Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
We are well aware of the three major services provided by Microsoft SQL Server which are as follows
- SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
- SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)
- SQL Server Reporting Service (SSRS)
Here we would be specifically discussing SQL Server Reporting Service (SSRS).
According to a survey on average, we generate 2.5 quintillion bytes of data, and to get a better understanding of these data it is quite important to hunt for a way that helps us to get a hold of these data comfortably.
Visualization
Can you think of a way? If you are thinking of visualizing the data then you are heading in the right direction. It is very obvious that visualizing this data would help us to get a better understanding of the data which is too huge because according to a fact human brain recalls images or visuals better than any other source. This gives a rise to a term called data visualization.
Data Visualization
Data visualization is the representation of data through the use of common graphics, such as charts, plots, infographics, and even animations. These visual displays of information communicate complex data relationships and data-driven insights in a way that is easy to understand or we could simply say Data Visualization is a process to understand the data in a better way. We are also provided with some data visualization tools such as R, Clickview, Power BI, Python, Tableau, etc.
Why SSRS?
There exist four major reasons why we go behind SSRS.
Standard Microsoft Development Environment
We all are aware of the three major services by Microsoft SQL Server i.e. SSIS, SSAS, SSRS. If someone uses the entire Microsoft SQL Server product line, there exists a complete surety w.r.t. the quality of the product, as well as the standard of data one, is working with.
Mobile Support
Often there are cases when someone needs the data urgently and here mobile support feature plays a major role in terms of quick accessibility. The person who accesses the data just needs to have the URL on which the report is published and then the report could be accessed with ease.
No Additional Cost
If someone purchases the official Microsoft SQL Server, the license covers all the other services which include other additional services as well. Therefore the user does not need to pay for any other additional tool even for SSRS. Cutting down the cost is another important aspect of an organization in terms of optimization.
Advance Analytics
Microsoft SQL Server provides another important feature of Analysing the data before operating it for visualization and by doing this the user gets complete on the data.
What is SSRS?
It is expanded as SQL Server Reporting Services which is a server-based reporting platform that allows us to create and manage a wide variety of different types of reports and deliver them in a range of formats.
It also provides a host of security features in order to control who sees which reports.
SSRS Architecture
There exist three kinds of users in the SSRS Architecture
- Reporting User: The one who extracts data from other data sources and structures it well for usage. He/she can also construct the report for use.
- Reporting Designer: Someone who is specifically for designing the report or preparing the report from the structured data sources which was created by the reporting user.
- Reporting Manager: The one who monitors the report and generally presents it to the people who are actually in need of the same.
The data is brought in through different data sources and is retrieved in the Data Retrieval phase and then the data is rendered and forwarded in form of Excel/PDF/HTML etc. for other purposes wherein the security is taken care of and finally it is scheduled for delivery in form of E-mail or other file sharing options. These phases are accessible by the three users we talked about.
Reporting Lifecycle
There are three phases in the lifecycle of reporting.
Authoring
Here the author defines layout and the actual source of data. The syntax of the report is called report definition language.
Management
It involves managing published reports which are presently published reports and are presently a part of web services. The role-based security model is to identify who needs which report and who needs to have access to modify, share, etc the reports. Moreover, the control over execution is also managed in this phase.
Delivery
When reports have to be delivered according to demand is decided and executed in this particular phase. For example, if the client needs the report every quarter the delivery has to be made or if they need to merge a feature and they require a report of specific data the report has to be delivered. The feature of automated report delivery also exists periodically.
Types of Reports in SSRS
