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2.1.3 Reporting Services

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) [MSDN-SSRS] is a server-based reporting platform that provides comprehensive reporting functionality for a variety of data sources. It includes a complete set of tools for creating, managing, and delivering reports and APIs that enable developers to integrate or extend data and report processing in custom applications. Reporting Services tools work within the Visual Studio environment and are fully integrated with Microsoft SQL Server tools and components.

The report server is available by default with a native portal, called the Report Portal, or it can be integrated with an external portal. See the following figures for a view of each architecture.

In Native mode, the report designers, report portals, and any management tools communicate with the report server by using the protocols and formats that are specified in [MS-RDL], [MS-RSREST], [MS-RSWSRM2010], and [MS-RSWSRMNM2005]. The Report Viewer tools use the protocols specified in [MS-RSREST], [MS-RSWSRE2005], and [MS-RGDI] or [MS-RPL] to communicate with the report server.

Reporting Services architecture with native management tools

Figure 4: Reporting Services architecture with native management tools

When integrated with an external portal, report designers and any report server management tools communicate with the report server portal via protocols and formats specified in [MS-RDL], [MS-RSWSRM2010], [MS-RSWSRMSM2006], and [MS-RSWSSFA]. The Report Viewer Web Part communicates with the report server by using the protocols and formats that are specified in [MS-RSWSRE2005] and [MS-RGDI] or [MS-RPL]. The portal redirects all requests to the report server.

Reporting Services architecture when integrated with an external portal

Figure 5: Reporting Services architecture when integrated with an external portal

The report server uses the Tabular Data Stream (TDS) protocol [MS-TDS] to communicate with the Database Engine.

The Report Definition Language [MS-RDL] is used as a payload when setting the definition of a report for execution in the ReportExecution2005 web service [MS-RSWSRE2005]. It is also used as a payload when setting or retrieving the definition of a report for the ReportService2010 web service [MS-RSWSRM2010], the ReportService2005 web service [MS-RSWSRMNM2005], or the ReportService2006 web service [MS-RSWSRMSM2006].

Remote GDI+ [MS-RGDI] and Report Page Layout [MS-RPL] are binary stream formats that are used during the communication between the Report Viewer and the report server.