Data Transformation Services, or DTS, is a set of objects and utilities to allow the automation of extract, transform and load operations to or from a database. The objects are DTS packages and their components, and the utilities are called DTS tools. DTS was included with earlier versions of Microsoft SQL Server, and was almost always used with SQL Server databases, although it could be used independently with other databases.
DTS allows data to be transformed and loaded from heterogeneous sources using OLE DB, ODBC, or text-only files, into any supported database. DTS can also allow automation of data import or transformation on a scheduled basis, and it can perform additional functions such as FTPing files and executing external programs. In addition, DTS provides an alternative method of version control and backup for packages when used in conjunction with a version control system, such as Microsoft Visual SourceSafe.
DTS has been superseded by SQL Server Integration Services in later releases of Microsoft SQL Server, though there was some backwards compatibility and ability to run DTS packages in the new SSIS for a time.
- The DTS Designer is a graphical tool used to build complex DTS Packages with workflows and event-driven logic. DTS Designer can also be used to edit and customize DTS Packages created with the DTS wizard.
- Each connection and task in DTS Designer is shown with a specific icon. These icons are joined with precedence constraints, which specify the order and requirements for tasks to be run. One task may run, for instance, only if another task succeeds (or fails). Other tasks may run concurrently.
- The DTS Designer has been criticized for having unusual quirks and limitations, such as the inability to visually copy and paste multiple tasks at one time. Many of these shortcomings have been overcome in SQL Server Integration Services, DTS’s successor.
Data integration is the process of combining data from many different sources into an application. You need to deliver the right data in the right format at the right timeframe to fuel great analytics and business processes.
Our data integration and custom application development expertise allows our analysts to load, transform, mix and match data sets as needed. We can blend internal with external data sources to establish historical trends and to project need and demand, which are the backbone of any feasibility study.
Now that we have some clarity on process and outcomes, call us at 512.478.3848 or email us at kcerny@mia-consulting.com for a friendly conversation about your data and how we can elevate it to help you make really savvy business decisions and plans.