How the SQL Server Report Server Works with Meridium APM
The SQL Server Report Server is the machine that stores SQL Server reports
so that you can view SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports in the
Meridium APM Framework, Meridium APM Web Framework (optional component),
or a web browser.
The following image provides a visual representation of how components
work together.
The components shown in this image will work together as described in
the following list. Click an item name to expand and collapse the details.
Let users create new reports that
are based upon Meridium APM queries and datasets. When a report
is created in Meridium APM, a connection will be made to the Meridium
APM Application Server to retrieve information from the current
data source and display the information to the Meridium APM Framework
user. When a user saves a new report to the Catalog, the report
will be saved to the Meridium APM database and deployed to the
SQL Server Report Server.
When a Meridium APM Framework user
opens an existing report from the Meridium APM Catalog, the Meridium
APM system will check to see if a report with the same name exists
in the corresponding folder on the SQL Server Report Server.
If
the report already exists on the Report Server, it will simply
be displayed to the user.
If
the report does not already exist on the Report Server, it
will be deployed on the Report Server first and then displayed
to the user.
When a user modifies an existing
report and saves it to the Meridium APM system, an updated version
of the report will be deployed to the Report Server.
SQL Server Reporting Services reports
can be viewed from any Meridium APM Framework workstation via
the SQL Server Report Viewer, which is installed automatically
via the Meridium APM Framework installer and integrated into the
Meridium APM Framework application. To create and modify reports
from Meridium APM Framework workstations, you must have the following
software installed on that machine:
The Meridium APM Adapter
for SSRS Designer (so that SSRS can connect to Meridium APM
and retrieve data while reports are being developed).
In addition to viewing reports
from the Meridium APM Framework application, all reports that
are stored on the Report Server can be accessed directly through
a web browser via the SQL Server Report Manager. Whether reports
are viewed in the Meridium APM Framework or the Report Manager,
their appearance and content will be the same.
Serves as the host for communications between the SQL Server
Report Server and the Meridium APM database based upon requests
initiated from the Meridium APM Framework. When a user accesses
a report that is based upon a Meridium APM query or dataset and
stored on the SQL Server Report Server, the Report Server sends
a request to the Meridium APM Application Server, which in turn
connects to the Meridium APM database and returns the requested
information.
Note: In
Meridium APM deployments that contain multiple dedicated Application
Servers, where a load balance handles connections to those servers,
the load balancer will
handle report requests initiated from Meridium APM Framework workstations.
Stores the Meridium APM copy of
each SQL Server Reporting Services report that has been saved
to the Meridium APM Catalog. Additionally, the Meridium APM database
responds to requests made from the Application Server and returns
data that is displayed in reports that are based upon Meridium
APM queries and datasets.
Contains the SQL Server Reporting
Services software and stores the master copy of each Meridium
APM report. Meridium APM reports are deployed to the Report Server
when they are first saved to the Meridium APM Catalog. When a
report is modified, the copy on the Report Server is updated.
The Meridium APM Adapter for SSRS
must be installed on the SQL Server Report Server to allow the
Report Server to communicate with the Meridium APM Application
Server. When a request is made to the Report Server to access
a Meridium APM report, the Report Server sends a request to the
Meridium APM Application Server, which in turn retrieves the requested
data from the Meridium APM database.
The SQL Server Report Server machine
in the image shown above represents a single instance
of the SQL Server Reporting Services. Meridium APM supports the
use of one SQL Server
Reporting Services instance
per Meridium APM Application Server. SQL Server supports installing
more than one SQL Server Reporting Services instance on the same
machine. If your Meridium APM system includes more than one Application
Server (e.g., a test Application Server and a production Application
Server), you will need to create a separate SQL Server Reporting
Services instance for each
Application Server.
Note that when you install SQL
Server Reporting Services, two SQL Server databases that store
the reports for a given instance of SQL Server Reporting Services
are installed automatically. These databases are not represented
in the image shown above. For more information about the components
a SQL Server Reporting Services implementation and details about
the supported configuration scenarios, see the SQL Server documentation.
Represents any external data source
that is supported by SQL Server Reporting Services for building
reports. Reports that are built upon external data sources can
be imported into Meridium APM and saved to the Meridium APM Catalog.
When a user accesses an external report, either through the Meridium
APM Framework Application or via SQL Server Report Manager, a
request is sent to the Report Server, which in turn retrieves
the data from the appropriate data source and displays the results
to the user. Any report that can be built upon an external data
source via the Business Intelligence Development Studio and viewed
in Report Manager can be imported into Meridium APM, saved to
the Meridium APM Catalog, and viewed by Meridium APM users.
