. I'd probably rate it a six out of ten. Performance could be better.

SSIS is a good fit if you're heavily invested in on-premises Microsoft products. If you have a more diverse tech stack, better ETL tools might be available. Microsoft often limits how its products interact with others.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Business Intelligence Architect at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Simple, effective, and affordable
Pros and Cons
  • "I have found its most valuable features to be its package management capabilities and the flexibility it offers in designing workflows."
  • "We In upgrading SSIS, we encountered challenges fixing SQL Server and performance issues, including problems during a failover in our data warehouse."

What is most valuable?

In my experience with SSIS, I have found its most valuable features to be its package management capabilities and the flexibility it offers in designing workflows. We often use templates, inheriting and embedding scales in SSAS to streamline our processes.

What needs improvement?

In upgrading SSIS, we encountered challenges fixing SQL Server and performance issues, including problems during a failover in our data warehouse. After resolving these issues and conducting load balancing tests, we proceeded with the SSIS upgrade, anticipating potential complications. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with SSIS for almost ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability of SSIS at a solid nine out of ten. While there may be occasional encounters with bugs or performance issues, personally, we haven't faced significant problems in our usage. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would recommend SSIS for both smaller and larger companies. We operate as a small to medium-sized enterprise with a considerable volume of data, around 30 to 40 terabytes in our data warehouse. Despite being an SME, SSIS has proven effective in handling our ETL processes seamlessly. If an organization has a similar data size, around the 30 to 40-terabyte range, SSIS can be a suitable and reliable choice for managing their data integration needs.

How are customer service and support?

Microsoft's technical support has been good, especially for critical issues in a financial institution like a bank. The bank receives strong support from Microsoft, and there is a significant level of accountability. If any issues arise, particularly those impacting financial operations, Microsoft is obligated to address and resolve them promptly.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

While executing tasks and managing data flow, we occasionally encounter Oracle system integration, and in the past, we have used Antunica, though it seems Microsoft's support for it has dwindled in recent years. Despite some versioning challenges, our workflow design, execution, and deployment have been relatively smooth using SSIS.

How was the initial setup?

SSIS implementation has been straightforward for us, using scheduled tools like Kubernetes for deployment and master packages in SSIS. It seamlessly integrates with Microsoft products and other databases like Oracle or Teradata. We haven't faced issues integrating with third-party solutions, and even with tools like Attunity, it has worked reliably for almost a decade without performance problems.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing of SSIS is generally considered reasonable in comparison to other data integration tools in the market. In terms of licensing, I find Microsoft's pricing policy generally favorable, especially when comparing it to other products like Power BI. Microsoft's pricing is competitive, and they seem to have a good strategy, as evident in the success of Power BI. Over the years, SSIS has gained recognition, and Microsoft's promotion efforts have been effective. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

If you are considering alternatives to SSIS, I have worked with ODI in the past during consulting engagements. Colleagues have praised Informatica as a superior solution to ODI and SSIS, though I'm not aware of its pricing. While SSIS is lauded for its simplicity, there might be disadvantages compared to competitors like Informatica. However, our data warehouse team is highly satisfied with SSIS, and it is widely used in the industry. It is a common and reliable ETL tool with easily accessible solutions through internal resources and online searches, making problem-solving straightforward.

What other advice do I have?

For those interested in SSIS, my advice is to go for it because it is a simple and effective solution. Even without deep knowledge, there are ample resources, including comprehensive documentation from Microsoft. Exploring their documentation provides access to numerous samples and best practices, making it user-friendly, especially for developers. So, don't hesitate to leverage the available materials and give it a try. Overall, I would rate SSIS as an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Mylsamy T. - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Associate - IT at Himalaya Wellness Company
Real User
Top 10
Flexible, gets easier as you lear the solution, and helps with reporting
Pros and Cons
  • "Overall, it's a good product."
  • "We've had issues in terms of the amount of data that is transferred when we are scheduling."

