HCOSS transfers data from DB2 databases to SQL Server 2008 databases by building one SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package for each of the database tables selected for transfer, and then executing these packages.
An SSIS package is a collection of SQL script commands. When you execute an SSIS package, the SSIS engine runs each script in sequence. We chose SSIS packages as the mechanism to transfer data because they are a flexible and efficient deployment option. You can schedule, script, customize, extend, and integrate SSIS packages using SQL Server and Visual Studio tools. SSIS packages can also be reused by the Execute Package Utility of SQL Server Integration Services, and it can be loaded into the SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio for debugging purposes.
For more information about SSIS packages, see the documentation for the Microsoft SQL Server Development Center, available on the Microsoft Web site.