Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 16
Creating Reports with SSRS
Just as we succeeded on the desktop, we will strive to succeed in services on the Web.
—Steve Ballmer
In the past three chapters of this topic, we discussed creating reports with SQL code, MDX code, and
Excel spreadsheets. Now we will take a look at Microsoft's premier reporting application, SQL Server Reporting
Services (SSRS), also known as Reporting Services.
Reporting Services provides web-based reporting with its own web application or in combination with
Microsoft SharePoint in a professional development structure. With Reporting Services, companies can have
reports created by developers who understand the technology and data. Then the reports can be viewed by
business analysts who have a deeper understanding of the company's business model.
This development structure also includes the ability to use source control to track changes in your reports
and the ability to back up reports so that development hours are not lost in case of a disaster. These common
features have been standard development tools for creating applications for more than a decade, but now the
same tools can be applied to your reports.
In this chapter, we take a look at Reporting Services from the perspectives of report developers,
administrators, and consumers. We show you how Reporting Services streamlines the interaction between all
three of these roles. Afterward, you create a basic report so you can see how easy this is to accomplish.
Not
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It is odd, but Microsoft refers to SSRS as Report Server, Reporting Services, and sometimes Reporting
Server to add flavor to the mix. Wherever possible, we try to use the term that is associated with the user interface
we are discussing. Sometimes, however, these terms are used interchangeably within the same interface. In the end,
it really does not matter if you call SSRS a server or a service, because it is both.
SSRS Architecture
SSRS is the most complex of SQL Server's business intelligence services. This is because there are many different
components designed to work together to create a complete reporting solution. These various components
can be spread across multiple computers to provide a high degree of scalability and performance. Figure
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