| Author |
Topic |
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
 Posted - 2004-10-23 : 13:10:20
|
| I've decided that our company should use RS instead of hideous crystal. We have sql server 2k...what are some of the costs associated with RS if I want to deploy reports over a web based application.BTW, I watched a demo of RS and it is so much easier to use than Crystal, it is cleaner, and I just understand it a lot more cause it looks just like SQL Server. Also anyone with a good book on RS ? |
|
|
gpl
Posting Yak Master
195 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-23 : 14:06:05
|
| Assuming you are running RS on your SQL Server, then there are no additional costs, it is a part of the licence.However, good practice dictates that you dont, so you need a new SQL Server licence just to support RS - and the cost that goes along with that.Graham |
 |
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-23 : 14:52:38
|
| Well here's the thing...This is a web based application. So I need the reports to open a web browser.Wouldnt that mean RS should be on the web server? I need to place these reports within the web application.Jon |
|
|
|
gpl
Posting Yak Master
195 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-23 : 17:31:30
|
| JonYes, you will need IIS running on the server (and .Net) ... we have had (for development) all the services running on a single machine.In a production environment you should separate the servers. Your main web app will reference the RS server to render the reports. In our last project we had a set of pages where the parameters for each report were entered and a piece of jscript pointed the browser at the RS server with the params passed as a querystring.Graham |
|
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-23 : 20:51:55
|
| Right,So Im asking do you have RS on the web server ?Jon |
|
|
|
gpl
Posting Yak Master
195 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-24 : 06:00:38
|
| JonThe simplest answer is yesGraham |
|
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-24 : 13:23:52
|
| Jon-Have you read the information on Microsoft's site about Reporting Services?http://www.microsoft.com/sql/reporting/default.aspI would also recommend picking up a book on RS and reading it thoroughly before you get elbow deep into deployment. It will go a long way towards making sure you set everything up correctly and you know what it's capable of. I recommend the following book:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1932394222/qid=1098638411/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-4658088-6451103?v=glance&s=booksThe author has just recently been made an MVP and has been working with RS since the beginning. I went to a presentation he gave a few weeks ago and it was superb, great knowledge and advice on getting the most out of RS. I will be buying his book in the next few days based on that and the reviews of his book, so far all 5 stars. |
|
|
|
tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-25 : 12:43:08
|
| Jon, you'll need to purchase a SQL Server server license for that web box. That's how Reporting Services is licensed when Report Server is not installed on the database server. You should combine them in small environments only. We are just going into QA right now with a project that has the reports designed in Reporting Services. We'll be in production in a few months with it. I'm currently the report writer since they didn't have anyone else scheduled to do it and I was the only one who had experience with it so far. I'm subscribed to this forum, so I'll help you out if you need some assistance. I started learning by going to the MS demos (off-site and in-house) of the product, then using the wizard to see how the environment worked, then I wrote them from scratch.Tara |
|
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-25 : 12:50:15
|
| Sounds great tara,Ya I went through a demo on their site the other day, the chic on there was real good :-). Looks pretty straight forward, ok so I need a license on the web server. Will let the boss know...looks promising though, I'm still bandaged up from those crystal reports (ugh).Jon |
|
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 08:47:27
|
| Is there any drawbacks to install RS on the db server? I mean the application I am working on is a web app...is it better to keep the reports on the web server or the db server? I wonder if they'll ok another license :(...darn it why couldnt it be free :-) |
|
|
|
gpl
Posting Yak Master
195 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 09:50:50
|
| JonIf you put your reporting on the db server, it is freeGraham |
|
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 09:53:36
|
| Ya but...Can I still deploy reports over the web using this method...Im just trying to understand why anyone wouldnt just put RS on the db server?Why bother putting it on the web server if its free on the db server ? |
|
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 10:43:25
|
| Last question...looking through all these darn MS CD's...is RS in the set of Microsoft Licensing CD's like .net? Or do I need to order these?I cant see the CD that says "Reporting Services" :( |
