Chapter 12

Using the Relational Engine

WHAT’S IN THIS CHAPTER?

• Using SSIS to facilitate data extraction
• Working with Change Data Capture
• Data loading

There’s an adage that says when you’re holding a hammer, everything else looks like a nail. When you use SSIS to build a solution, make sure that you are using the right tool for every problem you tackle. SSIS will be excellent for some jobs, and SQL Server will shine at other tasks. When used in concert, the combination of the two can be powerful.

This chapter discusses other features in the SQL Server arsenal that can help you build robust and high-performance ETL solutions. The SQL Server relational database engine has many features that were designed with data loading in mind, and as such the engine and SSIS form a perfect marriage to extract, load, and transform your data.