General Properties Page (Shared Data Sources, Report Manager)

Article
12/03/2008

Use the General properties page to view or modify properties of a shared data source item. Any changes that you make to the properties take effect for all reports that reference the item when you click Apply.

To open this page, select a shared data source item and then click the Properties tab at the top of the page. The following icon indicates a shared data source item:

Shared data source icon

Options

Name
Specifies a name for the shared data source, which is used to identify the item within the report server namespace.

Description
Provides information about the shared data source. This description appears on the Contents page.

Enable this data source
Select to enable or disable the shared data source. You can disable the shared data source to prevent processing for all reports, report models, and data-driven subscriptions that reference the item.

Connection Type
Specifies the data processing extension that is used to process data from the data source. The report server includes data processing extensions for SQL Server, SQL Server Analysis Services, Oracle, XML, SAP, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), ODBC, and OLE DB. Additional data processing extensions may be available from third-party vendors.

Note that if you are using SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services, you can only choose SQL Server or Analysis Services data sources.

Connection String
Specifies the connection string that the report server uses to connect to the data source. The following example illustrates a connection string used to connect to the SQL Server AdventureWorks database:
```
data source=<a SQL Server instance>;initial catalog=AdventureWorks
```

Connect Using
Specifies options that determine how credentials are obtained.

Important

If credentials are provided in the connection string, the options and values provided in this section are ignored. Note that if you specify credentials on the connection string, the values are displayed in clear text to all users who view this page.

The credentials supplied by the user running the report
Each user must type in a user name and password to access the data source.

You can define the prompt text that requests user credentials. The default text string is "Enter a user name and password to access the data source."

Select Use as Windows credentials when connecting to the data source if the credentials that the user provides are Windows Authentication credentials. Do not select this check box if you are using database authentication (for example, SQL Server Authentication).

Credentials stored securely in the report server
Store an encrypted user name and password in the report server database. Choose this option to run a report unattended (for example, reports that are initiated by schedules or events instead of user action).

Choose Use as Windows credentials when connecting to the data source if the credentials are Windows Authentication credentials. Do not select this check box if you are using database authentication (for example, SQL Server Authentication).

Choose Impersonate the authenticated user after a connection has been made to the data source to allow delegation of credentials, but only if a data source supports impersonation. For SQL Server databases, this option sets the SETUSER function.

Windows Integrated Security
Use the Windows credentials of the current user to access the data source. Choose this option when the credentials that are used to access a data source are the same as those used to log on to the network domain.

This option works best when Kerberos is enabled for your domain, or when the data source is on the same computer as the report server. If Kerberos is not enabled, Windows credentials can be passed to one other computer. If additional computer connections are required, you will get an error instead of the data you expect.

Do not use this option to run unattended reports or reports that are available for subscription. The report server initiates the running of unattended reports. The account that the report server runs under cannot be used to access external data sources.

Credentials are not required
Specify that credentials are not required to access the data source. Note that if a data source requires a user login, choosing this option will have no effect. You should only choose this option if the data source connection does not require user credentials.

When you configure a data source to use no credentials, you must perform additional steps if the report that uses the data source is to support subscriptions, scheduled report history, or scheduled report execution. Specifically, you must create a low privileged account that the report server uses when running the report. This account is used to connect to external data sources. For more information about this account, see Configuring an Account for Unattended Report Processing.

Apply
Click Apply to save your changes.

General Properties Page (Shared Data Sources, Report Manager)

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