Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services

by Brian Larson

Book Overview

Microsoft's Reporting Services product is a vital part of the SQL Server 2005 business intelligence platform, but it works with virtually any data source. This hands-on guide explains how to transform data into insightful and interactive Web-based reports using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services. With coverage of everything from installation to administration, the book demonstrates how to use this powerful server-based reporting solution...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0072262397
• ISBN13: 9780072262391
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
• Length: 767 Pages
• Weight: 2.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 7.5" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Best technical book I've read in ten years

It's sometimes hard to review a technical book without reviewing the technology the book discusses so I'll start by stating that Microsoft Reporting Services impressed me greatly but Microsoft's documentation is as bad as always. There's room for improvement but it's already better than Crystal Reports. Now on to the book review. I am familiar with SQL Server and Crystal Reports so I was looking for a book that didn't spend too much time on stuff I already knew. This book spent the first three chapters discussing database basics so I skipped them. I started reading the book in earnest at chapter four which discusses the report wizards. This is a quick way to throw reports together in Visual Studio and Brian Larson presents the information logically and clearly. It became quickly clear that I was reading an exceptional book. I'm guessing Brian had an experienced editor because the book is largely free of the gramatical errors that have been plaguing technical books recently. What impresses me even more is that all the examples worked flawlessly and were meaningful exercises that I will refer back to as I start to implement Reporting Services. The book references a database you need to download from the Osborne website. The instructions to do so are very clear and I had no problems whatsoever downloading and installing it. The only problem I had was that the user id in the examples (GalacticReporting) does not have access to the stored procedures. You need to give GalRep the 'Reporting' role. Minor problem. Brian, correctly, doesn't spend much time on the wizards and quickly gets into the meat of the application guiding the reader through successively more complex reporting scenarios. At first tasks are performed using point-and-click methods, then using quicker but more advanced methods. Finally Brian started taking shortcuts such as providing stored procedures. I saw Brian using this technique all through the book and I liked it. The first real problem I encountered with the book in is chapter 10 in the section on deploying custom assemblies. This is an area that Reporting Services is very weak and I hope to see Microsoft improve in future releases. You have two options - alter the config file or deploy via the GAC. Brian only mentions the first option and very poorly. He doesn't mention the GAC at all whereas I think the GAC is the better option. But in the next section on security Brian is back to his old form and does a splendid job of explaining a subject I normally have a very hard time with. The explanation of report caching, snapshots, and subscriptions is exceptionally good and does a great job of explaining these potentially confusing subjects. Again, his examples are well thought out and very simple to follow. As they occur after the section on security he points out what security tasks/roles are required to perform these function which was a great idea. I wish Brian had spent a little more time explaining the logging mechanism i

great book

we have over a dozen SQL SERVER 2005 suite books in our office. The thing that makes this better then all the others, is that while some people like reading these books, and others like books as references only - this book seems to satisfy both groups of developers at my office. The most used SSRS book at the office by a mile.

Zen and the art of Reporting Services

SQL Server Reporting Services is a comprehensive, server-based reporting solution which provides support to develop, manage, and deliver reports on different mediums and platforms. Brian Larson in his latest book, "SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services" has done an excellent job in making the case for SQL Server Reporting Services (SRSS) by providing comprehensive knowledge to jump start with SQL server reporting services. As Brian Welcker, Microsoft's group program manager of SSRS observes, the author has been working with Reporting services for a long time. Since he has been a part of development effort involved with reporting services, Brian Larson has a deep understanding of reporting services infrastructure which reflects in his writing. Being an MCDBA, author of "Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2005" and "Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services", Brian Larson has in-depth understanding of business intelligence solutions and real-world reporting scenarios. "SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services" is hands on, no-nonsense, well organized step by step guide to SRSS. This 800 page book is divided into four parts and twelve chapters, in which author has provided wealth of information on all the pertaining topics. This book is illustrated and provides diagram and figures of every step defined during the process. The four main sections are "Putting the pieces in place", the beginning, "Report Authoring", about writing reports, "Report saving", about report publishing and management of reports and final part i.e. Appendices which has language references and some further guidelines. What I liked most about this book is its personal coordination and in-depth approach for instance not many reporting books discuss localization in detail and in a real-world scenario style in reports as you'll see it being done in Brian's book. Since it's written by one author, I found the reading to be much more consistent and harmonic across the book. Following is the chapter summary for the reader to see that Brian has covered most of the required ground for issues one may encounter during report development. Chapter 1: Let's Start at the Very Beginning Chapter 2: Putting the Pieces in Place: Installing Reporting Services Chapter 3: DB 101: Database Basics Chapter 4: A Visit to Emerald City: The Report Wizard Chapter 5: Removing the Train Wheels: Building Basic Reports Chapter 6: Graphic Expression: Using Charts and Images in Reports Chapter 7: Kicking It Up a Notch: Intermediate Reporting Chapter 8: Beyond Wow: Advanced Reporting Chapter 9: A Leading Exporter: Exporting Reports to Other Rendering Formats Chapter 10: How Did We Ever Manage Without You? The Report Manager Chapter 11: Delivering the Goods: Report Delivery Chapter 12: Extending Outside the Box: Customizing Reporting Services Appendix a: report item reference Appendix b: web service interface reference Appendix c: report definition language reference Appendix d: ad hoc report

Outstanding Reporting Services training book

Some reviewers are complaining that this is not a reference and that the style of this book is almost entirely to step you through one report project after another, building various kinds of reports step by step. Well this is indeed no reference, but a learning book instead! This book is perfectly learning you how to use Reporting Services. I worked through the whole book and I only had to deal with an error in chapter 8 (report TransportMonitor) and a small print error in the examples (wrong year value) which intuitively could be solved easily (often may errors in other learning guides!). Great work and very clear explanations. The major disadvantage: nothing about Report Data Models and the Report Builder (only something about it in Appendix D)

Exceptional clarity and useful real world examples!

This book delivers a solid understanding of Reporting Services derived from working through genuinely useful, real world examples preceded by clear technical overviews. I am a BI consultant always learning new software technologies and as part of this work, read many instructional s/w books. From this standpoint I can state that this book shows great attention to detail (all of the examples actually work). It also incorporates a very useful feature "Task Notes" that further explains the implicit assumptions and underlying factors following each example. This shows that a great deal of care was taken to ensure that the reader is always on the same page as the writer. This book is rare in its clarity, technical editing and delivery of concrete skills in return for the effort spent with it. Just keep off my turf when you acquire your skills! (;^ )