What is our primary use case?

The use case is related to all reporting and transactions. On an hourly basis, we will pull the data for a few reports. Most of the time, it is a real-time integration between the applications.

What is most valuable?

Overall, it's a good product. I haven't had any issues with the product.

What needs improvement?

They can improve the solution in general. That said, I'm using around 30% to 40% of the SQL server. We have a separate team for the database administration site, so they probably have more of an idea of what needs to be improved.

We've had issues in terms of the amount of data that is transferred when we are scheduling. There are a few restrictions that we faced. In terms of the number of records, the limit can be increased. Sometimes what happens is not enough records are getting pulled, so sometimes the data is getting lost. After that, when the next schedule is running next time, the data is coming to our warehouse for data analysis. We need them to increase the limit of the data transfer on the schedule.

The initial setup was a bit difficult. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for seven or eight years.

How was the initial setup?

The first time I attempted to deploy the solution, it was a bit difficult. However, it gets easier with time. 

I'd rate the ease of setup 6.5 out of ten in terms of ease of implementation. 

I don't do much on the deployment side and, therefore, can't speak to how long it takes to actually deploy.

We have around eight people on the solution working on the deployment in total. Around 5 are database administrators and there are three developers. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm not sure which version of the solution I'm using. 

Before starting with SSIS, a person needs to understand the concepts of SSIS. They need some time to get comfortable with the product before jumping in. When I first started, I wasn't aware of a lot of things. Therefore, at first, it was a bit difficult. However, it gets easier with time. 

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. It's flexible and very effective in terms of PLS skill programming. You can get real-time data from SSIS.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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Sakiru Dosumu - PeerSpot reviewer
Head, Development Chapter (DevOps) at First Bank of Nigeria Ltd.
Real User
Top 5
Easy to use, good support, but performance could improve
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of SSIS is its ease of use. It is easier to use than other applications."
  • "The performance of SSIS could improve when comparing it to Oracle Database."

What is our primary use case?

We are using SSIS for applications in development and in production. We have applications that need to have a database to support them and those applications need to have different integration with other applications.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of SSIS is its ease of use. It is easier to use than other applications.

What needs improvement?

The performance of SSIS could improve when comparing it to Oracle Database.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SSIS for a long time.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

SSIS is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is good for small-scale developments. We have approximately 80 people using the solution.

How are customer service and support?

I have used the support from SSIS and I am satisfied.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others.

I rate SSIS a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Ullas Soman - PeerSpot reviewer
DevOps Consultant at Coforge Growth Agency
Real User
Top 5
Easy to set up, quick to deploy, and reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "It is easy to set up. The deployment is also very quick."
  • "Involving a data lake or data engineering aspects would be useful. While it is there, we need more features included."

What is our primary use case?

I was using the solution to implement some business logic. What we do with the data collected is, for example, use it with Excel and some other databases. We do write our own logic to input the data into the SQL server. We'll be taking inputs and putting them into our business logic.

How has it helped my organization?

It is a very helpful tool to integrate. We can have our logic ready by putting data from different data sources, and based on our business requirements, we can have the logic created with the help of the SSIS package.

What is most valuable?

It allows us to use our own logic. We can create our own packages where it can help us to define the business logic.

It is easy to set up. The deployment is also very quick.

It is stable and reliable. 

The product is scalable. 

What needs improvement?

There aren't any improvements that are required for SSIS at the moment.

We'd like better data lake architecture so we can move SSIS to the data lake if necessary. Involving a data lake or data engineering aspects would be useful. While it is there, we need more features included. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for almost six years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. The performance is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is a very scalable product. You can expand easily.

We have 200 people using the solution. They are developers. 

How are customer service and support?

I've never used technical support in the past. I don't have details as to how helpful or responsive they are. 

How was the initial setup?

The solution is very straightforward. It's not overly complex. 

