Sqlserver Reporting Services Overview

Sqlserver Reporting Services

SQL Server Reporting Services is a comprehensive, server-based solution that enables the creation, management, and delivery of both traditional, paper-oriented reports and interactive, Web-based reports. An integrated part of the Microsoft Business Intelligence framework, Reporting Services combines the data management capabilities of SQL Server and Microsoft Windows Server with familiar and powerful Microsoft Office System applications to deliver real-time information to support daily operations and drive decisions.

An Integrated Architecture

SQL Server Reporting Services supports a wide range of common data sources, such as OLE DB and Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), as well as multiple output formats such as familiar Web browsers and Microsoft Office System applications. Using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET and the Microsoft .NET Framework, developers can leverage the capabilities of their existing information systems and connect to custom data sources, produce additional output formats, and deliver to a variety of devices.

Full Reporting Life Cycle Support
SQL Server Reporting Services supports the full reporting life cycle, including:
• Report authoring. Report developers can create reports to be published to a report server by using Microsoft or other design tools that use Report Definition Language (RDL), an XML-based industry standard used to define reports.
• Report management. Report definitions, folders, and resources are published and managed as a Web service. Managed reports can be executed either on demand or on a specified schedule, and are cached for consistency and performance. New in SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services, administrators can use SQL Server Management Studio to organize reports and data sources, schedule report execution and delivery, and track reporting history.
• Report delivery. SQL Server Reporting Services supports both on-demand (pull) and event-based (push) delivery of reports. Users can view reports in a Web-based format or in e-mail.
• Report security. SQL Server Reporting Services implements a flexible, role-based security model to protect reports and reporting resources. The product includes extensible interfaces for integrating other security models as well.

Key Reporting Scenarios

SQL Server Reporting Services combines a single, complete reporting platform with a scalable and extensible architecture to meet a wide variety of reporting needs, including:
• Enterprise reporting. Enterprises can use Reporting Services for their operational reporting or business intelligence applications. Using Reporting Services, corporate IT staff can design a variety of reports and deploy them to individuals throughout the enterprise.
• Ad-hoc reporting. SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services includes Report Builder, a new ad-hoc reporting tool that enables business users to create their own reports and explore corporate data. Report Builder incorporates a user-friendly business query model that enables users to build reports without deep technical understanding of the underlying data sources.
• Embedded reporting. Organizations can access predefined or ad-hoc reports from third-party applications that use Reporting Services and use these reports as-is, customize them, or create new ones for specific business needs.
• Web-based reporting for partners and customers. Organizations can deploy interactive Web-based reports to deliver information to customers or partners over extranets or the Internet. Reporting Services isolates report consumers from the complexity of the underlying data sources, while providing personalization and interactivity.

Reference: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/technologies/reporting/overview.mspx

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