Biml for Beginners: Speed up your SSIS development (SQLSaturday Vienna)

Biml for Beginners:Speed up your SSIS development

Cathrine Wilhelmsen

SQLSaturday Vienna

April 1st 2016

Session Description

SSIS is a powerful tool for extracting, transforming and loading data, but creating and maintaining

a large number of SSIS packages can be both tedious and time-consuming. Even if you use

templates and follow best practices you often have to repeat the same steps over and over and

over again. Handling metadata and schema changes is a manual process, and there are no easy

ways to implement new requirements in multiple packages at the same time.

It is time to bring the Don't Repeat Yourself (DRY) software engineering principle to SSIS projects.

First learn how to use Biml and BimlScript to generate SSIS packages from database metadata and

implement changes in all packages with just a few clicks. Then take the DRY principle one step

further and learn how to update all packages in multiple projects by separating and reusing

common code.

Speed up your SSIS development by using Biml and BimlScript, and see how you can complete in a

day what once took more than a week!

Thank you to our sponsors!

Biml Basics Tools & Projects

Code Management

…the next 60 minutes…

Cathrine Wilhelmsen

@cathrinew

cathrinewilhelmsen.net

Data Warehouse Architect

Business Intelligence Developer

SSIS developer

Easily bored

Tired of repetitive work

You…

…?

Long development time

Many SSIS packages

Frequent requirement changes

Work…

…?

job done!

new standards

...yay

Ever experienced this?

Ready for a change?

Business Intelligence Markup Language

Easy to read and write XML language

Describes business intelligence objects:

• Databases, Schemas, Tables, Views, Columns

• SSIS Packages

• SSAS Cubes

What is Biml?

Why would you use Biml?

SSIS: Plumbing Biml: Business Logic

Traditional SSIS: Plumbing

Time wasted on dragging, dropping, connecting, aligning

Create the same package over and over and over again with just a few changes

Standards, patterns and templates must be defined up-front

Changes must be done in every single package

High risk of manual errors

More packages, more time

Agile SSIS: Business Logic

Spend time on what is unique in a package

Create a pattern once and reuse for all similar packages

Handle scope and requirement changes quickly and easily

Changes can be applied to all packages at once

Lower risk of manual errors

Longer time to start, but then reuse and scale

Will Biml solve all your challenges?

Probably not...

Biml is a tool for generating SSIS packages

Biml is not a pre-defined ETL framework

Biml is not a tool for automated deployment

...but it will solve many challenges!

How can Biml help you?

Biml is great for large projects with common patterns…

Timesaving: Many SSIS packages from one Biml file

Reusable: Write once and run on any platform

Flexible: Start simple, expand as you learn

…but is also useful for smaller projects!

What do you need?

…or you can use the new Biml tools

How does it work?

…generated packages look exactly like manually created packages

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">

<Packages>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>

</Packages>

</Biml>

Biml syntax

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">

<Packages>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>

</Packages>

</Biml>

Biml syntax: Root Element

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">

<Packages>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>

</Packages>

</Biml>

Biml syntax: Collections of Root Objects

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">

<Packages>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>

</Packages>

</Biml>

Biml syntax: Elements

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">

<Packages>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>

</Packages>

</Biml>

Biml syntax: Attributes

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">

<Packages>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>

<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>

</Packages>

</Biml>

Biml syntax: Full vs. Shorthand Syntax

Let's generatesome packages!

Add New Biml File from BimlExpress menu…

…or right-click on SSIS project to Add New Biml File

Biml files are placed under Miscellaneous

Check Biml For Errors from BimlExpress menu…

…or right-click on file to Check Biml For Errors

Generate SSIS Packages from BimlExpress menu…

…or right-click on file to Generate SSIS Packages

From Biml to SSIS: Control Flow

<Package Name="TruncateLoad" ConstraintMode="Linear"><Tasks>

<ExecuteSQL Name="Truncate Table" ConnectionName="Staging"><DirectInput>TRUNCATE TABLE DestinationTable</DirectInput>

</ExecuteSQL><Dataflow Name="Load Table">

<Transformations>...</Transformations></Dataflow>

</Tasks></Package>

From Biml to SSIS: Data Flow

<Transformations><OleDbSource Name="Source" ConnectionName="AW2014">

<ExternalTableInput Table="SourceTable" /></OleDbSource><DerivedColumns Name="Add LoadDate">

<Columns><Column Name="LoadDate" DataType="DateTime">

@[System::StartTime]</Column>

</Columns></DerivedColumns><OleDbDestination Name="Destination" ConnectionName="Staging">

<ExternalTableOutput Table="DestinationTable" /></OleDbDestination>

</Transformations>

.biml vs .dtsx: human-readable vs ALL THE CODE!

