Where should i use bcp and where DTS

First of all tell us what you want to achieve with data import and export.

Every SQL Server application manager needs to move a large amount of data into or out of a SQL Server database at least once, so SQL Server has several tools for bulk data-transfer operations.

You can choose between two modes of bcp operation: interactive and noninteractive. In interactive mode, a series of prompts asks you to describe the text file's format to bcp. The bcp operation can save this information in a text-based format file for future use. The BULK INSERT statement exposes bcp's functionality in a T-SQL statement. BULK INSERT moves data from a file to a SQL Server table.

DTS is capable of a doing scores of things that BCP can't like running contained VBScript scripts, transforming data on the fly, performing conditional branching, executing external applications, etc. DTS also provides you with a graphical interface for building your workflow visually. The packages can be stored internally in SQL Server, externally as a structured file, or externally as a VB file.


Satya SKJ
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