Getting Started with Windows Azure SQL Reporting
Reporting tasks range from creating a SQL Reporting service, working with database administrators to gain access to Windows Azure SQL Database as report data sources, authoring and publishing reports, and helping new report readers understand how to work with published reports. Developers can create ASP.NET (on premise or in the cloud) or Windows Forms applications with embedded Report Viewer controls that point to reports hosted in SQL Reporting. Solutions can be developed by using on-premise platforms or by applications developed and hosted on the Windows Azure platform.
To see a video overview of Windows Azure SQL Reporting, see Introduction to SQL Reporting.
In This Article
Before You Begin
Review the following prerequisites:
- You must have a Windows Azure subscription and the Windows Live ID credentials that were used to subscribe.
- It is expected that you are familiar with Microsoft reporting technology.
The following table lists Microsoft reporting scenarios that you can explore by using Windows Azure SQL Reporting.
| Scenario | Feature | Prerequisite Knowledge |
|---|---|---|
|
Embed Microsoft reports in Web or client applications |
Visual Studio Report Viewer controls configured for remote processing |
Develop and deploy ADO.NET AJAX or Windows Forms applications in an on-premise or a Windows Azure platform. For more information, see SQL Reporting Samples and Microsoft Reports. |
|
Design, publish, and view reports (.rdl) and report-related items on a SQL Reporting report server. |
SQL Reporting |
Create report server projects in SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio and deploy them to SQL Reporting report servers. Alternatively, deploy individual reports and shared data sources. Upload reports to report servers. View reports in a browser. For more information, see SQL Reporting Samples and Designing Reports. |
|
Interact with the report server Web service by using SOAP API calls. |
SQL Reporting |
Be familiar with report server Web service management and report processing endpoints. For more information, see SQL Reporting Samples and Guidelines and Limitations for Windows Azure SQL Reporting. |
If you are already familiar with SQL Server Reporting Services, review the similarities and differences between the two feature sets. For more information, see Guidelines and Limitations for Windows Azure SQL Reporting.
Note |
|---|
| To publish reports to a SQL Reporting report server, or to create Windows Azure web roles that host Report Viewer controls, you must use tools that match the schema and code versions for Windows Azure SQL Reporting. For more information, see Guidelines and Limitations for Windows Azure SQL Reporting. |
Roles and Credentials
A role is a useful concept that helps organize tasks in terms of goals. A role represents a person who performs a group of related tasks that require specific permissions. In many businesses, one person fills many roles. In the following sections, there are three categories of roles: SQL Reporting roles, informal reporting roles, and report server roles.
Credential Summary
The following table summarizes the SQL Database, Windows Azure, and SQL Reporting roles and credentials that you will need to manage a report server and to publish or view reports.
| Role | Credentials | Use these credentials to: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Account administrator for SQL Database or Windows Azure |
A Microsoft account or Windows Live ID used to subscribe to Windows Azure. |
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|
SQL Database service administrator |
User name and password associated with the SQL Database subscription |
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|
Data reader User |
User name and password for database User Get this information from the database administrator. |
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|
SQL Reporting report server administrator |
User name and password associated with the reporting service |
|
Use the information in the following sections to learn more about roles.
Informal Reporting Roles
Informal reporting roles align with jobs and the tasks associated with them. Compare your goals against the list of informal reporting roles.
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
|
Database Administrator for Report Data Sources |
A database administrator manages SQL Database that can be used for reporting. Persons in this role define Users with at least read-only access to data and database objects that access the data. For example, database administrators might provide predefined stored procedures, views, or optimized queries, and the corresponding run privileges where needed. If you manage databases that are used in reports, to provide report authors with the help they need, see Getting Started with SQL Reporting for Database Administrators. |
|
Report Designer or Report Author |
The report designer authors reports. Depending on the audience and the purpose of the report, this person works with database managers to create data sources and datasets. Report designers choose effective report presentations, including data visualizations, and parameters and other interactive features that enable report readers to customize their view of report data. If you design reports, to get started, see Getting Started with SQL Reporting for Report Authors. |
|
Application Developer |
The application developer creates embedded reporting applications in on-premise or Windows Azure platforms. On Windows Azure, applications are web roles that host Report Viewer controls that display reports published to SQL Reporting service instances. The developer can also programmatically manage reports and report server content through the Report Server Web service. The SQL Reporting service administrator must provide credentials to the developer to include in their application. If you develop applications that include an embedded report control, or applications that call the Report Server Web service, to get started, see Getting Started with SQL Reporting for Application Developers. |
|
Report Reader |
Report readers view reports, customize reports based on interactive features provided by the report author, and interpret data. Readers can be your business intelligence audience or customers of your embedded reporting application. If you view reports or have customers that view reports, to get started, see Getting Started with SQL Reporting for Report Readers. |
Report Server Roles
Report server roles are a built-in feature of Reporting Services that provide a way to control who has permissions to work with reports and report-related items on the report server. Report server administrators assign users to these roles to control access to folders, reports, and report-related items on a report server. These roles are the same in SQL Reporting as they are in on-premise Reporting Services report servers. For more information about report server roles, see the following topics:
Getting Started Guides
The following table lists getting started guides. The order of the guides reflects the implicit workflow. For example, you must have at least read-only access to SQL Database before you can display data in reports. You must have reports to view before you create embedded reporting applications that use the Report Viewer control in remote processing mode.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
|
Getting Started Guide for Database Administrators (Windows Azure SQL Reporting) |
Provides information for SQL Database owners about what to do to help report authors retrieve data from their databases to include in reports. |
|
Getting Started Guide for Report Authors (Windows Azure SQL Reporting) |
Provides information for creating and publishing reports. |
|
Getting Started Guide for Application Developers (Windows Azure SQL Reporting) |
Provides information for application developers who use the Microsoft Report Viewer controls to view reports hosted on SQL Reporting report servers. |
|
Getting Started Guide for Report Readers (Windows Azure SQL Reporting) |
Provides information to report readers about interacting with published reports. |
Samples
For information about where to get SQL Reporting report samples and Windows Azure sample code for the Report Viewer control, see SQL Reporting Samples.
For More Information
To find more information, provide feedback, or find peer-to-peer support, see Useful Links for SQL Reporting.
See Also
Note