Configuring SSIS Logging

This document provides a comprehensive guide to configuring logging within SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) packages. Effective logging is crucial for monitoring package execution, troubleshooting errors, and auditing data processing activities.

Understanding SSIS Logging

SSIS logging allows you to capture events that occur during the execution of an SSIS package. These events can range from package start and end times, task execution details, data transfer statistics, to specific error messages. SSIS provides a flexible logging mechanism that can be configured at the package level or at the individual task level.

Benefits of SSIS Logging

  • Troubleshooting: Quickly identify the root cause of package failures.
  • Monitoring: Track the progress and performance of SSIS package executions.
  • Auditing: Maintain a record of data processing activities for compliance and security.
  • Performance Analysis: Analyze execution times and resource utilization to optimize package performance.

Configuring Package-Level Logging

You can configure logging for an entire SSIS package in SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) or SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

Steps in SSDT:

  1. Open your SSIS project in SSDT.
  2. Double-click on the SSIS package you want to configure.
  3. Go to the Event Handlers tab.
  4. In the Event handler lookup dropdown, select the Package option.
  5. From the Events dropdown, choose the events you want to log (e.g., OnError, OnWarning, OnInformation, OnProgress, OnPostExecute).
  6. Click the ellipsis (...) button to create an event handler.
  7. Design the event handler task(s) that will capture and log the event information. Common choices include:
    • File Log Task: Writes log entries to a text file.
    • SQL Server Log Task: Writes log entries to a table in a SQL Server database.
    • Event Log Task: Writes log entries to the Windows Event Log.
    • Script Task: Allows custom logging logic.

Example: Logging to a Text File

To log package events to a text file:

  1. In the Event Handlers tab, for the chosen event (e.g., OnError), create an event handler.
  2. Drag and drop a File Log Task from the SSIS Toolbox into the design pane.
  3. Double-click the File Log Task to configure it.
  4. Under the Log providers section, select Text file.
  5. Specify the File name and choose the desired Locale.
  6. Under the Sources section, select the events you want to capture.
  7. Under the Properties section, select the specific properties you want to log for each event (e.g., Source, EventName, StartTime, ErrorCode, ErrorDescription).
  8. Save the package and deploy it.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<DTS:Executable xmlns:DTS="www.microsoft.com/SqlServer/Dts"
    DTS:ExecutableType="Microsoft.SSIS.FileLogTask"
    DTS:ErrorDescription="This task will write SSIS events to a text file.">
    <DTS:ObjectData>
        <FileLogTaskData
            PackageName="YourPackageName"
            LogLocation="C:\Logs\SSISLog.txt"
            LogFileName="PackageExecutionLog.txt"
            LocaleID="1033"
            Append="True">
            <SelectedSources>
                <SelectedSource Name="OnError" />
                <SelectedSource Name="OnWarning" />
            </SelectedSources>
            <SelectedProperties>
                <SelectedProperty Name="StartTime" />
                <SelectedProperty Name="EndTime" />
                <SelectedProperty Name="Source" />
                <SelectedProperty Name="EventName" />
                <SelectedProperty Name="MessageText" />
                <SelectedProperty Name="ErrorCode" />
                <SelectedProperty Name="ErrorDescription" />
            </SelectedProperties>
        </FileLogTaskData>
    </DTS:ObjectData>
</DTS:Executable>

Configuring Task-Level Logging

Individual tasks within a package can also have their own logging configurations, overriding or supplementing the package-level settings.

Steps in SSDT:

  1. Select the task in the SSIS package designer.
  2. Right-click the task and choose Properties.
  3. In the Properties window, locate the Loggings property.
  4. Click the ellipsis (...) button next to Loggings to open the SSIS Logs Editor.
  5. Here you can add specific log providers and select events for this particular task, similar to the package-level configuration.

Note on Log Providers

SSIS supports several built-in log providers: Text file, SQL Server, Windows Event Log, and Script. You can also create custom log providers using C# or VB.NET.

Managing SSIS Logs

Once configured, SSIS logs can be accessed based on the chosen log provider:

  • Text Files: Browse to the specified file path.
  • SQL Server: Query the log table in your database. The default SSIS system log table is often named sysssislog.
  • Windows Event Log: Use the Event Viewer application on the server where the package is executed.

Tip for Production Environments

For production environments, it is highly recommended to use a dedicated SQL Server database for logging. This allows for centralized management, easier querying, and better performance compared to text files.

Best Practices for SSIS Logging

  • Be Selective: Log only essential events to avoid overwhelming your log storage and making it difficult to find critical information.
  • Use Consistent Naming Conventions: For log files or database tables, adopt clear and consistent naming conventions.
  • Define a Retention Policy: Establish a policy for how long logs will be retained and automate the deletion of old logs.
  • Monitor Log Storage: Ensure that your log storage (disk space or database size) does not become a bottleneck.
  • Include Context: Log relevant information like package name, execution ID, server name, and date/time stamps to provide sufficient context for analysis.

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