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New Data Source Page (Report Manager)

  • Article

Use the New Data Source page to create a shared data source item. A shared data source defines a connection to an external data source. With a shared data source, you can create and maintain the settings for the data source connection separately from the reports that use the data source.

To open this page, click New Data Source from a Contents page.

Options

  • Name
    Type a name for the shared data source, which is used to identify the item within the report server namespace.
  • Description
    Provide information about the shared data source. This description appears on the Contents page.
  • Hide in list view
    Select this option to hide the shared data source from users who are using list view mode in Report Manager. List view mode is the default view format when browsing the report server folder hierarchy. In list view, item names and descriptions flow across the page. The alternate format is details view. Details view omits descriptions, but includes other information about the item. Although you can hide an item in list view, you cannot hide an item in details view. If you want to restrict access to an item, you must create a role assignment
  • Enable this data source
    Select to enable or disable the shared data source. You can disable the shared data source to prevent report processing for all reports that reference the item.

  • Connection Type
    Specify the data processing extension that is used to process data from the data source. Report server includes data processing extensions for SQL Server, Analysis Services, Oracle, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), SAP, XML, ODBC, and OLE DB. Additional data processing extensions may be available from third-party vendors.

    Note that if you are using SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services, you can only use SQL Server and Analysis Services data sources.

  • Connection String
    Specify the connection string that the report server uses to connect to the data source. The following example illustrates a connection string used to connect to the SQL Server AdventureWorks database:

    data source=<a SQL Server instance>;initial catalog=AdventureWorks

  • Connect using
    Specify options that determine how credentials are obtained.

    Important

    If credentials are provided in the connection string, the options and values provided in this section are ignored. Note that if you specify credentials on the connection string, the values are displayed in clear text to all users who view this page.

  • The credentials supplied by the user running the report (Connect using)
    Each user is prompted to type in a user name and password to access the data source. You can define the prompt text that requests user credentials. The default text string is "Enter a user name and password to access the data source."
  • Credentials stored securely in the report server (Connect using)
    Store an encrypted user name and password in the report server database. Choose this option to run a report unattended (for example, reports that are initiated by schedules or events instead of user action).
  • Use as Windows credentials when connecting to the data source (Connect using)
    Select if the credentials are Windows Authentication credentials. Do not select this check box if you are using database authentication (for example, a SQL Server logon).
  • Impersonate the authenticated user after a connection has been made to the data source (Connect using)
    Allows delegation of credentials, but only if a data source supports impersonation. For SQL Server databases, this option sets the SETUSER function.

  • Windows integrated security (Connect using)
    Use the Windows credentials of the current user to access the data source. Choose this option when the credentials that are used to access a data source are the same as those used to log on to the network domain.

    This option works best when Kerberos is enabled for your domain, or when the data source is on the same computer as the report server. If Kerberos authentication is not enabled, Windows credentials can be passed to one other computer. If additional computer connections are required, you will get an error instead of the data you expect.

    Do not use this option to run unattended reports or reports that are available for subscription. The report server initiates the running of unattended reports. The account that the report server runs under cannot be used to access external data sources.

  • Credentials are not required (Connect using)
    Specify that credentials are not required to access the data source. Note that if a data source requires a user logon, choosing this option will have no effect. You should only choose this option if the data source connection does not require user credentials.

    When you configure a data source to use no credentials, you must perform additional steps if the report that uses the data source is to support subscriptions, scheduled report history, or scheduled report execution. Specifically, you must create a low privileged account that the report server uses when running the report. This account is used in place of the service account that the report server normally runs under. For more information about this account, see Configuring an Account for Unattended Report Processing.

  • Apply
    Click Apply to save your changes.

See Also

Reference

Contents Page (Report Manager)
Report Manager F1 Help

Other Resources

How to: Start Report Manager (Report Manager)
Report Manager
Creating, Modifying, and Deleting Shared Data Sources
Specifying Credential and Connection Information

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance