November 13, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I have a central reporting server and central 2005 SQL Server. I have created SSRS reports on the reporting server that use the data in the central db server.
Access databases on a number of laptops are updated from the central database server so that they can operate remotely. I would like to move the SSRS reports to the laptops so that the can run against the updated access data base while the laptop is operating standalone.
Can I do this? If so, what's the minimum configuration need on the laptops to do this?
Thanks for any feedback!
-Steve
November 13, 2009 at 4:17 pm
How do you get the data from the Access db's back into the central db?
Doesn't really matter. SSRS can use OLE DB as a connection type, which will allow you to connect to Access databases. This would mean you would only have to install SSRS on the laptop, and change the connection strings for each of the reports.
Configuration? No laptop older than 2 years. We are running WinServ2003, SQL Server Standard and SSIS in a VM on a 3 year old Dell 800, running WinXP, and it works fine after the first round of caching.
The reason for the first question?
For me, here is what I did. Install SQL Express, and setup the db as the subscriber to merge replication to your central db as the publisher. Use Access as the front-end to the SQL Express db, use DNS to trick the SSRS install to thinking the local db is the same as the central db when not connected (so you don't have to change any of the report connection strings). Of course replication will have to be monitored, and conflicts resolved, but changes to the reports can just be pushed out to every laptop without change.
Another, smaller foot print choice is to down-port your reports into Access, which removes the SQL Server and SSRS installs completely. For laptop usability, this is probably the best, it just depends on the number of reports, and how complicated they are, and you would have to maintain any report changes in both the SSRS central reports and the Access db reports. The more I think about it the more I like this option.
Dan
Edited for typos
November 30, 2009 at 4:30 pm
I find it's a minimum of trouble to write a simple Windows Forms app and use the ReportViewer control in Local mode against a BindingSource connected to the Access database. This relieves the need to rewrite the reports in Access, the main benefit being that when you need to modify your SSRS reports in future, you don't have to port the mods to Access but rather drop the updated report definition into your Visual Studio project and recompile. This is lightweight and you can do it on just about any laptop provided it's got the .NET framework 2.0. If you haven't done this before, I recommend this website as an introduction: http://www.gotreportviewer.com
November 30, 2009 at 5:21 pm
You still have to get the reports 'local' in order to view them. I don't think that installing SSRS on each laptop is the right answer, seems a little overkill.
November 30, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Dan Guzman - Not the MVP (11/30/2009)
You still have to get the reports 'local' in order to view them. I don't think that installing SSRS on each laptop is the right answer, seems a little overkill.
Dan,
SSRS is not installed in any of the laptops the ReportViewer is a redist dll in Winform and http handler in the Webform so in local mode he will be using the dll in the Winform applications in each laptop.
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
November 30, 2009 at 5:31 pm
That's right. Your target machines will not require SQL Server, SQL Express, or SSRS installed on them. ReportViewer is a standalone redistributable form control (cf. my link above). It renders the report definition language against a local app's data object - in your case probably a BindingSource bound to the Access data source in question.
November 30, 2009 at 5:53 pm
I see what your saying, but there is still a step missing. As I understand it, ReportViewer doesn't work in Access, so....
Back to the original situation:
Server is updated Access on each laptop when connected. Access must be being used for data entry, and not reporting.
Since one app is better than two, the WinForm option should also include the data entry forms. I think SQL Server Express should be installed with subscriber replication setup, and scrap Access altogether. But this still would require managing the .rdl files for any updates to reports, which is what I mentioned way back at the beginning of this thread.
The Access option I made may just be simpler from an install and setup point of view, since Steven already has push updates working.
November 30, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Dan Guzman - Not the MVP (11/30/2009)
I see what your saying, but there is still a step missing. As I understand it, ReportViewer doesn't work in Access, so....Back to the original situation:
Server is updated Access on each laptop when connected. Access must be being used for data entry, and not reporting.
Since one app is better than two, the WinForm option should also include the data entry forms. I think SQL Server Express should be installed with subscriber replication setup, and scrap Access altogether. But this still would require managing the .rdl files for any updates to reports, which is what I mentioned way back at the beginning of this thread.
The Access option I made may just be simpler from an install and setup point of view, since Steven already has push updates working.
Dan,
The ReportViewer 2005 in local mode works with all ADO.NET supported datasources so Access can be used but Access can be removed and SQL Server Express connecting to local SQL Server replication data can be consumed in Winform ReportViewer application.
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
December 1, 2009 at 9:26 am
Gift Peddie (11/30/2009)
Dan Guzman - Not the MVP (11/30/2009)
I see what your saying, but there is still a step missing. As I understand it, ReportViewer doesn't work in Access, so....Back to the original situation:
Server is updated Access on each laptop when connected. Access must be being used for data entry, and not reporting.
Since one app is better than two, the WinForm option should also include the data entry forms. I think SQL Server Express should be installed with subscriber replication setup, and scrap Access altogether. But this still would require managing the .rdl files for any updates to reports, which is what I mentioned way back at the beginning of this thread.
The Access option I made may just be simpler from an install and setup point of view, since Steven already has push updates working.
Dan,
The ReportViewer 2005 in local mode works with all ADO.NET supported datasources so Access can be used but Access can be removed and SQL Server Express connecting to local SQL Server replication data can be consumed in Winform ReportViewer application.
'Access can be used' - I think your referring to 'used as a data source', I'm referring to ReportViewer as an object in a Form or Report to 'Include' reporting along with the data entry that is already happening, to minimize the number of running applications on a laptop.
December 1, 2009 at 10:09 am
Access can be used' - I think your referring to 'used as a data source', I'm referring to ReportViewer as an object in a Form or Report to 'Include' reporting along with the data entry that is already happening, to minimize the number of running applications on a laptop.
ReportViewer is the form in a Winform application and a Webform in a Web application and the text below from the original post means ReportViewer in local mode is all the person needs.
I have seen Winform ReportVeiwer connect to Oracle without SSRS to create reports with Oracle 9i.
Access databases on a number of laptops are updated from the central database server so that they can operate remotely. I would like to move the SSRS reports to the laptops so that the can run against the updated access data base while the laptop is operating standalone.
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
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