7.4 - Reporting for DutyBest Practices for Reporting Services with SharePoint

#sp_summit74

John P WhiteChief Technology Officer, UnlimitedViz Inc

@diverdown1964http://whitepages.unlimitedviz.com

Who Am I?

SharePoint Server MVP

SQL Server v-TS

CTO/Co-Founder of UnlimitedViz

SharePoint Focus – BI, Forms and Workflow

+20 Years in IT Field

whitepages.unlimitedviz.com

@diverdown1964

about.me/diverdown

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Agenda

Reporting Services in the BI Stack

Native Mode vs SharePoint Integrated Mode

Architecture and Installation

Enabling SharePoint – Lighting Up

Building And Using Reports

Discussion

The Microsoft BI SpectrumTeam BI Organizational BIPersonal BI

Our Context

BI Solution created by power user. Context is for a small team & it’s managed on a

server.

My Context

BI solution created by user. Context is

only for user & exists as document.

The Org’s Context

BI Solution created by IT, Established corporate

context & is reusable, scalable and backed up.

Empowered Aligned

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The Tools

Excel

PowerPivot

Visio

Data Mining Add-in

Data Cleansing Add-in

Excel Services

PowerPivot for SharePoint

PerformancePoint

Visio Services

Reporting Services Add-in

BCS

Chart Web Part

KPIs

Filter Web Parts

Access Services

PowerView

SQL Server

Analysis Services

Integration Services

Reporting Services

Data Quality Services

SQL Server Data Tools

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Architecture – Native vs SharePoint Integrated

Integrated Mode Introduced in SSRS 2005R2

All Reporting Services Objects stored in SharePoint LibrariesSimplify StorageUnified Security Model

Report Builder Accessed through SharePoint

With SQL Server 2012 – Reporting Services is a SharePoint Service Application

Architecture – Where Do We Put This Thing?

Typical SharePoint 2 Server Farm

Server OS

SharePoint Foundation

WFE Profile Indexer Search …….

Server OS

SQL Server

DB SSAS SSIS SSR

S

Far Too Typical SharePoint 2 Server Farm with RS Integration

Server OS

SharePoint Foundation

WFE Profile Indexer Search …….

Server OS

SQL Server

SharePoint Foundation

DB SSAS SSIS SSR

S

RS Integration – A Better Approach

Server OS

SharePoint Foundation

WFE Profile Indexer

Search SSRS …….

Server OS

SQL Server

DB SSAS SSIS

RS Integration – Even Better

Server OS

SharePoint Foundation

WFE

Server OS

SQL Server

DB SSAS SSIS

Server OS

SharePoint Foundation

Profile Indexer

Search SSRS …….

Setup Screen – SQL 2008 R2

13Setup Screen – SQL 2012

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Configuration Manager – 2008 R2 and earlier

15Config Utility – 2008 R2

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Native Mode to Integrated Mode Migration Tool

Downloadhttp://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29560

Usinghttp://whitepages.unlimitedviz.com/2012/04/migrate-reporting-services-from-native-mode-to-sharepoint-integrated-mode/

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Shared Service Application - 2012

Configuration - 2012

Lighting Up

Demo Adding Content TypesUsing Report BuilderUsing Data Tools

Deployment Model – Centralized or Distributed?

Centralized Distributed

All Report items stored centrallyEasy to manage Easy to discoverRequires explicit securityUsers must navigate to central location for reportsSingle point of failure

Report items stored throughout the site collection(s)Easy to enable power users“Intrinsic” securityReport are in contextMultiple management points

Answer – It DependsRequirements of IT will need to be balanced with needs of Power Users (if any) and End Users

Separate Connection Libraries from Report Libraries

TIP – Avoid the use of the name “Reports” for a subsite.http://whitepages.unlimitedviz.com/2010/05/deploying-reporting-services-reports-to-sharepoint-using-business-intelligence-development-visual-studio/

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Design Tools – BIDS SQL Data Tools vs Report Builder

Answer – It DependsA mixture is likelyAnalysts IT own enterprise assets and would likely use Data ToolsPower Users would own Team assets and use Report BuilderDo NOT mix on a single library

TIP – Make Enterprise assets read only to avoid collision

SQL Data Tools or BIDS Report Builder

Heavy client footprintDaunting for end usersProject files stored locally and deployed to serverAnalyst Tool Relatively simple to redeploy (backup)Can’t use Shared Datasets (BIDS only)Can use Team Foundation Server (DT only)

One Click installMeant for power usersVery friendly UI – Office RibbonReport items are edited in placeSingle point of failureVery quick to get up and running

Building and Using

Demos Reporting on SharePoint DataReport Processing OptionsUsing Parameters Effectively

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Reporting on SharePoint Data

Report Directly On SharePoint DataVery easy to implementPlaces load on SharePoint Server“One Off” approach

Move SharePoint Data into a Data WarehouseLess FlexibleHighly PerformantCan be integrated into warehousing strategy

Answer – It DependsBut will almost always be the Warehouse approach

SP Data Source for SSIS

http://sqlsrvintegrationsrv.codeplex.com/releases/view/17652

Using the SP Data Source for SSIS

http://dataqueen.unlimitedviz.com/2011/06/how-to-use-a-sharepoint-list-as-a-data-source-in-your-ssis-package/

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Processing Options

CachingReport Data is stored for a period of time Can be automatically refreshed

SnapshottingVersions of reports are stored in the databaseCan be used as primary report source

SubscriptionsReports are delivered according to predefined criteriaUse Shared SchedulesReports delivered to Libraries get indexedData Driven subscriptions run concurrently

Null RendererUsed to refresh cache for parameter driven reports with caching

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Use Parameters Effectively

Drive options with dataUnless controlled elsewhere….(SP Filters)

Pull from shared data sets when possible

Queries vs FiltersFilters for Cascading Parameters, dynamic content, small data setsQueries for Report Data

Use an All Selector

Use SharePoint FiltersWhen connected, Parameter disappears from view

http://dataqueen.unlimitedviz.com/2011/06/how-to-default-to-all-in-an-ssrs-multi-select-parameter/

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Shared Data Sources/Sets/Models

Data SourcesShould be secured separately from report libraryCan use current or proxy accounts

Data SetsChange Field Names in Your Data SourceGood for reusabilityUse for parameter optionsCan’t pass parameters to them

Data ModelsIntroduced with SSRS 2005Becoming deprecatedLook to BISM to replace

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Other Items

Use the Reporting Services Web Part!

Web ServicesCan use to manage Reports or RenderDifferent Endpoint Depending on Versionhttp://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms155398.aspx

Pre-Render Reportshttp://whitepages.unlimitedviz.com/2012/04/how-to-automate-sharepoint-report-creation-with-ssis-and-ssrs/

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In Conclusion

Add RS to SharePoint, DON’T add SharePoint to SQL Server

SSRS Integrated Mode > SharePoint + Reporting Services

Understand your usage and design model

Never mix models in a single location

Report from a data warehouse when possibleEspecially with SharePoint data

Filter your data as close as possible to the source

Understand your loads

Take advantage of report processing where possible

Reuse as much as possible

Take advantage of SharePoint features

Never, ever forget about the end user

Questions

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