Upgrade and Migrate Reporting Services

  • Article

This topic is an overview of the upgrade and migration options for SQL Server 2014Reporting Services. There are two general approaches to upgrading a Reporting Services deployment:

  • Upgrade: You upgrade the Reporting Services components on the servers and instances where they are currently installed. This is commonly called an "in place" upgrade. In-place upgrade is not supported from one mode of Reporting Services server to another. For example, you cannot upgrade a Native Mode report server to a SharePoint mode report server. You can migrate your report items from one mode to another. For more information, see the 'Native to SharePoint Migration' section later in this document and the related topic Sample Reporting Services rs.exe Script to Migrate Content between Report Servers.

  • Migrate: You install and configure a new SharePoint environment, copy your report items and resources to the new environment, and configure the new environment to use existing content. A lower level form of migration is to copy the Reporting Services databases, configuration files, and if you are using SharePoint mode, the SharePoint content databases.
Applies to: Reporting Services Native mode | Reporting Services SharePoint mode

In this topic:

Known Upgrade Issues and Best Practices

For a detailed list of the supported editions and versions you can upgrade, see Supported Version and Edition Upgrades.

Tip

For the latest information regarding issues with SQL Server 2014, see the following:

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Side By Side Installations

SQL Server 2014 Reporting Services (SSRS) Native mode can be installed side-by-side with a SQL Server 2012 Native mode deployment.

There is no support for side-by-side deployments of SQL Server 2014 Reporting Services (SSRS) SharePoint mode and any previous versions of Reporting Services SharePoint mode components.

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In-place upgrade

Upgrade is completed by SQL Server Setup. SQL Server Setup can be used to upgrade any or all SQL Server components, including Reporting Services. Setup detects the existing instances and prompts you to upgrade. SQL Server Setup provides upgrade options that you can specify as a command-line argument or in the Setup wizard.

When you run SQL Server Setup, you can select the option to upgrade from one of the following versions or you can install a new instance of SQL Server 2014 Reporting Services (SSRS) that runs side-by-side existing installations:

  • SQL Server 2012

  • SQL Server 2008 R2

  • SQL Server 2008

  • SQL Server 2005

For more information on SQL Server, see the following:
Upgrade to SQL Server 2014
Upgrade to SQL Server 2014 Using the Installation Wizard (Setup)
Install SQL Server 2014 from the Command Prompt

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Pre-Upgrade Checklist

Before upgrading to SQL Server 2014, review the following:

Before you upgrade a production environment, always run a test upgrade in a pre-production environment that has the same configuration as your production environment.

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Overview of Migration Scenarios

If you are upgrading from a supported version of Reporting Services to SQL Server, you can usually run the SQL Server Setup Wizard to upgrade the report server program files, database, and all application data.

However, migrating a report server installation manually is required if you encounter any of the following conditions:

  • Upgrade Advisor detected one more upgrade blockers. For more information, see Use Upgrade Advisor to Prepare for Upgrades.

  • You want to change the type of report server used in your deployment. For example, you cannot upgrade or convert a native mode report server to SharePoint mode. For more information, see Native to SharePoint Migration (SSRS).

  • You want to minimize the amount of time the report server is taken offline during the upgrade process. Your current installation remains online while you copy content data to a new report server instance and test the installation without changing the state of your existing report server installation.

  • You want to migrate a SharePoint 2010 deployment of Reporting Services to SharePoint 2013. SharePoint 2013 does not support in-place upgrade from SharePoint 2010. For more information, see Migrate a Reporting Services Installation (SharePoint Mode).

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Native Mode Upgrade and Migration Scenarios

Upgrade: In-place upgrade for native mode is the same process for each of the supported versions that are listed earlier in this topic. Run the SQL Server installation wizard or a command line installation. Following installation the report server database will automatically upgrade to the new report server database schema. For more information, see the In-place upgrade section in this topic.

The upgrade process begins when you select an existing report server instance to upgrade.

  1. If the report server database is on a remote computer and you do not have permission to update that database, Setup prompts you to provide credentials to update to a remote report server database. Be sure to provide credentials that have sysadmin or database update permissions.

  2. Setup checks for conditions or settings that prevent upgrade and reads configuration settings. Examples include custom extensions deployed on the report server. If upgrade is blocked, you must either modify your installation so that upgrade is no longer blocked, or migrate to a new SQL Server 2014 instance. For more information, see the Upgrade Advisor documentation.

  3. If upgrade can proceed, Setup prompts you to continue with the upgrade process.

  4. Setup creates new folders for SQL Server 2014 program files. The program folders for a Reporting Services installation include MSRS12.<instance name>.

  5. Setup adds the SQL Server 2014 report server program files, configuration tools, and command line utilities that are part of the report server feature.

    1. Program files from the previous version are removed.

    2. Report server configuration tools and utilities that are upgraded to the new version include the Native Mode Reporting Services Configuration tool, command line utilities such as RS.exe, and Report Builder.

