SSIS Interview Question: Explain the difference between control flow and data flow

In SSIS, the control flow and data flow are two essential components that play different roles in the ETL process.

Control Flow:

The control flow in SSIS is responsible for managing the flow of tasks and determining the sequence in which tasks should be executed. It controls the overall workflow of the package, including the execution order, conditions, and loops. Control flow tasks can be used to perform operations such as data validation, execution of stored procedures, and logging.

Data Flow:

The data flow in SSIS is responsible for moving data between sources and destinations. It is used to extract, transform, and load data from various sources to a destination. Data flow tasks can include transformations such as data conversion, merging, and aggregation. The data flow is where the actual data manipulation and transformation take place.

Overall, the control flow orchestrates the execution of tasks in a package, while the data flow handles the movement and transformation of data within the tasks.