Installing SQL Server Reporting Services

SQL Server Setup

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based, end-to-end reporting solution that supports report authoring, distribution, management, and end-user access. Reporting Services includes client and server components. You can install all of the components together on a single computer, or install individual components on separate computers. Examples of installation scenarios involving the use of separate computers include a production report environment that deploys report servers on cluster nodes, a development organization that has multiple Report Designer clients connected to a single report server instance, or a workgroup report server that uses for its internal data storage a remote SQL Server instance available to all employee groups in the organization. You can install Reporting Services with or without other SQL Server components and technologies. You can run multiple instances of a report server on a single server. For more information, see Installing Multiple Instances of Reporting Services.

Step 1: Preparing to Install Reporting Services

Before you install Reporting Services, review the following requirements and component descriptions:

Note:
An existing report server database file can cause setup to fail if you choose the default installation option. When you choose the default installation option, setup attempts to create a report server database using the default name. If a database with that name already exists, setup will fail and you will have to rollback the installation. To avoid this problem, you can rename the existing database before you run setup or choose the Install but do not configure server option so that you can specify custom database settings after setup is finished.

Step 2: Installing Reporting Services

After you review the installation requirements for SQL Server 2005 and verify that your computer meets those requirements, you are ready to install SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services. Depending on your environment, you install Reporting Services in one of the following ways:

  • Run Setup.exe from a command line to perform a silent or unattended installation. For more information, see Installing Reporting Services from the Command Prompt.
  • Run the Installation Wizard to install a default configuration or a files-only configuration. For more information, see Installing Reporting Services Using Setup.
    A default configuration installs all components locally on a single computer. This installation option is available only if you are also installing the Database Engine and Reporting Services at the same time.
    A files-only installation copies the files and minimally configures the report server. After setup is complete, you use the Reporting Services Configuration tool to bring a report server online. This approach allows you to specify remote computers (for example, choosing a remote Database Engine instance to host the report server databases, or deploy Reporting Services on distributed servers, scale-out deployment, or on Internet-facing Web servers.

For step-by-step instructions, see Reporting Services Installation How-to Topics.

Step 3: Configuring Reporting Services

After you install Reporting Services, you can modify the installation to match the deployment model you are implementing. Examples of deployment models that you can effect after Setup is finished include:

  • Deploying a report server on an Internet-facing Web server.
  • Deploying a report server on a server that hosts other Web applications.
  • Deploying one or more report servers in a distributed, multi-server installation.

To learn how to deploy a report server in these configurations, see Deploying Reporting Services in SQL Server Books Online after Setup is complete.

If you performed a files-only installation, you must use the Reporting Services Configuration tool to configure a report server so that it is ready to use. For more information, see Configuring Reporting Services Components in SQL Server Books Online.

Important:
In contrast with previous releases of Reporting Services Setup, you now use the Reporting Services Configuration to install a report server scale-out deployment (previously referred to as "Web farm"). For more information about how changes to setup and scale-out deployment, see Reporting Services Manageability and Deployment Enhancements in SQL Server Books Online and Configuring a Report Server Scale-Out Deployment.

Step 4: Verifying Your Reporting Services Installation

Following installation and configuration, verify that Reporting Services components are running. For more information, see How to: Verify a Reporting Services Installation.

See Also