In this post we will have a look in to SQL Server Reporting Services. In this post we will se its need, capabilities, features and requirements. Before starting on it we will try to analyze the need for it.
Why Reporting?
Data represented in a usable form provides us information which we need to drive the business in an intelligent way. Enterprises have been collecting data for decades now. It has been a challenge to collect quality data along with quantity. We seems to have overcome this challenge with experience. The challenge which we face now is using this data productively to gain benefit. Data mining is the need of the hour. Here comes the reporting. Workers at all level in organization need information with and for different perspective. Workers at higher level needs reports to get the information to take knowledgeable decisions to benefit the organization and individual. Workers at lower level need information to be productive and perform their task in a more effective manner to be benefited more and at the same time lower risk associated.
SQL Server Reporting Services
SQL Server Reporting Services is a server-side reporting solution that meets all of these requirements and more. It can obtain its data from a variety of data sources that you can access using modern programming tools. That data may be grouped, sorted, aggregated, and presented in dynamic and meaningful ways. The structure of the data and the presentation elements may be transmitted across practically any communication medium, using an industry standard format, to just about any type of client or server computer or device. The resulting content may then be displayed in many standard formats using browsers and document readers. Further, the data itself may be consumed by standard and custom applications to be further parsed, imported, manipulated, and consumed.
Since Reporting Services is based on .NET, it offers the advantage of integrating tightly with the Windows platform and benefits from the performance, scalability, and security inherent to the .NET Framework. When used in concert with BackOffice products like Share Point Portal, it can provide a comprehensive enterprise solution with little programming effort. Reporting Services can be used with ASP.NET and other .NET programming tools to produce highly customized, special-purpose solutions.
Functionality is exposed through an XML web service that may be accessed across a
LAN or across the web. Reports may be rendered in program code or they may be accessed through a simple web address – like any other web page. Reports may be rendered in several formats. These include different flavors of HTML to provide compatibility with different browsers and devices, the Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) for uniform presentation and printing, as a graphic file, and in Microsoft Excel so users can slice, dice, pivot, and re-analyze the data. Content may also be rendered in XML and CSV formats to import and exchange data with a variety of applications.
Requirements
The good part with SSRS is that it ships with SQL Server as a complimentary service not like other reporting tools for which we need to pay. This makes the power of reporting available to small enterprises also.
For SQL Server 2005 below are the editions mentioned with which you will find SSRS:
Why Reporting?
Data represented in a usable form provides us information which we need to drive the business in an intelligent way. Enterprises have been collecting data for decades now. It has been a challenge to collect quality data along with quantity. We seems to have overcome this challenge with experience. The challenge which we face now is using this data productively to gain benefit. Data mining is the need of the hour. Here comes the reporting. Workers at all level in organization need information with and for different perspective. Workers at higher level needs reports to get the information to take knowledgeable decisions to benefit the organization and individual. Workers at lower level need information to be productive and perform their task in a more effective manner to be benefited more and at the same time lower risk associated.
SQL Server Reporting Services
SQL Server Reporting Services is a server-side reporting solution that meets all of these requirements and more. It can obtain its data from a variety of data sources that you can access using modern programming tools. That data may be grouped, sorted, aggregated, and presented in dynamic and meaningful ways. The structure of the data and the presentation elements may be transmitted across practically any communication medium, using an industry standard format, to just about any type of client or server computer or device. The resulting content may then be displayed in many standard formats using browsers and document readers. Further, the data itself may be consumed by standard and custom applications to be further parsed, imported, manipulated, and consumed.
Since Reporting Services is based on .NET, it offers the advantage of integrating tightly with the Windows platform and benefits from the performance, scalability, and security inherent to the .NET Framework. When used in concert with BackOffice products like Share Point Portal, it can provide a comprehensive enterprise solution with little programming effort. Reporting Services can be used with ASP.NET and other .NET programming tools to produce highly customized, special-purpose solutions.
Functionality is exposed through an XML web service that may be accessed across a
LAN or across the web. Reports may be rendered in program code or they may be accessed through a simple web address – like any other web page. Reports may be rendered in several formats. These include different flavors of HTML to provide compatibility with different browsers and devices, the Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) for uniform presentation and printing, as a graphic file, and in Microsoft Excel so users can slice, dice, pivot, and re-analyze the data. Content may also be rendered in XML and CSV formats to import and exchange data with a variety of applications.
Requirements
The good part with SSRS is that it ships with SQL Server as a complimentary service not like other reporting tools for which we need to pay. This makes the power of reporting available to small enterprises also.
For SQL Server 2005 below are the editions mentioned with which you will find SSRS:
- SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
- SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition
- SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition
- SQL Server 2005 Evaluation Edition
- SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services Service Pack 2 (SP2)
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