Configuring ReportViewer for Remote Processing
ReportViewer controls can be configured to use the processing capability of a SQL Server Reporting Services report server. The report server processes the data and renders the report into an output format. The ReportViewer control then displays the rendered output on the screen.
To use a server report, you must have access to a SQL Server 2008 or later Reporting Services report server. You can verify that you have access to a report by opening a browser window and typing the report server URL and report path in the URL address. When you configure a connection to the report server, make sure that the account you use has permission to view the report.
How to Configure ReportViewer for Remote Processing
To configure a ReportViewer control for remote processing, specify a server report to use with the control. Follow these steps to select a server report:
Add the ReportViewer control from the Reporting section of the Toolbox to the form or Web page in your project.
In the ReportViewer Tasks smart tags panel, in Choose Report, select Server Report.
In the Report Server text box, type the report server URL. The default URL syntax is https://localhost/reportserver. The actual URL that is used in your installation might be different depending on how the report server virtual directory settings are configured.
In the Report Path text box, type the fully qualified path of a published report. When referencing a report on a report server in native mode, the report path starts with a forward slash ( / ); when referencing a report on a report server in SharePoint integrated mode, the report path is a fully qualified URL. For example:
Native mode: /Adventureworks 2008 Sample Reports/Company Sales 2008
SharePoint integrated mode: https://MyServer/sites/MySite/MyLibrary/Adventureworks 2008 Sample Reports/Company Sales 2008.rdl
Build or deploy the application to verify that the report appears correctly in your application.
Understanding Server Report Characteristics
The following table describes the characteristics of server reports that are processed remotely.
Report processing |
Server reports run on a SQL Server 2008 or later Reporting Services report server. Server reports are report definition (.rdl) files, which are created in Business Intelligence Development Studio or Report Builder. |
Data processing |
Server reports use the data processing extensions of a report server to connect to and process a result set. Default data processing extensions are provided for SQL Server, Analysis Services, SQL Server Integration Services, Oracle, SAP NetWeaver® Business Intelligence, XML, ODBC, and OLE DB data sources. You can create or use custom data processing extensions to support additional types of data. In contrast with client reports, server reports include data source connection information and one or more queries in the report definition. In remote processing mode, data processing and report processing are both performed by the report server. |
Parameterization |
When processing a server report, the ReportViewer control may display a parameter prompt area at the top of the report so that users can type or select parameter values to use when querying the underlying data source. When processing a local report, the ReportViewer does not display the parameter prompt area because it does not perform any data retrieval, so you must manually prompt the user and perform data processing based on the user input directly in your application. For more information on local reports, see Configuring ReportViewer for Local Processing. |
Connecting to external servers |
Data sources used by server reports typically retrieve data from external data sources on other servers. When running a server report in your application, make sure that you understand how the report server connects to and retrieves data from external data sources for the report. For example, if the report uses Windows integrated security, you must setup your application or network to avoid the NTLM "double hop" issue, such as enabling Kerberos authentication for your network. For more information, see Authentication Types in Reporting Services and Understanding Kerberos Double Hop. Note that the ReportViewer control does not provide pages for prompted credentials. If your application connects to a report server that uses forms-based authentication, your application must provide the logon page. |
Managing reports |
Server reports are managed on a report server. A report server administrator can modify the role assignments that provide access to a report, reconfigure the data source connections, and update, move, rename, or delete the report. Any of these changes can affect or prevent the report from running in your application. When you use a server report in your application, make sure that you understand how it will be managed after the application is deployed. |
For more information about report design, data retrieval, deployment, and security settings for SQL Server Reporting Services, see SQL Server Books Online on msdn.microsoft.com.
When to Use Remote Processing
Server-based reporting lets you centralize report storage and management, set policies and secure access to reports and folders, control how reports are processed and distributed, and standardize how reports are used in your business. Reporting Services can be installed in single-server, distributed, and clustered configurations. Consider using remote processing if your report has the following characteristics:
Report will be accessed by many users.
Report has a very complex query or contains a very large amount of data.
Report is already published on a report server, and you want to include it an application that you create and deploy.
Remote processing requires access to a licensed copy of SQL Server, which makes a rich set of features available to your application, such as subscriptions, caching, security, and more rendering formats. For more information on remote processing features in SQL Server Reporting Services, see Reporting Services and ReportViewer Controls in Visual Studio in SQL Server Books Online.
See Also
Concepts
Converting RDLC Files to RDL Files
Adding and Configuring the ReportViewer Controls