Introduction

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) provides a set of on-premises tools and services that create, deploy, and manage mobile and paginated reports. Users can consume the reports via a web browser, on their mobile device, or via email.

A report server is a computer that has an instance of Reporting Services installed. It is a stateless server that uses the SQL Server Database Engine to store metadata and object definitions. It internally stores items such as paginated and mobile reports, report-related items and resources, schedules, and subscriptions. A report server configured for native mode runs as an application server that provides all processing and management capability exclusively through Reporting Services components.

The report server depends upon the following for smooth operations:

  • Web Portal: The web portal of a Reporting Services report server is a web-based experience. In the portal, you can view reports, mobile reports, KPIs, and navigate through the elements in your report server instance.

  • Report Server Database: A native mode Reporting Services installation uses two databases to separate persistent data storage from temporary storage requirements. These databases are namely - the Report Server Database and the Report Server Temporary Database. The report server database is a SQL Server database that stores the following content:

    • Items managed by a report server (reports and linked reports, shared data sources, report models, folders, resources) and all of the properties and security settings that are associated with those items.
    • Subscription and schedule definitions.
    • Report snapshots (which include query results) and report history.
    • System properties and system-level security settings.
    • Report execution log data.
    • Symmetric keys and encrypted connection and credentials for report data sources.

User satisfaction with the SQL Reporting Services hinges on on-demand access to reports via the web portal, quick report execution by the report server, and the continuous availability and peak performance of the report server database. This means that any problem with the report server - eg., HTTP errors that block user access to the server's web portal, unavailability of the report server database, poor caching performance of the report server etc. - will deny/delay users access to critical reports, stall crucial decision making, and in short, result in many 'unhappy' users. To avoid this, administrators need to continuously monitor the health and overall performance of the SQL Reporting Services.

eG Enterprise provides a specialized monitoring model for the Microsoft SQL Report Server. Using this model, administrators can be proactively alerted to be abnormalities in report server performance, so they can promptly initiate measures to fix those anomalies, and thus assure users of an above-par user experience with SQL Reporting Services at all times.