Sql Server Reporting Service without Full SQL Server - sql-server-2005

I am going to use SSRS to generate report for my website.
Scenario:
I have 2 servers, Application server & Database Server.
I want to have reports(.rdl files) sitting on Application server(IIS) accessing data on SQL server(Database Server)
In order to fulfil these requirement I require to install SQL server 2k5 on my Application server just for having SQL server reporting service. So I am just waisting one of licence of SQL server by installing that on Application server.
Is anyone having any idea how to install only reporting service with SQL server 2k5??

In order to have Reporting Services on your Application server, you would have to use a SQL license. You can install just the Reporting Services section of SQL Server, but it is still technically part of the SQL Server application and requires a license for use on that processor(s).If that is a huge issue, then I would have to recommend keeping the Reporting Services section installed with the rest of the database installation on your Data server.
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/previousversions/rs/howtolicensers.mspx
The server components of SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services include the Report Server and the Report Server Database. The Report Server processes and renders reports, and handles scheduled events and report delivery. The Report Server Database stores report definitions, report metadata, subscription information, and so on. Each Report Server requires either a local or remote connection to a Report Server Database. To use any of these components, each computer on which the Report Server and the Report Server Database are installed must have a valid SQL Server 2000 license.

You could install SQL Server Express on the application server.
It's free, and there's an edition which comes with Reporting Services.
In comparison with the "real" editions, SQL Server Express Edition is limited concerning how much CPU and RAM it can use, but it will probably be fast enough to run your reports.

blatantly incorrect. You do not need a SQL Server license to use SQL Server Reporting Services, you can use SQL Server Express edition. I've use SQL Server Express Edition in addition to linked servers-- to query stuff on -ANY- database server. And it works great.
SSRS is a great platform, I Just hate it when people run around saying that you NEED a license to use it. I'll bet that guy works for Oracle corp!

You do have an alternative. You can embed reports directly into your code projects in .Net. In this case the report runs through the Microsoft.Reporting.WinForms and Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms namespaces, ReportViewer object. Each report will have a ".rdlc" extension instead of ".rdl", though the two files types are actually equivalent. There is an ASP.Net version of the ReportViewer that allows you to integrate these reports into your website. You just need to drag the ReportViewer control from the toolbox into your website to configure it. For more information, see the MSDN overview of ReportViewer Controls.

If you dont want to use a whole license you can always use reportviewer. Just so I dont put too much answer out here, the big site for this is gotreportviewer.com.
The reportviewer control does the work of the reporting services server when it comes to the generation of reports. RDL files are like xml files and dont do much until they are interpreted. If you embed the reportviewer in your application on the web the work will be done on the user side. It is simialar to microsofts xps format, it has to be interpreted.
If you don't want to create an application for your reports the new version of sql2008 with advanced controls allows you to install a free version of reporting services. It doesnt have all of the goodies but it works for simple deployments.

Related

Creating a Database Server for home use in SQL Server 2005 Express

I am looking to create a database server that can be used to store data using a VB.net application. When I initially installed SQL Server 2005 Express edition, I believe I installed this using the LocalDB option.
As it stands my application is a simple tool which utilises the Process.Start command under certain situations, depending on user input, to launch Game Servers for use at a gaming LAN I assist in running.
I wish to progress the application by being able to update, delete and query a database created in SQL Server 2005 Express. I understand the use of connection strings etc, however I am wondering if the installation using LocalDB will mean that I cannot connect to the server to process the data I require.
Can I continue to use the LocalDB option and create a Database Server for specific use using my application or is a different installation option required?
Secondly, can someone point me in the right direction of how to create a new Server for this purpose? All of my searches so far have provided results for creating a database only, and not the server.
I have a couple questions about what you are trying to do.
First, why are you installing SQL Server 2005? It was released almost a decade ago.
I would go with 2012 express edition.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29062
Second, install the management tools. SSMS is a nice GUI to do work in.
Third, If you are spinning up anything other than express, there are licensing costs which are quite high. 9K for standard and 25K for enterprise per socket or such.
Here are the versions and features list from microsoft.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms144275.aspx
Last but not least, having the express edition on another computer is fine. However, you will have to use a network protocol such as TCP/IP instead of shared memory.
It will take longer to send Tabular Data Stream (TDS) to the other computer versus talking to memory on the same computer.
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/c4f06669-41fd-42e6-b4a9-564cf04ca9f7/how-to-choose-between-shared-memory-named-pipes-tcpip-via?forum=sqlgetstarted
Good luck with your project.
You can use a local instance of SQL Server just fine, if you want to set up a separate server for some reason then you'll need either a 2nd machine on which to install SQL Server, or to spin up a virtual machine. If running Windows 8 (and barring hardware limitations) you have Hyper-V at your fingertips.
This is not a complete answer for you but may give you some things to think about.
First you might want to think about your choice of database. If you don't have a compelling reason for using 2005 you will probably at least want to move to SQL Express 2008.
Second, to answer the part about creating a server... A server is something that serves data. In a general sense a computer configured to be contacted by external machines and respond with data is a server. A web server runs a program like IIS or Apache to respond with web pages. A database server contains a database and allows connections to that database. So as long as you install the database on a computer and configure it to allow external connections, you have your database server.
In MS SQL there are several things that need to be set up to allow a database to accept external connections. One is that the SQL Server Browser service will need to be active. Another is that the database itself will need to be configured to allow external connections (SQL Authentication type probably).
Hope this helps.
Addition:
SQL Remote Connection Configuration
Disclaimer, I don't have SQL Express 2005 installed but I think the settings are found in the same place in 2008. If the info here is not exact to SQL Express 2005, the general terminology used here should be enough to get you headed in the right direction to find the specifics.
While viewing the database in Server Management Studio or Enterprise Manager, right click the database server instance name (the root of the tree) and select properties. There should be a section title Connections and within this section there should be an option "Allow remote connections to this server". Make sure it is checked. The other setting you need in this properties menu is under the security area. There is a radio button for "Windows Authentication Mode" and "SQL Server and Windows Authentication Mode", you want the second that allows both.
The next step you have may be to create a new user, add a password, and connect the user to the database. That will give you the credentials you will use in your database connection string while programming. I usually add new users through the security section of the database then set the User Roles for each database that I need to connect to. It is good practice to limit the permissions to those needed by the application. Typically this is read and write, but sometimes you can get away with just read. The less the better.

