title: Most efficient and reliable way to get Unix files into SQL Server
body: <p>I've got three files on AIX that I need to import into a SQL Server 2005 database. The files are created by an AIX script that I have control over. There are several options that I know will work, but I'd like to find out what others have done before and what works best.</p>
  
  <p>Here are the options I'm looking at.</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Have the AIX script sftp the files to Windows and then have a Windows batch job bcp them into SQL Server.</li>
  <li>Same thing except have the Windows batch job GET the files instead of having the AIX script PUT them.</li>
  <li>Same as #1 except use scp instead of sftp (what are the pros &amp; cons?)</li>
  <li>Set up a samba share on AIX and have the Windows batch job bcp the files into SQL Server from there</li>
  <li>Same as #4 except use SSIS to import them as flat files from the samba share (not sure how this will work with line endings).</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Are there other good options I'm overlooking? Does any of these stand out as better for some objective reason?</p>