Use Biml to Build SSIS Tasks to Replicate HCL Domino Data to SQL Server

Jerod Johnson
Director, Technology Evangelism

Use Biml to dynamically build SSIS tasks using CData SSIS Components to replicate HCL Domino data to SQL Server.

Using SQL Server as a backup for critical business data provides an essential safety net against loss and enables business users to more easily connect that data with features like reporting, analytics, and more. Biml is an XML dialect that can be used to create Microsoft SQL Server BI objects, like SSIS packages. Pairing CData SSIS Components with Biml empowers you to easily build SSIS packages with access to HCL Domino data. Key benefits include:

Built-in metadata discovery — CData SSIS components expose metadata just like working with SQL Server, even dynamically generating schema for schema-less data sources
Dynamic SSIS task generation — Use code nuggets in Biml to build SSIS tasks by iterating over discovered metadata
Read from HCL Domino — Native source components make HCL Domino look just like a database

This article demonstrates how to use Biml with the CData SSIS Components for HCL Domino to dynamically build SSIS tasks (one for each HCL Domino entity) to replicate HCL Domino data to a Microsoft SQL Server database. We step through the Biml file one section at a time but have included the complete Biml file at the end of the article.

In order to use Biml in an SSIS Project in Visual Studio, install BimlExpress. Once you install BimlExpress, open Visual Studio, create a new Integration Services project, and add a new Biml file.

👁 Add a new Biml file to the SSIS project

Building the Biml File

With Biml, you can write scripting to dynamically generate SSIS projects, packages, and tasks. To see the Biml file for an existing project (and gain insights on using Biml with CData SSIS Tasks), simply create your tasks and then right-click the project and select Convert SSIS Packages to Biml.

C# Code

Use directives <#@ .. #> to import necessary namespaces and the assembly for the CData SSIS Components for HCL Domino.

<#@ template language="C#" hostspecific="true"#>
<#@ import namespace="System.Data"#>
<#@ import namespace="System.IO"#>
<#@ import namespace="System.Collections"#>
<#@ import namespace="System.Data.CData.Domino"#>
<#@ assembly name="C:\Program Files\CData[product_name] 2018\lib\CData.SSIS2017.Domino.dll"#>

In a new control nugget <# ... #>, create variables for values that will be used throughout the Biml script, including a connection string for HCL Domino and structures to store the HCL Domino metadata.

Connecting to Domino

To connect to Domino data, set the following properties:
- URL: The host name or IP of the server hosting the Domino database. Include the port of the server hosting the Domino database. For example: http://sampleserver:1234/
- DatabaseScope: The name of a scope in the Domino Web UI. The driver exposes forms and views for the schema governed by the specified scope. In the Domino Admin UI, select the Scopes menu in the sidebar. Set this property to the name of an existing scope.
Authenticating with Domino

Domino supports authenticating via login credentials or an Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) OAuth application:

Login Credentials

To authenticate with login credentials, set the following properties:
- AuthScheme: Set this to "OAuthPassword"
- User: The username of the authenticating Domino user
- Password: The password associated with the authenticating Domino user
The driver uses the login credentials to automatically perform an OAuth token exchange.

EntraID (formerly AzureAD)

This authentication method uses Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) as an IdP to obtain a JWT token. You need to create a custom OAuth application in Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) and configure it as an IdP. To do so, follow the instructions in the Help documentation. Then set the following properties:
- AuthScheme: Set this to "EntraID (formerly AzureAD)"
- InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
- OAuthClientId: The Client ID obtained when setting up the custom OAuth application.
- OAuthClientSecret: The Client secret obtained when setting up the custom OAuth application.
- CallbackURL: The redirect URI defined when you registered your app. For example: https://localhost:33333
- AzureTenant: The Microsoft Online tenant being used to access data. Supply either a value in the form companyname.microsoft.com or the tenant ID.
  The tenant ID is the same as the directory ID shown in the Azure Portal's Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) > Properties page.
```
var dominoConnectionString = "Server=https://domino.corp.com;AuthScheme=OAuthPassword;User=my_domino_user;Password=my_domino_password;";
var replicationServer = "SERVER";
var replicationCatalog = "CATALOG";
var replicationUserID = "sqluser";
var replicationPassword = "sqlpassword";

List<string> allEntityNames = new List<string>();
Hashtable entitySchema = new Hashtable();
```

In the same control nugget used to defined variables, use ADO.NET code to programmatically query the HCL Domino entities (tables) and fields (columns).

