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Configuring a Report Server for Remote Administration

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New: 14 April 2006

In SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services, you can configure report server instances locally or remotely.

To configure a remote report server instance, you can use the Reporting Services Configuration tool or write custom code that uses the Reporting Services Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider. The Reporting Services Configuration tool provides a graphical interface to the WMI provider so that you can configure a report server without having to write code. When you start the tool, you can specify a remote server to connect to.

Before you can administer a remote computer, you must configure it to allow remote WMI requests through the Microsoft Windows firewall. You can use the instructions in this topic to enable remote administration.

Requirements for Remote Server Administration

Before you can manage a computer remotely, you must modify the firewall settings on the computer. To modify firewall settings, you must be logged on locally and you must be a member of the local Administrators group. You cannot modify the Windows firewall settings of a remote computer over a remote connection.

The instance of SQL Server that hosts the report server database must be configured to allow remote connections. A remote connection is necessary for configuring the report server database connection and managing the encryption keys. You can use the SQL Server Surface Area Configuration tool to enable remote connections.

If you want to enable remote administration for a non-administrator user, you must grant the account Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) Remote Activation permissions. Instructions for configuring the server for non-administrator access are provided in this topic.

Some organizations have group policies that prevent remote server administration for certain operating systems or users. Before you begin modifying firewall settings, check with your network administrator to verify whether there are restrictions on remote administration.

Configuring the Target Report Server for Remote Administration

If the remote report server is behind Windows Firewall or Internet Connection Firewall, you must configure the firewall to allow connections from a remote computer. Modifying firewall settings can help you avoid or resolve the following error: "The RPC server is unavailable. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x800706BA)".

How to Enable Remote Administration in Windows Firewall

The steps in this section are from the topic Connecting Through Windows Firewall in the Platform SDK documentation. That topic provides information about configuring connections for asynchronous or semisynchronous calls. The Report Server WMI client does not make asynchronous or semisynchronous calls, so you can omit those configuration steps for report server remote administration.

Use the following instructions to enable remote administration and modify Windows Firewall settings.

  1. Log on as a local administrator to the computer for which you want to enable remote administration.

  2. Open a command line window, and then run the following command:

    netsh.exe firewall set service type=REMOTEADMIN mode=ENABLE scope=ALL

    You can specify different options for Scope. For more information, see the Windows Firewall product documentation.

  3. Verify that remote administration is enabled. You can run the following command to show the status:

    netsh.exe firewall show state

  4. Reboot the computer.

How to Add InetInfo.exe to the Windows Firewall Exception List

If you want to configure the report server or Report Manager virtual directory over a remote connection, you must add Inetinfo.exe to the Windows Firewall list of exclusions.

  1. Click Start, point to Control Panel, and click Windows Firewall.
  2. Click Exceptions.
  3. Click Add Program.
  4. Click Browse.
  5. Select %windir%\system32\inetsrv\inetinfo.exe
  6. Click Change Scope to set the scope.
  7. Click OK.
  8. Reboot the computer.

How to Configure Remote Connections to the Report Server Database

Enabling remote connections to the SQL Server instance that hosts the report server database is necessary for managing the encryption keys and configuring the database connection. For more information, see Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Remote Connections) - Database Engine.

  1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, point to Configuration Tools, and click SQL Server Surface Area Configuration Tool.
  2. Click Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections.
  3. Open the folder for the SQL Server instance that hosts the report server databases.
  4. Click Remote Connections.
  5. Click Local and Remote Connections.
  6. Click Using both TCP/IP and named pipes.
  7. Click OK, and then restart the service.

How to Set DCOM Permissions to Enable Remote WMI access for Non-Administrators

You can enable remote administration for users who are not members of the local Administrator group. Because WMI uses DCOM as transport for remote calls, you must set the DCOM permissions so that users who are not logged on as the local administrator can configure the server.

The following steps are for computers that run Microsoft Windows Server 2003:

  1. On the Start menu, point to Administrative Tools, click Component Services.
  2. Open the Component Services folder.
  3. Open the Computers folder.
  4. Select My Computer.
  5. On the Action menu, and select Properties.
  6. Click COM Security.
  7. In Launch and Activation Permissions, click Edit Limits.
  8. If you do not see your name in Launch Permission, click Add.
  9. Type the name of your user account, and then click OK.
  10. In Permissions for <User or Group>, in the Allow column, select Remote Launch and Remote Activation, and then click OK.

How to Set Permissions on the ReportServer WMI Namespace for Non-Administrators

By default, all members of the local Administrator group have access to the report server WMI namespace. If you want to grant access to non-administrators, you must set permissions.

  1. On the Start menu, point to Administrative Tools, click Computer Management.
  2. Open the Services and Applications folder.
  3. Right-click WMI Control, and select Properties.
  4. Click Security.
  5. Open the Root folder.
  6. Open the Microsoft folder.
  7. Open the SQLServer folder.
  8. Open the ReportServer folder.
  9. Open the V9 folder.
  10. Select the Admin folder, and then click Security.
  11. Click Add, and then type the user account you will use to manage the server.
  12. In the Allow column, select Enable Account, Enable Remote, and Read Security, and then click OK.

Change History

Release History

17 July 2006
New content:
  • Notice that DCOM Permissions instructions apply to Windows Server 2003 platforms.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Start Reporting Services Configuration

Concepts

Reporting Services Configuration Tool
Configuring Reporting Services Components

Other Resources

Reporting Services WMI Provider

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance