DBA331 Managing a Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services Implementation Brian Welcker Group Program Manager SQL Server Microsoft Corporation

Agenda Installation Management APIs and Tools Namespace and Security Reports Properties and Data Sources Execution and Jobs Subscriptions and Scheduling Extensions

Setup Prerequisites Web ServerWindows 2000 or 2003 Server Internet Information Server.NET Framework (included) SMTP Server for Delivery Database Server SQL Server 2000 SQL Server Agent WorkstationVisual Studio.NET 2003.NET Framework (included)

Installing Reporting Services Server Components Report Server SOAP Endpoint URL Access for browsers Win32 service for scheduled operations Report Manager Web-based server management Report Server Database Report metadata storage Same machine or remote (for web farms) Workstation Components Report Designer Client Utilities Documentation and Samples

SQL Server Database / SQL Server Agent Shared Components Web Service (IIS / ASP.NET) /reportserver Win32 Service Reporting Services Components URL SOAP Endpoint reportservice.asmx Data Retrieval WMI Delivery Security Report Manager /reports Rendering Browser Report Designer Client Utilities

Management APIs Web Services / SOAP API Full SOAP API implementation w/complex types Includes WSDL Add service reference in Visual Studio.NET Supports SSL WMI Used for managing service configuration Works even if Web Service is not available No WMI events in first release

Management Tools Report Manager Web-based management application included with Reporting Services Built using ASP.NET to talk to Server Client Utilities Script Host Server Configuration Custom Applications Win32 Management UI in Yukon

Server Namespace Hierarchical namespace managed in SQL Server database Folder metaphor for organizing reports, setting security Item Types Report Folder Data Source Resource Items are referenced by path in SOAP API and URL access (e.g. /Adventure Works/Sales Report)

My Reports Provides users a folder on the server for publishing reports /My Reports is redirected to /users/ /My Reports Configurable security role is automatically applied Disabled by default

Role-Based Security Model Tasks Sets of low-level operations Item-level (e.g. create report) or system-level (manage jobs) Not customizable Roles Sets of tasks Default roles installed by default (browser, publisher) Default roles can be customized, new ones created Groups / Users Windows NT / Active Directory Role Assignments Associates groups / users with Roles Inherited from parent in namespace Item Role Assignment Group or User Role Task Operation

Namespace and Security Brian Welcker Group Program Manager SQL Server Microsoft demo demo

Scheduling Management events can be scheduled on the report server Caching, Subscriptions, History Schedules are stored in database and integrated with SQL Agent When triggered, Agent adds entry to queue Scheduled events are queued in database and polled by NT Service

Shared Schedules Managed shared schedules independently of reports, subscriptions, or snapshots Change shared schedule properties Name Days, times, or frequencies Start and end dates Pause and resume shared schedule Expire a shared schedule Delete shared schedule

Scheduling Brian Welcker Group Program Manager SQL Server Microsoft demo demo

Report Properties Metadata is extracted from report definition at publishing and maintained in the database Name Description Hidden Report Definition Parameters Prompt Prompt String Default Values Data Source Information

Data Source Management Administrator can set connection type and connection string after publishing Credential Options Prompt for Windows or Securely stored credentials Encrypted in memory and on database Optionally impersonate after connection (only works with SQL Server) Integrated Security Requires Kerberos delegation None Shared Data Sources Connection and Credential information stored as a secured object in the namespace Single point of management for multiple reports

Managing Report Execution Execution Sessions Automatically created for each report execution Keeps consistency between server round trips (images, paging, exporting) Session timeout set in server configuration file Execution properties determine whether reports are executed on-demand or rendered from “snapshots” On-demand reports can be cached between users Cache valid for a specified time after execution or cleared on schedule Limitations – User-specific expressions (User ID, Language), stored credentials

Snapshots and History Snapshot Report execution is scheduled, all users get same data Single instance of processed report Limitations: No query parameters or user-specific expressions, stored credentials History Multiple instances of report execution for archiving, auditing purposes Stored independently of data source, report definition System and report-specific retention policy

Managing Running Reports Query timeouts are defined in report definition Execution timeouts can be set on a system-wide or per-report basis Long running reports can be stopped manually

Report Management Brian Welcker Group Program Manager SQL Server Microsoft demo demo

Subscriptions Personalized and administrator defined subscription and delivery Ability to select output formats per subscription Can deliver links as well as rendered reports Data-driven subscriptions for personal delivery Is a snapshot combined with a delivery provider Delivery extension how report is sent Extensible delivery provider architecture delivery requires a local or remote SMTP server Two types of subscriptions Standard Data Driven

Standard Subscriptions Single report sent to a fixed set of addresses End user wants to customize his/her own report delivery How it Works User creates a standing request to run a report at a specific time and delivered in a certain format Can be triggered based on a schedule or snapshot generation Specify report, execution conditions, parameters, rendering format, delivery location, etc.

Data Driven Subscriptions When to Use Delivery of a report to a dynamic list of destinations with customized content for each destination How it Works Set up by the administrator Define delivery query to return list of destinations and parameters Specify delivery settings and parameter values as a static or field from delivery query Set to run according to a defined schedule or trigger from snapshot

Subscriptions Brian Welcker Group Program Manager SQL Server Microsoft demo demo

Logging and Auditing Event Log Integration Critical events and errors Trace Events Traces all server activities, response times, security events Report Execution Log For analysis of server usage Includes report, format, user, start, end, cache hit, size

Scripting Support VB.NET code file Written using generated Web Service proxy All Web Service methods scriptable Scripts must have one function with the declaration: Public Sub Main() Connection to the report server is made automatically by the Script Host Execution through Report Server Script Host (RS.EXE)

Managing Extensions Extensions can be written to extend server functionality (see Books Online for interface definitions) Data Retrieval Rendering Delivery Security Copy assemblies into server /bin directory Add extensions and configuration info added to rsreportserver.config file Configuration file monitoring (no server restart required)

Next Steps Online Session Evaluations! Signup for Reporting Services Beta Public Beta in Late Summer Signup on RTM by end of 2003

Additional Resources Visit the “Ask the Experts” area for follow up questions Attend the Reporting Services sessions at Tech  Ed DBA230 – Introducing SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services DAT235 – Authoring reports using SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services DBA331 – Managing a Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services implementation Hands-On Lab HOL03 – SQL Server Reporting Services

Community Resources Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Newsgroups Converse online with Microsoft Newsgroups, including Worldwide User Groups Meet and learn with your peers

Suggested Reading And Resources The tools you need to put technology to work! TITLE Available Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 High Availability: /9/03 Today Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 Administrator's Companion: Microsoft Press books are 20% off at the TechEd Bookstore Also buy any TWO Microsoft Press books and get a FREE T-Shirt

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