using (DominoConnection connection = new DominoConnection(dominoConnectionString)) {
 connection.Open();
 var entities = connection.GetSchema("Tables").Rows;
 foreach (DataRow entity in entities)
 {
 allEntityNames.Add(entity["TABLE_NAME"].ToString());
 }
 foreach (string entity in allEntityNames){
 var columns = connection.GetSchema("Columns", new string [] {entity}).Rows;
 entitySchema.Add(entity,columns);
 }
}

Class Nugget

In our Biml script to create the replication tasks, there are several places where repeated XML elements are created dynamically (mostly for columns in SSIS tasks). Instead of repeating the code, add a class nugget <#+ ... #> and create a helper class with methods to consolidate repeated code (full code at the end of the article).

Add public static variables to determine which type of XML element to create.

public static int OUTPUT_WITH_ERROR = 0;
public static int EXTERNAL = 1;
public static int OUTPUT = 2;
public static int DATAOVERRIDE_COLUMN = 4;

Add a public method to build a SQL statement for use in the ExecuteSQL task used to drop existing tables and create a new table for the replicated data.

// Dynamically builds a DROP TABLE and CREATE statement
// for each entity (table) in HCL Domino using the table name and metadata.
public static string GetDeleteAndCreateStatement(string tableName, DataRowCollection columns) {
 ...
}

Add a public method to build the collection of column-based XML elements.

 
// Dynamically build various column-based XML elements
// for each entity (table) in HCL Domino based on the column 
// metadata and the parent element
public static string GetColumnDefs(DataRowCollection columns, int columnType){
 ...
}

Biml Script

Now that you have the table metadata and a Helper class to reduce repeated code, write the Biml script to dynamically create your replication packages.

Start by adding a CustomSsisConnection element for the CData SSIS Tasks. Note that the ObjectData attribute must be XML encoded. A typical connecting string looks similar to the following (note the use of the dominoConnectionString variable for the ConnectionString property:

<DominoConnectionManager>
 <Property Name="ConnectionString"><#=dominoConnectionString#></Property>
</DominoConnectionManager>

After configuring the connection to the CData SSIS Task, configure a connection to the replication database. The completed Connections element looks like the following (note the use of text nuggets <#= ... #> to add variables for connection string values):

<Connections>
 <CustomSsisConnection Name="CData Domino Connection Manager" CreationName = "CDATA_DOMINO" ObjectData = "&lt;DominoConnectionManager&gt; &lt;Property Name=&quot;ConnectionString&quot;&gt; <#=dominoConnectionString#>&lt;/Property&gt; &lt;/DominoConnectionManager&gt;" />
 <Connection Name="Destination" ConnectionString="Data Source=<#=replicationServer#>;User ID=<#=replicationUserID#>;Password=<#=replicationPassword#>;Initial Catalog=<#=replicationCatalog#>;Provider=SQLNCLI11.1;"/>
</Connections>

With the Connections element configured, you are ready to build our replication package. In the package, the Biml script create an ExecuteSQL task and a Dataflow task for each table to be replicated.

To build each set of tasks, use a while loop in a control nugget to iterate through the entity (table) names:

int entityCounter = 0; while(entityCounter < allEntityNames.Count){
var tableName = allEntityNames[entityCounter].ToString();
DataRowCollection columns = ((DataRowCollection)entitySchema[tableName]);

ExecuteSQL Task
In the ExecuteSQL task, execute a SQL query to drop any existing tables that have the same name as our HCL Domino entity (table) and create a new table based on the metadata discovered using the CData SSIS Component.

To create the query dynamically, use the Helper.GetDeleteAndCreateStatement() helper function.

Dataflow Task

Within the Dataflow use a CustomComponent as the source component and an OleDbDestination as the destination.

CustomComponent Element

The CustomComponent element uses the CData SSIS Source component to retrieve HCL Domino data. Start by configuring the component to use with the CData component.

<CustomComponent Name="CData HCL Domino Source" ComponentTypeName="CData.SSIS.Domino.DominoSource" Version="18" ContactInfo="[email protected]" UsesDispositions="true">
...
</CustomComponent>

DataflowOverrides and OutputPaths Elements

The next step after configuring the connection is to add Columns elements to the OutputPath child element of the DataflowOverrides element. To do so, call the Helper.GetColumnDefs() helper function.

Use the same Helper class to add columns to the OutputColumns and ExternalColumns child elements of the various OutputPaths elements.

The definitions created provide information about the input, output, and error information for the SSIS component.

