To meet the requirements of modern software development in terms of rapid release upgrades, quality assurance and cost-effective development, concepts for continuous delivery and, in particular, continuous integration are developed. Existing tools and frameworks in the area of MSSQL Server BI are analyzed and a customized framework is structured. Integration is controlled by the Jenkins integration server and implemented with PowerShell using .Net Framework Assemblies.
Supplement
Continuous integration poses a major challenge in the area of MSSQL Server BI. No standardized solution is available on the market for integrated development of the MSSQL BI components (SQL, SSIS, SSAS and SSRS). There are only autonomous proprietary and open source tools available for individual subtasks and continuous integration. Open source tools only are used in this project. The custom-developed framework is implemented by three fundamental components. Jenkins integration server (I) controls the execution of PowerShell scripts (II), as soon as a change to the source code is reported by the source code management system subversion (III). The BI components are managed by the .Net Framework Assemblies and MSBuild. The result of the integration process is presented in Jenkins in the form of MSTest results and is then passed on to developers, as appropriate.
Subject description
An automated and integrated development process ensures software is always functioning and it enables quicker use of new features. This means that ROI is soon achieved. Automated tests and immediate feedback to developers makes it possible to identify errors early and assure quality. Especially in the field of MSSQL Server BI, which is subject to data-driven development, continuous integration is very important because the data is often used as the basis for strategic and operational decisions. Automation also provides transparency in the provision process and has an integrative effect on the areas involved.