How to containerize SSRS reports (reporting services)?

Question

In On Prem environment, the reporting services provides an option to host SSRS reports in Web URL. So that, we could see the SSRS reports in web page. If I would like to containerize the reporting services, is there any possible approach available? Otherwise, how to host this reporting services in Azure? Basically, I should be able to see the SSRS reports over web page from the cloud environment.

Answer 1

The answer of @vipullag-MSFT is wrong. There is no container image officially supported by Microsoft that contains SQL Server Reporting Services. There is a Linux image for SQL Server but not for SSRS. SSRS is currently not supported for Linux. We can read it here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/linux/sql-server-linux-editions-and-components-2022?view=sql-server-ver16#unsupported-features-and-services

But there are community projects that successfully run SQL Server and SSRS on windows containers. I was able to successfully run the latter image.

https://github.com/phola/SSRS-Docker https://github.com/SaViGnAnO/SSRS-Docker

However, it's currently unclear if this is a supported scenario, I guess not. There is no clear statement from Microsoft.

My assumption is that SSRS relies on proprietary technology which is not supported to run in container instances.

Answer 2

Hello @Thasaiyan, Jeganathan

Your question is 2-fold. Whether you need to have reporting capabilities in Azure, or do you really need to keep existing SSRS. For both these options, there are different approaches.

1. Azure SQL Managed Instance:
   • Newly Introduced Support: You can now host SSRS databases in Azure SQL Managed Instance. This approach provides a modernized environment while maintaining compatibility with your existing SSRS solutions. It allows you to migrate your SSRS databases to the cloud, benefiting from Azure's managed services and scalability.
   • Advantages:
     • Flexibility: You can choose the level of change you want to introduce.
     • Skills Transfer: Azure SQL is built upon the same SQL Server database engine, so your skills and experience transfer easily to the cloud.
     • Control: You can decide whether to lift and shift or leverage equivalent cloud-native offerings.
   • Considerations:
     • Ensure that your SSRS solutions do not rely heavily on features beyond the core database engine (e.g., Integration Services, Analysis Services).
     • Migrate your SSRS paginated reports to the Power BI Premium service or deploy an SSRS virtual machine in Azure.
2. SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machine:
   • This option involves creating a virtual machine (VM) in Azure and installing SQL Server with SSRS on it. You can then configure SSRS to serve reports over the web. Although this maybe the easiest approach, it is also the least cost-effective, and if you consider the Shared service platform model, you are getting most responsibility as this is still IaaS
   • Steps:
     • Create an Azure VM with SQL Server installed.
     • Use Reporting Services Configuration Manager within the VM to configure SSRS in native mode.
     • Access the SSRS URL hosted on the Azure VM over the internet. You may WAF and Azure front-door in front for network security.
3. Power BI:
   • While not SSRS, consider exploring Power BI for creating and sharing reports. Power BI offers a cloud-native solution with rich visualization capabilities.
   • Advantages:
     • Modern Interface: Power BI provides an intuitive interface for report creation.
     • Integration with Azure: It seamlessly integrates with Azure services.
     • Scalability: Power BI Premium allows sharing reports across your organization.
   • Considerations:
     • Evaluate whether Power BI meets your reporting needs. Also consider the licensing.
4. Azure SQL Database (Not Recommended for SSRS):
   • Unfortunately, SSRS is not supported on Azure SQL Database. If you specifically need SSRS, option1 and option 2 above, will help you achieve your goals.

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