<DataflowOverrides>
 <OutputPath OutputPathName="CData Domino Source Output">
 <Columns>
<#=HelperClass.GetColumnDefs(columns,HelperClass.DATAOVERRIDE_COLUMN) #>
 </Columns>
 </OutputPath>
</DataflowOverrides>
...
<OutputPaths>
 <OutputPath Name="CData Domino Source Output">
 <OutputColumns>
<#=HelperClass.GetColumnDefs(columns,HelperClass.OUTPUT_WITH_ERROR) #>
 </OutputColumns>
 <ExternalColumns>
<#=HelperClass.GetColumnDefs(columns,HelperClass.EXTERNAL) #>
 </ExternalColumns>
 </OutputPath>
 <OutputPath Name="CData Domino Source Error Output" IsErrorOutput="true">
 <OutputColumns>
<#=HelperClass.GetColumnDefs(columns,HelperClass.OUTPUT) # 
 </OutputColumns>
 </OutputPath>
</OutputPaths>

CustomProperties Element

The CData SSIS tasks are surfaced in SSIS as custom components with a series of required CustomProperties:

<CustomProperties>
 <CustomProperty Name="SQLStatement" DataType="Null" UITypeEditor="Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.Controls.ModalMultilineStringEditor, Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.Controls, Version= 10.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=89845dcd8080cc91" SupportsExpression="true"></CustomProperty>
 <CustomProperty Name="AccessMode" DataType="Int32" TypeConverter="CData.SSIS.Domino.AccessModeToStringConverter">0</CustomProperty>
 <CustomProperty Name="TableOrView" DataType="String" UITypeEditor="Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.Controls.ModalMultilineStringEditor, Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.Controls, Version= 10.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=89845dcd8080cc91" SupportsExpression="true">[<#=tableName#>]</CustomProperty>
 <CustomProperty Name="ExecStoredProcedure" DataType="Boolean">false</CustomProperty>
</CustomProperties>

Connections Element

The last element to add to the CustomComponent element is a Connections element, attaching the previously defined connection to the task:

<Connections>
 <Connection Name="Domino 2018 Connection" ConnectionName="CData Domino Connection Manager" />
</Connections>

OleDbDestination Element

The final piece of the Dataflow task is the OleDbDestination element. Attach the previously defined OleDbConnection to the element, set the InputPath and ExternalTableOutput:

<OleDbDestination Name="OLE DB Destination" ConnectionName="Destination" CheckConstraints="false">
 <InputPath OutputPathName="CData Domino Source.CData Domino Source Output" />
 <ExternalTableOutput Table="[<#=tableName#>]" />
</OleDbDestination>

Use a control nugget to increment the counter used to iterate over the collection of entity (table) names. Do this within the Tasks element, after the end of the Dataflow element:
```
...
 </Dataflow> 
<# entityCounter++;}#>
 </Tasks>
 </Package>
 </Packages>
</Biml>
```

Build the SSIS Project

Once the Biml file is written, right-click on the Biml file in Server Explorer and select Generate SSIS Packages. At this point, Visual Studio and BimlExpress will translate the Biml file into SSIS package(s), ready to be run.

👁 Generate SSIS Package(s) from Biml

Run the package to begin replicating your HCL Domino data to a SQL Server database (or any other destination you choose).

Free Trial & More Information

With the CData SSIS Components for HCL Domino, you get SQL access to your HCL Domino data directly from SSIS packages. And with Biml, you can automatically generate those packages. For more information about the CData SSIS Components for HCL Domino, refer to the product page. You can always get started with a free, 30-day trial. As always, our world-class CData Support Team is available if you have any questions.

Complete Biml File

<#@ template language="C#" hostspecific="true"#>
<#@ import namespace="System.Data"#>
<#@ import namespace="System.IO"#>
<#@ import namespace="System.Collections"#>
<#@ import namespace="System.Data.CData.Domino"#>
<#@ assembly name="C:\Program Files\CData\CData SSIS Components for Domino 2018\lib\CData.SSIS2017.Domino.dll"#>
<#
var dominoConnectionString = "Server=https://domino.corp.com;AuthScheme=OAuthPassword;User=my_domino_user;Password=my_domino_password;";
var replicationServer = "JDG";
var replicationCatalog = "BIML";
var replicationUserID = "sqltest";
var replicationPassword = "sqltest";