(20% zoom)(150% zoom)

Ok, so we can go from Biml to SSIS…

…can we go from SSIS to Biml?

Yes!

Let's reverse-engineersome packages!

Package Importer in BimlOnline

Choose a File

Convert from SSIS to Biml

Choose and filter assets

Copy the Biml…

…or Create /Add to BimlOnline Project

The magic is in the

What is BimlScript?

Extend Biml with C# or VB code blocks

Import database structure and metadata

Loop over tables and columns

Expressions replace static values

Allows you to control and manipulate Biml code

BimlScript Code Nuggets

<#@ … #> Directives (Instructions to BimlCompiler)

<# … #> Control Nuggets (Control logic)

<#= … #> Text Nuggets (Replace nugget with text value)

<#+ … #> Class Nuggets (Create helper classes and methods)

BimlScript Syntax

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd"><Packages>

<# foreach (var table in RootNode.Tables) { #><Package Name="Load<#=table.Name#>"></Package>

<# } #></Packages>

</Biml>

BimlScript Syntax: Control Nuggets

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd"><Packages>

<# foreach (var table in RootNode.Tables) { #><Package Name="Load<#=table.Name#>"></Package>

<# } #></Packages>

</Biml>

BimlScript Syntax: Text Nuggets

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd"><Packages>

<# foreach (var table in RootNode.Tables) { #><Package Name="Load<#=table.Name#>"></Package>

<# } #></Packages>

</Biml>

How does it work?

Yes, but how does it work?

Yes, but how does it actually work?<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">

<Packages><# foreach (var table in RootNode.Tables) { #>

<Package Name="Load<#=table.Name#>"></Package><# } #>

</Packages></Biml>

<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd"><Packages><Package Name="LoadCustomer"></Package><Package Name="LoadProduct"></Package><Package Name="LoadSales"></Package>

</Packages></Biml>

Biml vs. BimlScript

Automate, control and

manipulate Biml with C#

Flat XML

"Just text"

Let's generatea lot of packages!

It's like magic!

Don't Repeat Yourself

Move common code to separate files

Centralize and reuse in many projects

Update code once for all projects

1. Tiered Biml files

2. Include files

3. CallBimlScript with parameters

Don't Repeat Yourself

BimlExpress vs. BimlOnline / BimlStudio

"Black Box"

Only SSIS packages visible

Visual Editors

All in-memory objects visible

Tiered Biml Files

Use the template directive:

<#@ template tier="1" #>

Create objects in-memory from lowest to highest tier to:

• Solve logical dependencies

• Simulate manual workflows

In-memory objects are added to the RootNode

Get objects from RootNode in higher tiers

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

Tier 1: Create database connections

Tier 2: Create loading packages

Tier 3: Create master package to execute packages

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

<#@ template tier="1" #><Connections>...</Connections>

<#@ template tier="2" #><Packages>...</Packages>

<#@ template tier="3" #><Package>...</Package>

Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

1. Create Biml files with specified tiers

2. Select all the tiered Biml files

3. Right-click and click Generate SSIS Packages

How do you use Tiered Biml files?

1

2

3

Include Files

Include common code in multiple files and projects

Can include many file types: .biml .txt .sql .cs

Use the include directive

<#@ include file="CommonCode.biml" #>The directive will be replaced by the included file

Include pulls code from the included file into the main file

Include Files

Include Files

Include Files

CallBimlScript with Parameters

Works like a parameterized include

File to be called (callee) specifies input parameters it accepts

<#@ property name="Table" type="AstTableNode" #>File that calls (caller) passes input parameters

<#=CallBimlScript("CommonCode.biml", Table)#>

CallBimlScript pushes parameters from the caller to the callee, and the

callee returns code

CallBimlScript with Parameters

CallBimlScript with Parameters

CallBimlScript with Parameters

logic basedon parameters

CallBimlScript with Parameters

CallBimlScript with Parameters

How does this actually work?

Biml Basics Tools & Projects

Code Management

…the past 60 minutes…

What do you do next?

1. Install BimlExpress

2. Complete lessons on BimlScript.com

3. Identify your SSIS patterns

4. Rewrite one SSIS package to Biml

(Boost your learning by reverse-engineering with BimlOnline)

5. Expand with BimlScript

6. Separate and reuse common Biml code

7. ...never look back to the days of drag&drop :)

Get things done

Start small

Start simple

Start with ugly code

Keep going

Expand

Improve

Deliver often

…BimlBreak the rest of the week

Biml on Monday...

Talk to sponsors in the break!

@cathrinew

cathrinewilhelmsen.net

linkedin.com/in/cathrinewilhelmsen

contact@cathrinewilhelmsen.net

slideshare.net/cathrinewilhelmsen

Biml resources and references:

cathrinewilhelmsen.net/biml