I need my reports.............YESTERDAY!!!!!

Chris Testa-O’NeillEMC Consulting

Who am IChris Testa-O’Neill

Practise Consultant at EMC Consulting

Technical Author for Microsoft E-Learning Author of the SQL Server 2008 E-Learning track

SQLBits Organiser www.SQLBits.com

Manchester SQL Server User Group Organiserwww.sqlserverfaq.com

Europe’s Premier Community SQL Server Conference

AgendaParameters and FiltersCachingSnapshotsHistorySubscriptionsQ and A (if time permits)

Parameters and FilterFrom a users perspective, parameters and

filters look the same

Parameters restricts the data at the source

Filters returns all of the data and filters in place

Parameters and filters affected by caching and snapshot settings

CachingCaching is not enable by default

Can be used to improve the performance of retrieving reports by storing a copy in the ReportServerTempDB

Configured to set an expiry time for the cache

Consider “pre heating” the oven using data driven subscriptions

Execution process for cached instances1. Retrieves most up-to-date data and processes report

2. Creates intermediate report and stores intermediate result in the cache in ReportServerTempDB

3. Flags intermediate report as a cached instance

4. Renders report from cached instance

5. Later requests for the same report are retrieved from the cached copy

Report Server

First Report RequestFirst Report Request

Published Report

Other Report RequestOther Report Request

Rendered Report

Cache

Intermediate Report

SnapshotsSnapshot are created in advance of the user

browsing

Stored in the ReportServerDB and are persistent

Can be used to create historical data

• Execution process for snapshots Creation of snapshot is scheduled for a specific point

in time

Report Server

Published Report

Snapshot Creation

Rendered Report

Report RequestReport Request

Requests are satisfied by retrieving and rendering the snapshot

Snapshot Cache

Intermediate Report

The intermediate report is created and the result is stored as a snapshot in the report server database

DemonstrationCreating Parameters and Filters

Creating Cache settings

Creating Report snapshots

I need a report from.....yesterdayHistorical data provides a point in time copy

of reports

Impact on parameters and filters

Control the number of reports storedBE AWARE – Reducing the number of reports

stored will truncate the reports

DemonstrationCreating Historical Reports

SubscriptionsStandard Subscriptions

User and Administrator driven

Data Driven SubscriptionAdministrator drivenRequires the creation of a subscriber tableCan be used to pre populate a cache

DemonstrationCreating User Subscriptions

Creating Data Driven Subscriptions

Available coursesMicrosoft Official Curriculum courses

SQL Server 2005 2793 – Implementing and Maintaining SQL Server Reporting

Server 2005SQL Server 2008

6236 - Implementing and Maintaining SQL Server Reporting Server 2008

Microsoft ElearningCollection 6322: Implementing and Maintaining Business

Intelligence in SQL 2008: Integration Services, Reporting Services and Analysis Services (available late 2009)

Thank you