List<string> allEntityNames = new List<string>();
Hashtable entitySchema = new Hashtable();
using (DominoConnection connection = new DominoConnection(dominoConnectionString)) {
 connection.Open();
 var entities = connection.GetSchema("Tables").Rows;
 foreach (DataRow entity in entities)
 {
 allEntityNames.Add(entity["TABLE_NAME"].ToString());
 }
 foreach (string entity in allEntityNames){
 var columns = connection.GetSchema("Columns", new string [] {entity}).Rows;
 entitySchema.Add(entity,columns);
 }
}#>
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
 <Connections>
 <CustomSsisConnection Name="CData Domino Connection Manager" CreationName="CDATA_DOMINO" ObjectData="&lt;DominoConnectionManager&gt;&lt;Property Name=&quot;ConnectionString"&gt;<#=dominoConnectionString#>&lt;/Property&gt;&lt;/DominoConnectionManager&gt;"/>
 <Connection Name="Destination" ConnectionString="Data Source=<#=replicationServer#>;User ID=<#=replicationUserID#>;Password=<#=replicationPassword#>;Initial Catalog=<#=replicationCatalog#>;Provider=SQLNCLI11.1;"/>
 </Connections>
 <Packages>
 <Package Name="Replicate Domino Package" Language="None" ConstraintMode="LinearOnCompletion" ProtectionLevel="EncryptSensitiveWithUserKey">
 <Tasks>
<# int entityCounter = 0; while(entityCounter < allEntityNames.Count){
 var tableName = allEntityNames[entityCounter].ToString();
 if (tableName.Equals("IdpEventLog")) break;
 DataRowCollection columns = ((DataRowCollection)entitySchema[tableName]);#>
 <ExecuteSQL Name="Create <#=tableName#> Replication Table" ConnectionName="Destination">
 <DirectInput>
<#=HelperClass.GetDeleteAndCreateStatement(tableName,columns)#>
 </DirectInput>
 </ExecuteSQL>
 <Dataflow Name="Replicate <#=tableName#>">
 <Transformations>
 <CustomComponent Name="CData Domino Source" ComponentTypeName="CData.SSIS.Domino.DominoSource" Version="18" ContactInfo="[email protected]" UsesDispositions="true">
 <DataflowOverrides>
 <OutputPath OutputPathName="CData Domino Source Output">
 <Columns>
<#=HelperClass.GetColumnDefs(columns,HelperClass.DATAOVERRIDE_COLUMN) #>
 </Columns>
 </OutputPath>
 </DataflowOverrides>
 <CustomProperties>
 <CustomProperty Name="SQLStatement" DataType="Null" UITypeEditor="Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.Controls.ModalMultilineStringEditor, Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.Controls, Version= 10.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=89845dcd8080cc91" SupportsExpression="true"></CustomProperty>
 <CustomProperty Name="AccessMode" DataType="Int32" TypeConverter="CData.SSIS.Domino.AccessModeToStringConverter">0</CustomProperty>
 <CustomProperty Name="TableOrView" DataType="String" UITypeEditor="Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.Controls.ModalMultilineStringEditor, Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.Controls, Version= 10.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=89845dcd8080cc91" SupportsExpression="true">[<#=tableName#>]</CustomProperty>
 <CustomProperty Name="ExecStoredProcedure" DataType="Boolean">false</CustomProperty>
 </CustomProperties>
 <OutputPaths>
 <OutputPath Name="CData Domino Source Output">
 <OutputColumns>
<#=HelperClass.GetColumnDefs(columns,HelperClass.OUTPUT_WITH_ERROR) #>
 </OutputColumns>
 <ExternalColumns>
<#=HelperClass.GetColumnDefs(columns,HelperClass.EXTERNAL) #>
 </ExternalColumns>
 </OutputPath>
 <OutputPath Name="CData Domino Source Error Output" IsErrorOutput="true">
 <OutputColumns>
<#=HelperClass.GetColumnDefs(columns,HelperClass.OUTPUT) #> 
 </OutputColumns>
 </OutputPath>
 </OutputPaths>
 <Connections>
 <Connection Name="Domino 2018 Connection" ConnectionName="CData Domino Connection Manager" />
 </Connections>
 </CustomComponent>
 <OleDbDestination Name="OLE DB Destination" ConnectionName="Destination" CheckConstraints="false">
 <InputPath OutputPathName="CData Domino Source.CData Domino Source Output" />
 <ExternalTableOutput Table="[<#=tableName#>]" />
 </OleDbDestination>
 </Transformations>
 </Dataflow> 
<# entityCounter++;}#>
 </Tasks>
 </Package>
 </Packages>
</Biml>