The package deployment takes some time. It depends on the size of the data which is being pulled in. For the normal setup, it hardly takes much time. For the most part, it is very fast.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I'm not sure of the exact cost of the solution. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm an end-user.

We are using the latest version of SQL Server 2019. Typically, I start on-prem and move to the cloud. 

It's a good tool for merging data from various data sources. We can have automated administrative functions and data-loading features. We can populate the data for the data warehouse and for data merges. This is one of the best analytic tools for a person or enterprise. We can recommend it for data analysis and data analytics purposes.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Syed Fahad Anwar - PeerSpot reviewer
Principal System Developer at HHRC
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
It allows you the flexibility to write custom code, but it's difficult to use if you lack experience
Pros and Cons
  • "SSIS provides you with lookup and transformation functions, and you have the flexibility to write your own custom code."
  • "SSIS doesn't have a very good user interface, but if you can work with it, it'll provide you with almost all of the functionality."

What is our primary use case?

We are using SSIS for ETL and ELT in a business intelligence context. We bring in data from different sources and use SSIS transform and load it into our intermediate database where we are developing dashboards. There are three people doing configuration and about 50 end-users. 

What is most valuable?

SSIS provides you with lookup and transformation functions, and you have the flexibility to write your own custom code.

What needs improvement?

SSIS doesn't have a very good user interface, but if you can work with it, it'll provide you with almost all of the functionality.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using SSIS for four years now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The SSIS is highly stable, but there are occasional issues with the script component.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

SSIS is not that scalable. You can scale it vertically to handle a high load, but it lacks horizontal scalability. 

How are customer service and support?

Microsoft has some support for SSIS, but because the company is increasingly transitioning to the cloud, so these on-prem solutions are becoming obsolete.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup isn't too difficult, but it's not easy. Sometimes, you may need help from a database administrator to set up the SQL Server Integration Services. It can take almost a day to deploy. 

A database administrator can deploy it alone. You may need another person to develop the packages and set up ETL, so it's you need about two or three people for deployment in all. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

SSIS is included at no additional cost in the SQL Server license.

What other advice do I have?

I rate SSIS seven out of 10. I would recommend using a cloud solution if possible, but if you need an on-prem product, SSIS is a good option. If you want to start using SSIS, there is a learning curve because SSIS isn't an easy solution to use. It's complicated, so you have to learn about the components and their functionalities to use them to meet your requirements. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Data Architect at AMP Capital
Real User
Top 20
It's easy to integrate data from various sources
Pros and Cons
  • "SSIS is an easy way to do data integration from various data sources. It doesn't matter whether it's a database, flat files, XML, or Web API. It can talk to the and join them all together."
  • "It's difficult to refactor SSIS. It gets cumbersome to reuse the solution."

What is our primary use case?

We use SSIS to integrate investment data we collect from different places into our portfolio management system. We get results out of portfolio management systems and integrate that into the downstream back-office, risk, and regulatory reporting systems. All the developers at my company use it. 

What is most valuable?

SSIS is an easy way to do data integration from various data sources. It doesn't matter whether it's a database, flat files, XML, or Web API. It can talk to the and join them all together.

What needs improvement?

It's difficult to refactor SSIS. It gets cumbersome to reuse the solution. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used SSIS off and on for maybe 15 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

SSIS is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

SSIS scales well

How are customer service and support?

I've never had any issues with SSIS, but I'm not responsible for managing the solution at an enterprise level.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I've used free solutions or ones that allow you to create your own. I've used free ones like KNIME, etc. The open-source solutions have similar features, but I haven't found one with the same ease of use.

How was the initial setup?

I've never had to install SSIS at an enterprise level, but the installation is straightforward for development purposes. It takes less than an hour. However, installing it at the enterprise level would require a lot more configuration, tuning, etc. I'll leave that to the experts.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We pay for a license, and I think SSIS is priced about right. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate SSIS nine out of 10. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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