    3. Other client tools such as SQL Server Management Studio and Books Online are not upgraded. To obtain new versions of the tools, you can add them when you run Setup. Earlier versions will co-exist alongside SQL Server 2014 versions. If you installed samples, the earlier version will remain. Setup does not support upgrade for the SQL Server samples.

    4. SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) is a separate download. For more information, see Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Data Tools - Business Intelligence for Microsoft Visual Studio 2012.

  6. Setup reuses the service entry in Service Control Manager for the SQL Server 2014 Report Server service. This service entry includes the Report Server Windows service account.

  7. Setup reserves new URLs based on existing virtual directory settings in IIS. Setup might not remove virtual directories in IIS, so be sure to remove those manually after upgrade is finished.

  8. Setup upgrades the report server databases to the new schema and modifies the RSExecRole by adding Database Owner permissions to the role. This step only occurs when you are upgrading from SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services prior to SP1.

  9. Setup merges settings in the configuration files. Using the configuration files from the current installation as the basis, new entries are added. Obsolete entries are not removed, but they will no longer be read by the report server after upgrade is finished. Upgrade will not delete old log files, the obsolete RSWebApplication.config file, or virtual directory settings in IIS. Upgrade will not remove SQL Server 2005 Report Designer, Management Studio, or other client tools. If you no longer require them, be sure to remove these files and tools after upgrade is finished.

Migration: Migrating a previous version of a native mode installation to SQL Server 2014 is the same steps for all of the supported s versions that are listed earlier in this topic. For more information, see Migrate a Reporting Services Installation (Native Mode)

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Upgrade a Reporting Services Native Mode Scale-out Deployment

The following is a summary of how to upgrade a Reporting Services Native mode deployment that is scaled-out to more than one report server. This process requires downtime of the Reporting Services deployment:

  1. Backup the report server databases and encryption keys. For more information, see Backup and Restore Operations for Reporting Services and Add and Remove Encryption Keys for Scale-Out Deployment (SSRS Configuration Manager).

  2. Use the Reporting Services Configuration Manager and remove all of the report servers from the scaled-out deployment. For more information, see Configure a Native Mode Report Server Scale-Out Deployment (SSRS Configuration Manager).

  3. Upgrade one of the report servers to SQL Server 2014.

  4. Use the Reporting Services Configuration Manager to add the report servers back to the scale-out deployment. For more information, see Configure a Native Mode Report Server Scale-Out Deployment (SSRS Configuration Manager).

    For each server, repeat the upgrade and Scale-out steps.

SharePoint Mode Upgrade and Migration Scenarios

The following sections describe the issues and basic steps needed to upgrade or migrate from specified versions of Reporting Services SharePoint mode to SQL Server 2014 Reporting Services SharePoint mode.

There are two installation components to upgrade a Reporting Services SharePoint Mode deployment.

For detailed steps on Migrating a SharePoint mode installation, see Migrate a Reporting Services Installation (SharePoint Mode).

Important

Some of the following scenarios require down time of the SharePoint environment due to the different technologies that need to be upgraded. If your situation does not allow for down time, you will need to complete a migration instead of an in-place upgrade.

SQL Server 2012 to SQL Server 2014

Starting environment: SQL Server 2012 or SQL Server 2012 SP1., SharePoint 2010.

Ending environment: SQL Server 2014, SharePoint 2010 or SharePoint 2013.

  • SharePoint 2010: In-place upgrade of Reporting Services is supported but the upgrade scenario does require down time of the SharePoint environment.

    If you also want the ending environment to run SharePoint 2013, you need to complete a database-attach upgrade of the SharePoint 2010 to SharePoint 2013.

  • SharePoint 2013: SharePoint 2013 does not support in-place upgrade from SharePoint 2010. However the procedure of database-attach upgrade is supported. The behavior is different from upgrading to SharePoint 2010, where a customer could choose between the two basic upgrade approaches, in-place upgrade and database-attach upgrade.

    If you have a Reporting Services installation integrated with SharePoint 2010, you cannot upgrade in-place the SharePoint server. However you can migrate content databases and service application databases from the SharePoint 2010 farm to a SharePoint 2013 farm.

SQL Server 2008 R2 to SQL Server 2014

Starting environment: SQL Server 2008 R2, SharePoint 2010.

Ending environment: SQL Server 2014, SharePoint 2010.

  • In-place upgrade is supported and there is no down time for your SharePoint environment.

  • Install the SQL Server 2014 version of the Reporting Services add-in for SharePoint on each web front-end in the farm. You can install the add-in by using the SQL Server 2014 installation wizard or by downloading the add-in.

  • Run SQL Server 2014 installation to upgrade SharePoint mode for each 'report server'.The SQL Server installation wizard will install the Reporting Services Service and create a new Service application.

    If you also want the ending environment to run SharePoint 2013, you need to complete a database-attach upgrade of the SharePoint 2010 to SharePoint 2013.

