Considerations for Installing Reporting Services
SQL Server provides a single Setup program that installs all components, including Reporting Services. Using Setup, you can install Reporting Services with or without other SQL Server components on a single computer. You can also select specific features in Reporting Services if you want to install Reporting Services client and server applications separately.
This topic contains information and recommendations for:
Selecting client and server applications to include in a Reporting Services installation.
Selecting additional services and features to support report server operations.
Selecting a service account for the Report Server service.
Selecting an installation mode to have Setup minimally or completely configure the instance you are installing.
Installing multiple instances and versions of Reporting Services on the same computer.
Preparing to Install Reporting Services
Before you install Reporting Services, review the following requirements and component descriptions:
After you are familiar with the installation requirements, you can run Setup from the command line or the Installation Wizard:
Selecting Client and Server Applications
In addition to the shared tools provided by SQL Server, Reporting Services includes a complete set of tools and applications for business reporting. The following list explains which tools and applications are installed when you select specific features in the Installation Wizard or command line arguments:
Feature Selection |
Description |
|---|---|
Reporting Services -- or -- /FEATURES=RS |
Installs the following applications: Report Server service (which includes the Report Server Web service, background processing application, and Report Manager), Report Builder, Report Designer, Model Designer, Reporting Services Configuration tool, and the Reporting Services command line utilities (rsconfig.exe, rskeymgmt.exe and rs.exe). |
Client Tools -- or -- /FEATURES=Tools |
Installs SQL Server Management Studio used to configure the report server, manage jobs, manage shared schedules, and configure role definitions. |
Business Intelligence Development Studio -- or -- /FEATURES=BIDS |
Installs the Visual Studio design environment that provides Report Designer and Model Designer. |
Selecting Additional Services and Features
A Reporting Services deployment can benefit from the addition of other SQL Server component technologies and services:
Select Database Engine Services in the Feature Selection page to host the report server databases. Reporting Services requires a local or remote instance of SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2008 Database Engine to host the report server databases. If you install an instance of the Database Engine concurrently with Reporting Services, you can eliminate a post-Setup task by installing the default configuration, which creates and configures the report server databases automatically. In addition to hosting the report server databases, SQL Server relational databases can also be a source of data for reports and models.
SQL Server Agent is required if you want to use the Reporting Services background processing application for subscriptions and scheduled reporting. SQL Server Agent should be running in the instance of the Database Engine that hosts the report server database. You can specify SQL Server Agent in the Server Configuration page when you install Database Engine.
SQL Server Browser is required if you are installing an instance of the Database Engine that will be used to host a report server database for a report server instance that is on a different computer. You can specify SQL Server Browser in the Server Configuration page when you install Database Engine.
Select Analysis Services in the Feature Selection page if you want to use SQL Server Analysis Services as a data source for reports and models.
Select SQL Server Books Online in the Feature Selection page if you want to install the product documentation for Reporting Services.
Select Integration Services in the Feature Selection page if you want to use the sample SSIS package, script, and reports to query report execution log data. You must have an installation of Integration Services to run the package.
Selecting a Service Account
Setup provides a Server Configuration page in the Installation Wizard so that you can configure the services that are part of the current installation. The installation does not select a default service account, so you must explicitly specify the service account that you want to use. It is recommended that you use a least-privilege domain user account with network connection permissions. If possible, specify an account that is used exclusively by the report server so that you can audit login activity for this account.
Later, if you want to modify the Report Server service account or update the password, use the Reporting Services Configuration tool to make your changes. For more information about account recommendations or updating service account settings, see Setting Up Windows Service Accounts and Configuring the Report Server Service Account.
Selecting an Installation Option
Setup requires that you select an installation option for Reporting Services:
Install the native mode default configuration instructs Setup to install Reporting Services preconfigured to use default values. The default installation option is available only if you are installing a local Database Engine instance and a Reporting Services instance at the same time or else you cannot select this installation option. This option creates a fully deployed report server in native mode that is ready to use when setup is finished, saving you time and steps. For more information, see Default Configuration for a Native Mode Installation (Reporting Services).
Install the SharePoint mode default configuration instructs Setup to install Reporting Services preconfigured to use a report server database that works with SharePoint data storage. This default installation option is available only if you are installing a local Database Engine instance and a Reporting Services instance at the same time. You should only select this option if you plan to configure report server integration with a SharePoint deployment. The report server will not be fully functional until you do so. For more information, see Default Configuration for SharePoint Integrated Mode (Reporting Services).