<#+
public static class HelperClass {
 
 public static int OUTPUT_WITH_ERROR = 0;
 public static int EXTERNAL = 1;
 public static int OUTPUT = 2;
 public static int DATAOVERRIDE_COLUMN = 4;
 
 public static string GetDeleteAndCreateStatement(string tableName, DataRowCollection columns) {
 var dropAndCreateStatement = 
 "IF EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[{0}]') AND type IN (N'U'))\r\n" + 
 "DROP TABLE [{0}];\r\n" + 
 "CREATE TABLE [{0}]\r\n" + 
 "(\r\n" + 
 "{1}\r\n" + 
 ")\r\n" + 
 "ON \"default\";";
 string columnDefs = "";
 foreach (DataRow column in columns){
 string columnDef = " [{0}] {1}";
 string dataType = column["DATA_TYPE"].ToString();
 if (dataType.ToLower().StartsWith("bool")) {
 dataType = "bit";
 } else if (dataType.ToLower().Equals("real")) {
 dataType = "float";
 } else if (dataType.ToLower().Contains("varchar")) {
 var columnLength = column["CHARACTER_MAXIMUM_LENGTH"];
 dataType = "nvarchar(" + ((int)columnLength > 4000 ? "MAX" : columnLength) + ")"; 
 } 
 columnDefs += String.Format(columnDef,column["COLUMN_NAME"],dataType) + ",\r\n";
 
 }
 columnDefs = columnDefs.Remove(columnDefs.LastIndexOf(",\r\n"),",\r\n".Length);
 return String.Format(dropAndCreateStatement,tableName,columnDefs);
 }
 
 public static string GetColumnDefs(DataRowCollection columns, int columnType){
 var columnDefTemplate = "";
 var columnElements = "";
 
 if (columnType == DATAOVERRIDE_COLUMN) {
 columnDefTemplate = " <Column ErrorRowDisposition=\"FailComponent\" TruncationRowDisposition=\"FailComponent\" ColumnName=\"{0}\" />\r\n";
 foreach(DataRow column in columns) {
 var columnName = column["COLUMN_NAME"];
 columnElements += String.Format(columnDefTemplate,columnName);
 }
 return columnElements;
 } 
 if (columnType == OUTPUT_WITH_ERROR)
 columnDefTemplate = " <OutputColumn Name=\"{0}\" {1} ExternalMetadataColumnName=\"{0}\" ErrorRowDisposition=\"FailComponent\" TruncationRowDisposition=\"FailComponent\" />\r\n";
 else if (columnType == EXTERNAL)
 columnDefTemplate = " <ExternalColumn Name=\"{0}\" {1} />\r\n";
 else if (columnType == OUTPUT)
 columnDefTemplate = " <OutputColumn Name=\"{0}\" {1} />\r\n";
 
 foreach(DataRow column in columns){ 
 var columnName = column["COLUMN_NAME"];
 var dataTypeRaw = column["DATA_TYPE"].ToString().ToLower();
 var typeAndRelatedInfo = "";
 if (dataTypeRaw.Equals("bool")) {
 typeAndRelatedInfo = "DataType=\"Boolean\"";
 } else if (dataTypeRaw.Equals("date")) {
 typeAndRelatedInfo = "DataType=\"Date\" SsisDataTypeOverride=\"DT_DBDATE\"";
 } else if (dataTypeRaw.Equals("datetime")) {
 typeAndRelatedInfo = "DataType=\"DateTime\"";
 } else if (dataTypeRaw.Equals("real")) {
 typeAndRelatedInfo = ((int)column["NumericPrecision"] > 0 ? "Precision=\"18\" " : " ") + ((int)column["NumericScale"] > 0 ? "Scale=\"15\" " : " ") + "DataType=\"Decimal\"";
 } else if (dataTypeRaw.Equals("varchar")) {
 var columnLength = column["CHARACTER_MAXIMUM_LENGTH"];
 if ((int)columnLength > 4000) {
 typeAndRelatedInfo = "DataType=\"String\"";
 } else {
 typeAndRelatedInfo = "Length=\"" + columnLength + "\" DataType=\"String\" CodePage=\"1252\"";
 }
 }
 columnElements += String.Format(columnDefTemplate,columnName,typeAndRelatedInfo);
 }
 return columnElements;
 }
}
#>

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URL: https://www.cdata.com/kb/tech/domino-ssis-biml-replication.rst