Biml for Beginners: Script and Automate SSIS development (Hybrid VC)

Biml for Beginners:
Script and Automate
SSIS Development
Cathrine Wilhelmsen
PASS Hybrid VC · July 30th 2018

© 2018 Cathrine Wilhelmsen (hi@cathrinew.net)
Session Description
Are you tired of creating and updating the same SSIS packages again and again? Is your wrist hurting
from all that clicking, dragging, dropping, connecting and aligning? Do you want to take the next step and
really speed up your SSIS development?
Say goodbye to repetitive work and hello to Biml, the markup language for Business Intelligence projects.
In this session we will look at the basics of Biml. First learn how to use Biml to generate SSIS packages
from database metadata. Then see how you can reuse code to implement changes in multiple SSIS
packages and projects with just a few clicks. Finally, we will create an example project that you can
download and start with to speed up your SSIS development from day one.
Stop wasting your valuable time on doing the same things over and over and over again, and see how
you can complete in a day what once took more than a week!

Cathrine Wilhelmsen
@cathrinew cathrinew.net
Senior BI Consultant, Inmeta

Biml Basics Tools & Code
SQL and SSIS from Metadata
…the next 60 minutes…

Once upon a time…

Meet Sandra,
the SSIS developer

Sandra has to create a
new staging project with
100+ SSIS packages

Sandra gets quite bored of
creating the same package
over and over and over

Yay, Sandra has finally
completed her project!

But Sandra's manager
has just a few new
requirements…

Sandra gets to update
every single SSIS package
one… more… time…

…yay

It's time for a change!

What is Biml?
Business Intelligence Markup Language
Easy to read and write XML language
Describes business intelligence objects:
• Databases, Schemas, Tables, Views, Columns
• SSIS Packages
• SSAS and Azure Data Factory *

Why use Biml?
SSIS: Plumbing Biml: Business Logic

SSIS: Plumbing
Spend time on dragging, dropping, connecting, aligning
Create the same package over and over again with minor changes
Standards, patterns and templates must be defined up-front
Changes must be done in every single package
Higher risk of manual errors
More packages, more time

Biml: 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 automate and reuse

Will Biml solve all your challenges?
Biml is a tool for generating SSIS packages
Biml is not a pre-defined Data Warehouse framework
Biml is not a tool for automating deployment

How can Biml help you?
Timesaving: Many SSIS packages from one Biml file
Reusable: Write once and run on any platform
Flexible: Start simple, expand as you learn

What if you don't have 100+ packages?
Source Control: Keep track of actual logic changes
Simplify: Untangle complex packages for quick edits
SQL Scripts: Use Biml instead of dynamic T-SQL

How does SSIS development work?

How does Biml development work?

What do you need?

Biml syntax
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>
</Packages>
</Biml>

Biml syntax: Root Element
<Packages>
</Packages>
</Biml>

Biml syntax: Collections of Elements
<Packages>
</Packages>
</Biml>

Biml syntax: Elements
<Packages>
</Packages>
</Biml>

Biml syntax: Attributes
<Packages>
</Packages>
</Biml>

Biml syntax: Full vs. Shorthand Syntax
<Packages>
</Packages>
</Biml>

DEMO
Let's generate
some packages!

Ok, so we can go from Biml to SSIS…

…can we go from SSIS to Biml?

Yes!

DEMO
Let's convert some
SSIS to Biml!

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
Generate, control and manipulate Biml code

How does it work?

Yes, but how does it work?

BimlScript Code Blocks
<# … #> Control Block (Variables and logic)
<#= … #> Text Block (Returns string)
<#@ … #> Directive (Compiler instructions)

BimlScript Syntax
<# var con = SchemaManager.CreateConnectionNode(...); #>
<# var metadata = con.GetDatabaseSchema(); #>
<Packages>
<# foreach (var table in metadata.TableNodes) { #>
<Package Name="Load_<#=table.Name#>"></Package>
<# } #>
</Packages>
</Biml>

BimlScript Syntax: Import metadata
<Packages>
<# } #>
</Packages>
</Biml>

BimlScript Syntax: Loop over tables
<Packages>
<# } #>
</Packages>
</Biml>

BimlScript Syntax: Replace static values
<Packages>
<# } #>
</Packages>
</Biml>

Yes, but how does it actually work?
<# foreach (var table in RootNode.Tables) { #>
<Package Name="Load_<#=table.Name#>" />
<# } #>
<Package Name="Load_Customer" />
<Package Name="Load_Product" />
<Package Name="Load_Sales" />

PreviewPane
The power is in the…

DEMO
Let's generate
many packages!

What about SQL?

We can generate SSIS…

…can we also generate SQL?

Tiered Biml Files
Multiple Biml Files Working Together

What are Tiered Biml Files?
Think of tiers as stacked layers or sequential steps
Tier (Layer) 1
Tier 0
Tier (Layer) 2
Tier (Step) 1 Tier (Step) 2

Tiered Biml Files
Split Biml code in multiple files to:
• Solve logical dependencies
• Build solutions in multiple steps
Specify the tier per file by using template directive:
<#@ template tier="2" #>

Tiered Biml Files: Behind the Scenes
Connections
Load Packages
Master Package
Connections
Databases
Schemas
Tables
Packages

Connections
Databases
Schemas
Tables
Packages
Connections
Load Packages
Master Package

Connections
Admin
Source
Destination
Databases
Schemas
Tables
Packages
Connections
Load Packages
Master Package

Connections
Admin
Source
Destination
Databases
Schemas
Tables
Packages
Load_Customer
Load_Product
Load_Sales
Connections
Load Packages
Master Package

Connections
Admin
Source
Destination
Databases
Schemas
Tables
Packages
Load_Customer
Load_Product
Load_Sales
Master Connections
Load Packages
Master Package

Connections
Admin
Source
Destination
Databases
Schemas
Tables
Packages
Load_Customer
Load_Product
Load_Sales
Master

How do you use 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
1
2
3

Annotations
Store and Pass Metadata Between Biml Files

Annotations
Store custom metadata by attaching tags to Biml objects:
<Annotation Tag="TagName">Custom Value</Annotation>
Higher tier files can get tags from lower tier files

Annotations
Create annotations:
<OleDbConnection Name="Dest">
<Annotations>
<Annotation Tag="Schema">stg</Annotation>
</Annotations>
</OleDbConnection>
Use annotations:
RootNode.OleDbConnections["Dest"].GetTag("Schema");

DEMO
Let's put it
all together!

New project

Of course I can create
200 SSIS Packages!
…what do you need me
to do after lunch?

Biml Basics Tools & Code
SQL and SSIS from Metadata
…the past 60 minutes…

Get things done
Start small
Start simple
Start with ugly code
Keep going
Expand
Improve
Deliver often

Biml on Monday…
…BimlBreak the rest
of the week!

@cathrinew
cathrinew.net
hi@cathrinew.net
Biml resources and demo files:
cathrinew.net/biml

Biml for Beginners: Script and Automate SSIS development (Hybrid VC)

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