Loading the Cloud - SQL Server Integration Services Design Patterns - page 364

CHAPTER 14
Loading the Cloud
It is 2014 and cloud technology is becoming ubiquitous. As more applications are hosted
in various cloud service providers, the desire to locate their associated data in the cloud
increases. Thanks to forethought and good engineering, Microsoft SQL Server is well-
positioned to assist. The user experience when interacting with Microsoft Azure SQL
Database (MASD) databases is nearly identical to interacting with local servers or serv-
ers on the enterprise network. Make no mistake, this is by design—and it is good design.
In this chapter, we will consider SSIS design patterns used to integrate data in the
cloud. These patterns are useful when connecting to any repository that shares cloud
technology characteristics. Because interacting with data in the cloud is similar to inter-
acting with data that are more local, the patterns aren't revolutionary. “So why write a
chapter about loading the cloud?” Excellent question.
First, the cloud is here to stay—the djinni will not fit back into the bottle. The more
we, as data professionals, learn about using the cloud, the better. Second, the cloud of-
fers interesting challenges to data integration; these are challenges to be addressed and
solved by the data integration developer. Loading the cloud isn't just about interacting
with buzz-worthy technology. It is an opportunity to design good architecture.
Interacting with the Cloud
For the purposes of this chapter, the cloud will refer to containers of data or data reposit-
ories that
• Reside off-enterprise-premises