Module 6: Administering Reporting Services

Overview Server Administration Performance and Reliability Monitoring Database Administration Security Administration

Lesson: Server Administration Configuration File Settings Assigning Server Accounts

Configuration File Settings Configuration FileSettings RSReportDesigner Rendering, data source, and designer extensions RSWebApplication Delivery extensions and active user request limits RSReportServer Data connection strings, SMTP server settings, rendering, and delivery extensions ReportingServices Service Trace level and log files

Assigning Server Accounts Report server database connection account choices  Windows authentication  SQL authentication Report server Windows service account choices  Local System account (recommended)  Domain account  Network service account (Windows Server 2003 only)

Lesson: Performance and Reliability Monitoring Using Trace Files Controlling Trace Files Logging Report Execution Using Performance Counters Applying Timeouts Suspending Jobs

Using Trace Files Records information about Report Server operations  System information  Event logging  Exceptions and warnings  Inbound and outbound SOAP envelopes  HTTP header, stack trace, and debug information Different trace files for each component Created daily but never deleted

Controlling Trace Files DefaultTraceSwitch in ReportingServicesService.config controls trace level Trace level options: 0 = Disable tracing 1 = Exceptions and restarts 2 = Exceptions, restarts, warnings 3 = Exceptions, restarts, warnings, status messages (default setting) 4 = Verbose mode

Logging Report Execution Report execution logs to the Report Server database, and allows:  Monitoring of execution performance over time  Viewing frequency of report requests and the users who request them Logs information including:  Data retrieval, processing and rendering times, and report source Set up execution logging in Report Manager to:  Enable or disable logging globally  Specify removal frequency of log entries Use supplied DTS package to browse log information

Using Performance Counters Performance counters provide statistical information about Reporting Services applications Report server counters include:  Active Sessions  Reports Executed/Sec  Total Cache Hits  Total Requests Scheduling and Delivery Processor counters include:  Deliveries/Sec  Total Processing Failures

Applying Timeouts Source query timeouts  Apply to the query execution time  Configured per data set query  Return a failure when timeout is exceeded Report execution timeouts  Apply to the total report execution time  Configured globally or per report  Return a failure when timeout is exceeded

Suspending Jobs Disabling shared data sources disables:  Report execution  Data-driven subscription processing Pausing shared schedules disables:  Scheduled report execution  All subscription processing  Scheduled cache expiration

Lesson: Database Administration Understanding Database Storage Determining Disk Space Requirements Defining a Backup and Restore Strategy

Understanding Database Storage ReportServer database stores:  Reports, folders, shared data sources, and meta data  Resources  Snapshots  Report history ReportServerTempDB database stores:  Session cache  Cached instances ChunkData tables consume a large percentage of both databases

Determining Disk Space Requirements Steps to estimate database sizes: 1. Estimate total number of reports 2. Examine intermediate report size 3. For ReportServer database, factor in intermediate report persistence 4. For ReportServerTempDB database, factor in caching

Defining a Backup and Restore Strategy Data backup and restore  Use SQL Server backup and restore  ReportServer database - essential  ReportServerTempDB database - optional Encryption key backup and restore  Public and symmetric keys needed for passwords and connections  Use encryption key management utility

Lesson: Security Administration The Reporting Services Authorization Model Assigning Roles Working with Item-Level Role Definitions Securing Items Working with System-Level Role Definitions Securing the System

The Reporting Services Authorization Model Relies on role-based security  Roles categorize user interaction with a specific system or resources into groups  Facilitates administration of user permissions  Provides flexible management of role membership Requires underlying network authentication  Windows authentication is the default model  Custom or third-party authentication via security extensions is supported

Assigning Roles Base roles on tasks that users can perform Tasks are:  Predefined within the system  Categorized as either item or system Assignment consists of three components:  Windows user account or group  Role definition - collection of item or system tasks  Securable object - item or system-level object Use Report Manager to assign roles

Working with Item-Level Role Definitions New item-level roles can be added Predefined item-level roles can be modified Predefined Role Description Browser View reports, resources, and folders My Reports Manage own My Reports folders Publisher Add content to the report server database Content Manager Deploy reports, manage data source connections, determine how reports are used

Securing Items Secure individual items such as reports, data sources, or resources Or group items together by using a folder – simplifies administration Link user or group to item-level role for each item 1.Edit the Security properties of the item 2.Click New Role Assignment 3.Enter user or group name and select roles

Working with System-Level Role Definitions New system-level roles can be added Predefined system-level roles can be modified Predefined Role Description System User View basic information about the report server System Administrator Administer report server but not content

Securing the System Report server site itself is the securable object Users or groups  Similar to item security - local or domain accounts  Local administrators are automatically system administrators Link user or group to system-level role 1.In Site Settings, click Configure site-wide security 2.Click New Role Assignment 3.Enter user or group name and select roles

Demonstration: Item Security In this demonstration you will see how to: Create a new role Secure an item

Review Server Administration Performance and Reliability Monitoring Database Administration Security Administration

Lab 6: Administering Reporting Services Exercise 0: Deploy the Demonstration Reports Exercise 1: Securing the Site Exercise 2: Securing Items