How to Get SQL Server Reporting Services to Install so that it Works

I found this link for SQL Server Reporting Services
SQL Server Reporting Services
In this they said go to SQL Server data tools and when I search I can't find so what I do for that?
And when I try to do that when I go to configuration tools in SQL Server 2008 R2 and click on
Reporting Services configuration manager then it show me error when I connect it show me error
Unable to connect to the Report Server HOME-PC
So here anybody can tell me how do I start using SQL Server Reporting Services?
You did not install SSRS correctly I am guessing as parts are missing. You can install SSRS through the SQL Server insall in a few different versions:
SSRS 2012 where and how to download
The download for Express(the free version) is here:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29062
Once you get a successful install there is a more SSRS centric tool than the services configuration. It is under All Programs>SQL Server (version)>Configuration Tools>Reporting Services Configuration Manager. You need to ensure that SSRS is fully working before developing for it. I wrote an article on deployment here that covers the bases:
How SSRS deployment works?
Checking that SSRS is actually up and working with correct permissions is half the fun of SSRS! ;)

SSRS and SQL Server database on different server

Is it possible to install SSRS and SQL Server database on separate servers, or should these two be installed on the same server?
Thanks
In order to have Reporting Services on your application server, you would have to use a SQL-Server license. You can install just the Reporting Services section of SQLServer, but it is still technically part of the SQL Server application and requires a license for use on that processor(s).
So yes, you can install it on another server.
Yes, you can install only the advanced services, but that still counts as full server., so it requires a full license.
Yes, you can install an Express Edition (with advanced services) on another server for free.
But... the express edition SSRS can't access a non-localhost database (technical limitations of express & web edition).
You can try to circumvent that with linked-servers, but you need to duplicate every used stored procedure, view, table etc., so it's an impractical mess.
The answer to your question is thus: Technically, yes - but actually NO, not without another license.
That extra-installation is gonna cost USD 1'000+ per month.
Yes, you can install SSRS and a SQL Server database on different servers. While the default installation tries to install both, you can select to install them separately.
MSDN links:
Considerations for Installing Reporting Services
Installing SQL Server Reporting Services
From MSDN article Considerations for Installing Reporting Services:
Select Database Engine Services in the Feature Selection page to host
the report server databases. Reporting Services requires a local or
remote instance of SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2008 Database Engine
to host the report server databases. If you install an instance of the
Database Engine concurrently with Reporting Services, you can
eliminate a post-Setup task by installing the default configuration,
which creates and configures the report server databases
automatically. In addition to hosting the report server databases, SQL
Server relational databases can also be a source of data for reports
and models.
You could install SSRS in a new server, but to do so you would need a new license for this other server.
From Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Licensing Guide:
"The software components of a single SQL Server 2014 license cannot be separated for use in more than one OSE. If these components are running on a server other than the main database server, then an additional license is required for each additional OSE in which they are installed. For example, if the SQL Server DB is deployed in one OSE and SQL Server RS is deployed in another, both OSEs must be fully licensed for SQL Server 2014 accordingly."
Link to download the guide:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=230678

Reporting Services running on SQL Server 2008 Express

I know I can run Reporting Services on SQL Server Express w/ Advanced Services. The articles I have read do not touch on my question. I'm wondering, in this scenario, can remote users execute reports from the report server remotely using URL access ex:)http://mySQLExpressBox/ReportServer/rptMyReport....... etc - Or will reports only be served if the request comes from the same box/server?
This is possible -- it works the same way non-express editions work. Were you running into any specific issues when you attempted to do this?
The restriction that ewall was referring to is not a restriction on remotely executed reports, but on remote data sources. The Express edition is limited to local data sources (although you can get around this with Linked Servers). Ex: ClientA can remotely execute http://mySQLExpressBox/ReportServer/rptMyReport but mySQLExpressBox can only retrieve the data for the report from itself.

Reporting Services Report Deployment / downgrading problem

I have a reporting services project with lots of reports developed in SQL server business intelligence development studio that comes with sql server 2008. I want to deploy these reports to a server that has reporting services 2005 only but the deployment is failing. I'm wondering if any one around here has been able to deploy reports developed in business intelligence development studio 2008 to a server running reporting services 2005 only.
If it isn't passible, is there a way of downgrading my report project back to reporting services 2005 so i can be able to deploy my reports?.
Unfortunately this is not currently possible.
The following thread contains a discussion from the MSDN forums pertaining to a similar query. If you read through it, you will discover that an MVP raised this as a development/support request with Mcrosoft.
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlreportingservices/thread/686cac48-bc14-4978-b7bf-acbc0c90384e/
Is it really that bad?
For going from 2005 -> 2000, you just had to strip a couple of lines of xml out of the rdl file.
Can't you do something similar? Assuming you don't use 08 specific things like Tablix
?
Microsoft, you don't know how huge of a pain in the butt this problem is. And we're left to find out about this incompatibility only after creating reports in VS 2008 and trying to run them on SQL Server 2005.
This is extremely poor product management on Microsoft's part.