|
|
|
tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 12:33:47
|
| I don't know what you mean by RS. Are you referring to Report Server, Reporting Services? Report Server can still be installed on the web server so that your reports are viewable there. The point though is where you put the Reporting Services databases. If you don't install Report Server on the same box as the already licensed database server, then you'll need another license. But this scenario means IIS is installed on the database server which is where we don't recommend it to be mainly for performance reasons.Tara |
|
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 13:05:49
|
| Ok maybe I'm not understanding something then...I have a web app on one server.I have the database that the web app access on another server (Db server - sql)Now we want to run reports from the actual site...I guess my question is...where should I install the report server? It looks like its free if I put it on our db serversince the db server is SQL Licensed, but does that make sense to put it there ?Reporting services, is that just the actual tool that I use to develop these reports in. I guess that is my mis understandingI thought RS was just one thing Reporting Services, but it looks like this is something that is a bit bigger than just a reporting tool.What are the recommendations, is it better to just purchase a sql server license on the web box to run report server ? |
|
|
|
tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 13:10:09
|
| For the environment that you described, Report Server would be installed on the web server and the databases would be put on the database server. This configuration would require a SQL license. The only way to avoid the license is to have Report Server on the database server which means the reports will be served up from the database server and not the web server. Reporting Services is the entire product. Then you've got Report Manager, Report Server, and Report Designer. Report Manager and Report Server would be installed on the web server in this configuration. Report Designer would be on your client machine. Then you'd have the ReportServer and ReportServerTempdb databases on the database server. And yes it's best to purchase a SQL Server license and have Report Server run on the web server.Tara |
|
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 13:11:32
|
| ok that makes perfect sense,sorry for so many questions :-).Looks like the entire package is not on .net and needs to be ordered.I will talk to my department manager.BTW: rob I ordered that book, should be here nov. 2nd.Thanks for the link.Jon |
|
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 15:58:10
|
| Tara,I have a guy who is working with me in Wisconsin regarding the reports and he insists that we not purchase a license and just install in the db server.Do you see any problems with such a thing? Im just worried about when they are actually on the site and they want to run a report, if I have this installed on the db server will I be able to reference a report back to the web application?Thanks,Jon |
|
|
|
tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 16:04:03
|
| Problems would be performance related due to IIS and SQL Server competing for resources. Will there be a firewall in between the SQL Server and the web server? If so, then I don't think this configuration would work. Or is this Intranet only?Can your web application pull up a page using another server's url? I'm not a web developer, so forgive me for my ignorance here. But I do know that you can access a report via urls:http://WebServerName/ReportServer/...We are a big shop and would never consider putting IIS and SQL Server on the same box except on a developer's machine.Tara |
|
|
|
jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 16:12:44
|
| Ya but we arent putting IIS and SQL Server on the same box.We have IIS on one server web.We have SQL on another server db.Now we need Reporting Services, the actual server. My idea was to stick it on the web server, but this other alien doesn't want to do that. He says he would rather keep it on the same box...How heavy is report server, since you mentioned competing for resources, cant be taking up that much can it ?Yes you can reference a report via the URL like you have stated.My boss doesn't care, he said if you want to buy a license we'll buy one, it's this other guy who is being so errr..well you know.This is all intranet...but who knows...may be external soon. I think we should stick to my idea since i ROCK!!!Well maybe not because of me...but it should run a lot smoother having the reports on the same server as the web app.Let's see if I can convince.Jon |
|
|
|
tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
Posted - 2004-10-27 : 16:20:43
|
| You MUST have IIS on the SQL Server in order to run Report Server there. That's the only way to avoid the license.Report Server isn't the one that would be competing for resources. It would be IIS against SQL Server. If the company is willing to buy the license, then ignore the alien.Tara |
|
|
|
Next Page
|
questions