Is my DBA being a Control Freak? Wont' give me access to Report Server.

  • Ok, so I just need to vent. I support all the reports development at my company. When I came here, it was an excel hell. I am trying to convert everything over to Reporting Server for Self Service.

    When I arrived here, my DBA took away all the access to report server. I don't even have publishing rights to the report server, let alone manage it. We don't have a DEV environment. My DBA says that since it's a production server, she can't give me access. She will be the one who will publish the reports to report server. She wouldn't even give me access to one folder where I can publish so other Business Analyst can check it. Since we don't have a source control, I have to email her the RDL files or put them in a folder.

    So what I have to do is create reports in BIDS, send it to others by email in three different format to test it, and keep going through this process again and again. It's really inefficient.

    So all the reports Developer, Does this same kinda thing happens at your company as well or am I just being a little baby?

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  • RaviInBaltimore (1/25/2012)


    When I arrived here, my DBA took away all the access to report server. I don't even have publishing rights to the report server, let alone manage it. We don't have a DEV environment.

    Problem 1.

    My DBA says that since it's a production server, she can't give me access. She will be the one who will publish the reports to report server. She wouldn't even give me access to one folder where I can publish so other Business Analyst can check it.

    Not that uncommon, and she may have external controls on what she's allowed to even give you access to.

    Since we don't have a source control, I have to email her the RDL files or put them in a folder.

    That's not really a problem. I rarely use source control myself.

    So what I have to do is create reports in BIDS, send it to others by email in three different format to test it, and keep going through this process again and again. It's really inefficient.

    Have you thought about installing SSRS on your personal sandbox and allowing them limited access in your personal environment? I realize it's not the ideal solution of a proper dev server, but it would allow for easy and minor graphical updates before beginning the process. I currently do that with a few business users to ease the initial pain of 'I need that a HAIR wider' type issues. I also shut down IIS and friends when they don't need to do reviews so I don't have my box churning for no good reason.

    So all the reports Developer, Does this same kinda thing happens at your company as well or am I just being a little baby?

    It's a little overkill, and the lack of Dev is what's really running you over. Not having deployment access at production? Erm, um... get over it. Most of us don't. Part of that's so you can't adjust an accounting report without it being audited, etc etc. You should have a DEV and QA/UAT environment though so you don't have to cowboy it straight to production, however.


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  • The lack of a proper dev environment is the real problem, most likely.

    Lots of companies, perhaps most, have policies in place that only the DBA has access to production database servers, and related servers (SSRS, SSAS, et al). In many, this is actually a legal compliance or PCI compliance issue, and could result in serious consequences for the whole company if violated. Can't say that's the case where you are, but it's common enough that it could be.

    On the other hand, even if that's true, the DBA *could* tell you that, so you're not left sitting there thinking she's the problem. I certainly would if I were the DBA in that situation. A simple, "I'd love to give you access till we get Dev up and running, but I really can't. Legal says no way on that." or something comparable.

    As mentioned, SQL Dev Edition can have SSRS on it, so setting that up on your desktop or laptop might be your best bet till your employer gets a real dev environment built.

    Of course, it's always possible the DBA *is* a control freak. I've known a few like that. No way for me to know, since I don't know her.

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  • Thanks for the input guys. I didn't think about running my SSRS on my personal machine. I'll try to set it up today.

    Ravi.

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