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If you're wondering whether to upgrade to Integration Services 2012, or just want to know what differences there are between SSIS 2008 R2 and 2012, this blog should help you!
- Differences between Integration Services 2008 R2 and 2012
- Difference 1 - SSIS 2012 Looks Different!
- Difference 2 - How Variables are Treated in SSIS 2012 (this blog)
- Difference 3 - Choosing Tasks from the SSIS Toolbox
- Difference 4 - Shared Connections at Project Level
- Difference 5 - Expression Tasks in 2012
- Difference 6 - Undoing and Redoing Commands
- Difference 7 - Easier to use Data Viewers
- Difference 8 - Deploying Packages in 2012
- Difference 9 - Parameters and Environments
- Differences 10 - Other Miscellaneous Changes
Posted by Andy Brown on 27 November 2014
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Difference 2 - How Variables are Treated in SSIS 2012
SSIS 2012 contains a new Variables tool:

Quite why it looks like a blue eraser I'm not sure!
This makes it easier to display a list of the variables that you've created.
Also, SSIS 2008 R2 creates variables scoped to the task you have selected (since you can't then change this scope, this can be annoying). In 2012 the default variable scope is - more sensibly - to the entire package, and you can subsequently change this.
Variables are easier to choose in many places. As one example, here's the Row Count task in SSIS 2012:

In 2012, it's easy to assign a variable to a row count task.
Compare this with the 2008 R2 equivalent:

Just part of the Row Count task dialog box in 2008 R2.
Again, none of the above changes makes any difference functionally, but taken together the changes do make 2012 nicer to use than its predecessor.
Staying with this theme, let's now look at how 2012 groups tasks together to make them easier to find.
- Differences between Integration Services 2008 R2 and 2012
- Difference 1 - SSIS 2012 Looks Different!
- Difference 2 - How Variables are Treated in SSIS 2012 (this blog)
- Difference 3 - Choosing Tasks from the SSIS Toolbox
- Difference 4 - Shared Connections at Project Level
- Difference 5 - Expression Tasks in 2012
- Difference 6 - Undoing and Redoing Commands
- Difference 7 - Easier to use Data Viewers
- Difference 8 - Deploying Packages in 2012
- Difference 9 - Parameters and Environments
- Differences 10 - Other Miscellaneous Changes