Install but do not configure the server instructs Setup to copy the program files to disk, configure the Report Server service, and register the report server Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider. This installation option is referred to as a "Files-only" installation and it is the default installation option. Further configuration using the Reporting Services Configuration tool is necessary before the report server can be used. Select this option if you want to configure the report server separately as a post-Setup task, use custom settings, use an existing or a remote Database Engine instance to host the report server database, or install Reporting Services as a named instance. For more information, see Files-Only Installation (Reporting Services).
Setup does not install components on remote computers. Furthermore, deployment scenarios such as scale-out deployment, SharePoint integrated mode, or configuring a report server database on a failover cluster are beyond the scope of the Setup program. For more information about how these deployment scenarios are supported and configured, see Planning and Architecture (Reporting Services) in SQL Server Books Online.
Comparing Installation Options
The following table compares the settings used in a default configuration with those used in a files-only installation.
Operation |
Default Configuration |
Files-Only Installation |
|---|---|---|
Configures instance name. |
Requires that you install Database Engine and Reporting Services at the same time as the same instance. Uses the SQL Server instance name that you specify for the Database Engine instance that hosts the report server databases. |
Uses the SQL Server instance name. A files-only installation can be either the default instance or a named instance. |
Creates program folders and copies files. |
Yes |
Yes |
Registers the Report Server WMI provider. |
Yes |
Yes |
Configures the service account and startup type. |
Yes. This value must be specified during Setup. |
Yes. This value must be specified during Setup. |
Starts the Report Server service. |
Yes |
Yes |
Grants folder permissions to the Report Server service account. |
Yes |
Yes |
Creates the reportserver and reportservertempdb databases. Creates the rsexecrole that specifies database permissions. |
Yes. If the default configuration is for SharePoint integrated mode, the report server system property IsSharePointEnabled is set to True. |
No |
Configures a database connection. |
Yes. The Report Server service account is granted rights to the database through the rsexecrole. |
No |
Reserves URLs for report server and Report Manager (native mode only). |
Yes |
No |
Initializes the report server. |
Yes |
No |
Configures e-mail delivery. |
No |
No |
Configures unattended execution account. |
No |
No |
Backs up encryption keys. |
No |
No |
Configuring Reporting Services
After you install Reporting Services, you can modify the installation to reconfigure the server or select custom settings for your installation. If you performed a files-only installation, you must use the Reporting Services Configuration tool to configure a report server so that it is ready to use.
To run the Reporting Services Configuration tool, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2008, point to Configuration Tools, and then click Reporting Services Configuration. For more information, see Reporting Services Configuration Tool and Reporting Services Configuration How-to Topics.
Verifying Your Reporting Services Installation
Following installation and configuration, verify that Reporting Services components are running. For more information, see How to: Verify a Reporting Services Installation.
Installing Multiple Instances and Versions of Reporting Services
The report server component is instance-aware. You can install multiple instances of the same version, or different versions of Reporting Services if you want to run the SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2005, or SQL Server 2000 versions of Reporting Services side-by-side on the same computer.
SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services can continue to run as a default instance, side-by-side with named instances of SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services. If you run SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services alongside other versions, it must be a default instance because SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services does not support named instances. Therefore, when doing a side-by-side installation on a computer that is running SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services, SQL Server Setup allows only the installation of named instances of SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services.
Setup installs one instance at a time. A single instance of SQL Server can contain multiple components, including Reporting Services. You can install multiple instances of Reporting Services on the same computer by running Setup multiple times.
If you install multiple instances of Reporting Services that run as the default instance and as named instances, each instance will be identified through the instance name. SQL Server 2008 also includes version information. For example, if you installed a default and named instance of SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2008, you would see program files and services for all four instances:
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services (MSSQLSERVER)
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services (MyInstanceName)
SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services (MSRS10.MSSQLSERVER)
SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services (MSRS10.MyInstanceName)
By default, if you install Reporting Services as a named instance, the instance name will be used to define the virtual directory for the report server and Report Manager, and it will be included in the URL for a report server and for Report Manager so that each application is uniquely named relative to other instances of the application that run on the same computer. For more information, see Configuring Report Server URLs.
Shared Features
You cannot install multiple instances of the shared features, but you can run them side-by-side earlier versions (for example, running SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2008 Business Intelligence Development Studio on the same computer).
You cannot use the report authoring, server configuration, or management tools of one version with another version. For example, you cannot use the Reporting Services Configuration tool from SQL Server 2008 to configure an earlier version of a report server. Be sure to install all the tools and applications you need for each version you install.