Windows Azure SQL Reporting - Learning SQL Server Reporting Services 2012 - page 460

The secure Internet address in the center is that of the Windows Azure portal, which
you enter after accessing your Live.com ID account. The left-hand side navigation
is your link to the various items on Windows Azure. In our exercises, we will be
using the Windows Azure SQL Reporting Services as well as Microsoft Azure SQL
databases. If you are going to host a Web application, you may have to add in Cloud
services and storage as well. The Cloud service ( mysorian ) and the SQL database
service ( Aloha-HNL ) here are the old accounts the author had. These will be deleted
and new services will be established. Getting a subscription and entering the portal
has become a lot easier compared to when Windows Azure began its operation.
As we saw earlier, it is not necessary to work with any hardware; all you need
is a browser and access to the Internet. This is because the Azure platform does
the business of maintaining all the servers, hardware, and software needed, for
maintaining them. All you need to do is author your reports and publish.
Creating content for reports and viewing
them
You will be using tools that you are already familiar with. These are the same tools
you used in Chapter 2 , SQL Server Reporting Services 2012 Projects with Visual Studio
2012 and Chapter 5 , Working with Report Builder 3.0 , to author and deploy reports.
One limitation with Windows Azure SQL Reporting at present is that you cannot
use linked external images.
Preparing to author reports
The following list is assumed to be complete, or is already present before you start
authoring reports:
• Internet connection.
• Windows Azure account.
• Authoring tools (if you do not have them, you can download
from a link in the portal).
° Report Builder 3.0.
° SSDT.
• SQL Server Management Studio (optional but highly desirable).