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SQL Server 2008 SP2 to SQL Server 2014

Starting environment: SQL Server 2008 SP2, SharePoint 2007.

Ending environment: SQL Server 2014, SharePoint 2010.

  • This in-place upgrade scenario does require down time of the SharePoint environment because both the SharePoint and SQL Server technologies need to be upgraded. You may want to consider completing a migration rather than an in-place upgrade.

  • Upgrade SQL Server 2008 to Service Pack 2 (SP2) first, if that has not already been completed.

  • Upgrade SharePoint to 2010. When you run the SharePoint 2010 prerequisite installer it will upgrade the Reporting Services add-in for SharePoint 2010 products.

  • Install the SQL Server 2014 version of the Reporting Services add-in for SharePoint on all SharePoint web front-ends. The SharePoint pre-requisite installer installed the SQL Server 2008 R2 version of the add-in but you need the SQL Server 2014 version to work with a SQL Server 2014 report server.

  • Warning

    Following the SharePoint upgrade your reporting services environment will be in a non-working state until SQL Server is upgraded.

  • Upgrade Reporting Services to SQL Server 2014. When you run the SQL server installation wizard, you will a dialog regarding "SQL Server Reporting Services SharePoint Mode Authentication" dialog. The Reporting Services service will be installed and the credentials from the authentication page will be used for creating a new SharePoint application pool.

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SQL Server 2005 SP2 to SQL Server 2014

Starting environment: SQL Server 2005 SP2, SharePoint 2007.

Ending environment: SQL Server 2014, SharePoint 2010.

  • This in-place upgrade scenario does require down time of the SharePoint environment because both the SharePoint and SQL Server technologies need to be upgraded. You may want to consider completing a migration rather than an in-place upgrade.

  • Upgrade SQL server 2005 to Service Pack 2 (SP2) first, if that has not already been completed.

  • Upgrade SharePoint to SharePoint 2010. When you run the SharePoint 2010 prerequisite installer it will upgrade the Reporting Services add-in for SharePoint 2010 products.

  • Warning

    Following the SharePoint upgrade your reporting services environment will be in a non-working state until SQL Server is upgraded.

  • Install the SQL Server 2014 version of the Reporting Services add-in for SharePoint on all SharePoint web front-ends. The SharePoint pre-requisite installer installed the SQL Server 2008 R2 version of the add-in but you need the SQL Server 2014 version to work with a SQL Server 2014 report server.

  • Upgrade Reporting Services to SQL Server 2014. When you run the SQL server installation wizard, you will a dialog regarding "SQL Server Reporting Services SharePoint Mode Authentication" dialog. The Reporting Services service will be installed and the credentials from the authentication page will be used for creating a new SharePoint application pool.

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Considerations for a Migration

When moving application data, you should be aware of the following concerns and restrictions:

  • Protection of encryption key includes a hash that incorporates machine identity.

  • Report server database names are fixed and cannot be renamed on new computer.

Encryption Key Considerations

Always back up the encryption keys before moving a report server database to a new computer.

Moving a report server installation to another computer will invalidate the hash that protects the encryption keys used to help secure sensitive data stored in the report server database. Each report server instance that uses the database has its copy of the encryption key, which is encrypted with the identity of the service account as it is defined on the current computer. If you change computers, the service will no longer have access to its key, even if you use the same account name on the new computer.

To re-establish reversible encryption on the new report server computer, you must restore the key that you previously backed up. The complete key set that is stored in the report server database consists of a symmetric key value, plus service identity information used to restrict access to the key so that it can be used only by the report server instance that stored it. During key restoration, the report server replaces existing copies of the key with new versions. The new version includes machine and service identity values as defined on the current computer. For more information, see the following topics:

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Fixed Database Name

You cannot rename the report server database. The identity of the database is recorded in report server stored procedures when the database is created. Renaming either the report server primary or temporary databases will cause errors to occur when the procedures run, invalidating your report server installation.

If the database name from the existing installation is not suited for the new installation, you should consider creating a new database that has the name that you prefer, and then load existing application data using the techniques in the following list:

  • Write a Visual Basic script that calls Report Server Web service SOAP methods to copy data between databases. You can use the RS.exe utility to run the script. For more information about this approach, see Scripting and PowerShell with Reporting Services.

  • Write code that calls the WMI provider to copy data between databases. For more information about this approach, see Access the Reporting Services WMI Provider.

  • If you have just a few items, you can republish reports, report models, and shared data sources from Report Designer, Model Designer, and Report Builder to the new report server. You must re-create role assignments, subscriptions, shared schedules, report snapshot schedules, custom properties that you set on reports or other items, model item security, and properties that you set on the report server. You will lose report history and report execution log data.

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Additional Resources

Note

For more information on SharePoint database-attach upgrade, see the following:

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See Also

Upgrade Reports Upgrade to SQL Server 2014 Using the Installation Wizard (Setup)