Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services

Introduction

This threeday instructorled course teaches students how to implement a Reporting Services solution in an organization. The course discusses how to use the Reporting Services development tools to create reports and how to use the Reporting Services management and administrative tools to manage a Reporting Services solution.

Audience

This course is intended for information technology IT professionals and developers who need to implement reporting solutions by using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services.

Prerequisites

Before attending this course students must have

Exposure to creating reports in Microsoft Access or other thirdparty reporting products such as Crystal Reports.

Conceptual understanding of the push and pull distributionsubscription paradigm.

Experience navigating the Microsoft Windows Server environment.

Experience with Windows services starting and stopping

Experience creating service accounts and permissions

Experience with Microsoft SQL Server including

SQL Server Agent.

SQL Server query language SELECT UPDATE INSERT and DELETE.

SQL Server System tables.

SQL Server accounts users and permissions.

Course Outline

Module 1 Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

The students will be introduced to the role that Reporting Services plays in an organizations reporting life cycle the key features offered by Reporting Services and the components that make up the Reporting Services architecture.

Lessons

Lesson 1 Overview of SQL Server Reporting Services

Lesson 2 Installing Reporting Services

Lesson 3 Reporting Services Tools

Lab Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

Exercise 1 Level 200 Exploring Report Designer

Exercise 2 Level 200 Exploring Report Manager

After completing this module students will be able to

Describe the features of SQL Server Reporting Services.

Install Reporting Services.

Describe the Reporting Services tools.

Module 2 Authoring Basic Reports

The students will learn the fundamentals of report authoring including configuring data sources and data sets creating tabular reports summarizing data and applying basic formatting.

Lessons

Lesson 1 Creating a Basic Table Report

Lesson 2 Formatting Report Pages

Lesson 3 Calculating Values

Lab Authoring Basic Reports

Exercise 1 Level 200 Creating a Basic Table Report

Exercise 2 Level 200 Formatting Report Pages

Exercise 3 Level 200 Adding Calculated Values

After completing this module students will be able to

Create a basic table report.

Format report pages.

Calculate values for a report.

Module 3 Enhancing Basic Reports

The students will learn about navigational controls and some additional types of data regions and how to use them to enhance a basic report.

Lessons

Lesson 1 Interactive Navigation

Lesson 2 Displaying Data

Lab Enhancing Basic Reports

Exercise 1 Level 200 Using Dynamic Visibility

Exercise 2 Level 200 Using Document Maps

Exercise 3 Level 200 Initiating Actions

Exercise 4 Level 200 Using a List Data Region

Exercise 5 Level 200 Creating a Tablix Report

Exercise 6 Level 200 Adding Chart Subreport to Parent Report

After completing this module students will be able to

Create reports with interactive navigation.

Display data in various formats.

Module 4 Manipulating Data Sets

The students will explore data sets to a greater depth including the use of alternative data sources and interacting with a data set through the use of parameters. Students will learn how to dynamically modify the data set underlying a data region by allowing parameters to be sent to the underlying query as well as will learn to use best practices to implement static and dynamic parameter lists when interacting with queries and stored procedures.

Lessons

Lesson 1 Defining Report Data

Lesson 2 Using Parameters and Filters

Lesson 3 Using Parameter Lists

Lab Manipulating Data Sets

Exercise 1 Level 200 Using Parameters to Restrict Query Results

Exercise 2 Level 200 Using Parameters to Filter Report Data

Exercise 3 Level 200 Creating Dynamic Parameter Lists

Exercise 4 Level 200 Using Parameters with a Stored Procedure

Exercise 5 Level 200 Displaying All Categories in a Parameter List

After completing this module students will be able to

Define report data.

Use parameters and filters.

Use parameter lists.

Module 5 Using Report Models

The students will learn how to create a report model so that business users can create their own reports without using the full Report Designer development environment. Students will also learn how to use Report Builder to create a report from a report model.

Lessons

Lesson 1 Creating Report Models

Lesson 2 Using Report Builder

Lab Using Report Models

Exercise 1 Level 200 Creating a Report Model

Exercise 2 Level 200 Using Report Builder to Create a Report

After completing this module students will be able to

Create Report Models.

Use Report Builder.

Module 6 Publishing and Executing Reports

The students will learn the various options you can use to publish reports to the report server and execute them.

Lessons

Lesson 1 Publishing Reports

Lesson 2 Executing Reports

Lesson 3 Creating Cached Instances

Lesson 4 Creating Snapshots and Report History

Lab Publishing and Executing Reports

Exercise 1 Level 200 Publishing Reports

Exercise 2 Level 200 Executing Reports

Exercise 3 Level 200 Configuring and Viewing a Cached Report

Exercise 4 Level 200 Configuring and Viewing a Snapshot Report

After completing this module students will be able to

Publish reports.

Execute reports.

Create cached instances.

Create snapshots and report history.

Module 7 Using Subscriptions to Distribute Reports

The students will learn how to implement subscriptions so that you can distribute reports either automatically by email or by publishing reports to a shared folder.

Lessons

Lesson 1 Introduction to Report Subscriptions

Lesson 2 Creating Report Subscriptions

Lesson 3 Managing Report Subscriptions

Lab Using Subscriptions to Distribute Reports

Exercise 1 Level 200 Creating a Standard Subscription

Exercise 2 Level 200 Creating a DataDriven Subscription

After completing this module students will be able to

Describe report subscriptions.

Create report subscriptions.

Manage report subscriptions.

Module 8 Administering Reporting Services

The students will learn how to administer the Reporting Services server how to monitor and optimize the performance of the report server how to maintain the Reporting Services databases and how to keep the system secure.

Lessons

Lesson 1 Reporting Server Administration

Lesson 2 Performance and Reliability Monitoring

Lesson 3 Administering Report Server Databases

Lesson 4 Security Administration

Lesson 5 Upgrading to Reporting Services 2008

Lab Administering Reporting Services

Exercise 1 Level 200 Using Reporting Services Configuration Manager

Exercise 2 Level 200 Securing a Reporting Services Site

Exercise 3 Level 200 Securing Items

After completing this module students will be able to

Administer the reporting server.

Monitor performance and reliability.

Administer the Report Server databases.

Administer security.

Upgrade to Reporting Services 2008.

Module 9 Programming Reporting Services

The students will learn how to query Reporting Services information programmatically and how to automate report management tasks. Students will also learn how to render reports without relying on Report Manager and how to extend the feature set of a report server by creating custom code.