What is Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services?
Microsoft has finally embraced the reporting community with powerful, easy to use reporting engine built on top of the popular Microsoft SQL Server platform. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is included free with a licensed copy of SQL Server, so there is nothing additional to purchase. There are versions of SQL Server Reporting Services available with different features, depending on which SQL Server license you own (see the Microsoft web site for licensing information). The bottom line is that if you own a Microsoft SQL Server license, you also own a license for SQL Server Reporting Services.
Secure Centralized Reporting - SQL Server Reporting Services is implemented by establishing a server that stores report information globally for the entire enterprise. This is usually the same server that runs Microsoft SQL Server, but it does not have to be. This server can be accessed locally over a network, or even globally through the Internet using standard TCP/IP protocols. Security is built in, so you must have appropriate rights to log in, as well as to view/run/edit the various reports that are available. This model makes it easy to collaborate on reporting projects, and to share and review data with others.
Easy Report Creation - In the current version of SQL Server Reporting Services, you create a project in Microsoft Visual Studio .NET that interacts with the reporting server (the next revision will have a web-based report creation tool). This does not mean that you have to be a programmer, as the interface is almost entirely drag-and-drop. You can create reports without writing a single line of code (of course, if you have some programming background, you can modify the reports and their output in very powerful ways). The report layout is very logical and makes it easy to do everything from a simple listing to complex reports with grouping, cross-tabs and aggregations. SQL Server Reporting Services is therefore accessible to everyone in the organization, from end users to developers.
Flexible Reporting Output - Reports are stored in industry-standard RPL code (a type of XML), which fully describes the report structure. This allows reports to be generated on the fly in a number of different formats, including Printer, Excel, Web Page, Delimited Text and even Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) format. Data is not stored in the report itself, but is accessed when the report is generated to ensure that the report has the most updated information possible.
SQL Server Reporting Services offers an excellent alternative to the current high-priced and overly complex reporting tools that are available.
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Training Courses
The following Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services training courses are available from Blue Star Learning...
MS2030 - Creating Reporting Solutions using Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services
MS2797 - Designing a Reporting Solution Architecture Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services