➤➤ SQL Server Enterprise Edition: This edition of SQL Server is for large enterprises that need
high availability and more advanced features in SQL Server and business intelligence. For
example, there is no limit on processors or RAM in this edition. You’re bound only by the
number of processors and the amount of RAM that the OS can handle. Microsoft will
also continue to support Developer Edition, which enables developers to create SQL Server
solutions at a much reduced price. Ultimately, if you’re trying to scale your solution into
terabytes of data storage in SQL Server then Enterprise Edition is the right choice for you.
➤➤ SQL Server Business Intelligence Edition: This edition includes all the features of Standard
Edition and also includes additional data cleansing features like Data Quality Services,
which helps you create business rules that SSIS consumes. It also has many SharePoint
integration features outside of SSIS and some scalability features. You can scale all the BI
features other than the database engine to the OS maximum of cores with this edition.
➤➤ SQL Server Standard Edition: This edition of SQL Server now offers even more value than
before. For example, you can create a highly available system in Standard Edition by using
clustering, database mirroring, and integrated 64-bit support. Like Enterprise Edition in
SQL Server 2012, it also offers unlimited RAM. Thus, you can scale it as high as your
physical hardware and OS will allow. However, there is a cap of four processors with this
edition.
As for SSIS, you’ll have to use at least the Standard Edition to receive the bulk of the SSIS features.
In the Express Edition, only the Import and Export Wizard is available. BI Edition gives you
access to items like Data Quality Services and the DQS Cleansing Transformation. You need to
upgrade to the higher editions in order to see some features in SSIS. For example, the following
advanced transformations are available only with Enterprise Edition:
➤➤ Analysis Services Partition Processing Destination
➤➤ Analysis Services Dimension Processing Destination
➤➤ CDC Source, Destination, Splitter Transformation, and CDC Control Task
➤➤ Data Mining Training Destination
➤➤ Data Mining Query Component
➤➤ Fuzzy Grouping
➤➤ Fuzzy Lookup
➤➤ Term Extraction
➤➤ Term Lookup
Half of these transformations are used in servicing Analysis Services. Along those same lines, one
task is available only in Enterprise Edition: the Data Mining Query Task.
Summary
In this chapter, you were introduced to the historical legacy and the exciting capabilities of the
SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) platform. You looked at where SSIS fits into the business
intelligence (BI) platform for SQL Server, and then dove into an overview of the SSIS architecture.