Ssis 903 !!exclusive!! May 2026

If you're encountering an error or issue coded as "903" within SSIS, it might be related to a specific task, component, or error message. Here are some general steps you can take to troubleshoot or find information about SSIS issues:

1. Check the Error Message: The exact error message can provide clues. SSIS errors are often numbered and include descriptive text.

2. Consult Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft's official documentation on SSIS is comprehensive. You can search for error codes or task-specific issues.

3. SSIS Forums and Communities: Websites like Stack Overflow, Reddit (r/sqlserver), and the Microsoft Tech Community have active users who may have encountered similar issues.

4. Blogs and Training Sites: Many professionals share solutions and explanations on their blogs or through training platforms like Pluralsight. ssis 903

If you could provide more details about the "903" error or context (such as what task or component you're using, the error message, or what you're trying to accomplish), I could offer a more targeted response.

What is SSIS 903?

SSIS 903 is a relatively uncommon but serious error code that typically manifests as:

"Error: SSIS Error Code DTS_E_PRIMEOUTPUTFAILED. The PrimeOutput method failed with error code 0x80004003. The component returned a failure code when the pipeline engine called PrimeOutput()."

In some variations, the code appears as 0x80004003 (E_POINTER – invalid pointer) or within a broader log entry referencing SSIS 903. This error often occurs during the execution phase of a data flow task, specifically when SSIS attempts to write data to a destination component (e.g., OLE DB Destination, SQL Server Destination, or ADO.NET Destination). If you're encountering an error or issue coded

The root cause frequently relates to memory management, metadata mismatches, or concurrency issues within the data flow buffer.

Common Symptoms of SSIS 903

Before diving into fixes, it is helpful to recognize the symptoms:

• The SSIS package fails intermittently, not consistently.
• The error appears only with large data volumes (e.g., >100,000 rows).
• The Data Flow Task turns yellow or red during execution, then rolls back.
• The SQL Server error log shows no corresponding database errors.
• The error disappears after restarting the SSIS service or the SQL Server Agent job.

These transient characteristics make SSIS 903 particularly annoying to debug.

General SSIS Tips:

• Validate and Test: Regularly validate your packages and test data flows.
• Logging: Implement logging to capture details about what happens during package execution.
• Debugging: Use the SSIS debugger to step through your package execution.

SSIS 903: The Ultimate Guide to SQL Server Integration Services Error Code 903

How to Prevent Future 903 Errors

| Prevention | Action | |------------|--------| | Structured exception handling | Every Script Task should have try/catch and fire explicit errors. | | Metadata validation | Use SET FMTONLY OFF or WITH RESULT SETS to lock down column definitions. | | Run64BitRuntime = False | If using 32‑bit drivers, force 32‑bit execution in project properties. | | Retry logic | Wrap connection open attempts in a loop (3–5 retries). | | Monitor external resources | File shares, API endpoints, and databases must be available and tested. | Check the Error Message : The exact error

3. Check the Script Task (if used)

• Wrap your script code in a try...catch and log the actual exception:

  try 
      // your code
   catch (Exception ex) 
      Dts.Events.FireError(0, "Script Task", ex.ToString(), "", 0);
      Dts.TaskResult = (int)ScriptResults.Failure;
  

1. Most Likely: SAP Sybase SQL Anywhere Error - "SSIS 903"

In older database migration contexts (specifically moving from SAP Sybase SQL Anywhere to MS SQL Server), an error referencing SSIS 903 appears. This usually relates to a data type mismatch or conversion failure during an SSIS package execution.

Typical Report Findings for SSIS 903:

• Symptom: The SSIS package fails during data extraction from a Sybase source.
• Root Cause: The Sybase driver returns a data type that the SSIS data flow component cannot map natively (e.g., Sybase BINARY, LONG BINARY, or TIMESTAMP with unusual precision).
• Common Fixes:
  • Update or change the Sybase ODBC/OLE DB provider.
  • Use a Data Conversion transformation in SSIS to cast the problematic column.
  • Modify the source query to CAST(column AS VARCHAR) or similar.

2. Insufficient Memory Buffers

SSIS uses a buffer pool to process rows in chunks. Error 0x80004003 (invalid pointer) often indicates that a buffer was released prematurely or corrupted due to low memory. This happens when:

• The server runs out of RAM.
• DefaultBufferSize and DefaultBufferMaxRows are misconfigured.
• 32-bit runtime is forced (limit of 2GB per process).