Local Reporting vs. Remote Reporting in System Center Essentials 2010
Applies To: System Center Essentials 2010
Local vs. Remote Instances of SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services
In System Center Essentials 2010 Setup, the installation of Essentials 2010 Reporting, whether on the Essentials management server or on a remote database server, requires that a local, supported instance of SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services (SSRS) be installed. If SSRS is installed on another server, you have to install Essentials Reporting locally on that computer. Consider the following scenarios before installing Essentials 2010 Reporting.
Using Local Databases and Local Reporting Servers
If you want to install Essentials 2010 with all components on a single server and do not already have SQL Server 2008 installed, you can install the SQL Server 2008 Express Edition with Advanced Services that is included with Essentials 2010, which will create local instances of SQL Server 2008 Database Services and Reporting Services. If SQL Server 2008 is already installed on the server, you can specify the existing local instances of SQL Server 2008 Database Services and Reporting Services during setup instead.
Note
Essentials 2010 requires an instance of SQL Server Reporting Services that is not shared with other applications. If you use an existing instance of SQL Server Reporting Services during Essentials 2010 installation, any reports that are already published on that instance will be deleted. Consider using a different edition of SQL Server with Essentials 2010 if you do not want existing reports to be deleted.
Using Remote Databases and Local Reporting Servers
If you want to install Essentials 2010 Reporting on the Essentials server, and the server does not have a local instance of SQL Server 2008 Database Services but does have a local, supported instance of SSRS, specify the remote instance of SQL Server 2008 Database Services and select the local instance of SSRS during setup.
Note
For remote databases, the supported local Reporting Services are: SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition with SP1 and SQL Server 2008 Enterprise Edition with SP1.
Using Remote Databases and Remote Reporting Servers
You cannot install Essentials 2010 Reporting on a server that does not have a local, supported instance of SSRS. Specify the remote, supported instance of SQL Server 2008 Database Services when you install Essentials 2010 on your server, but do not install Essentials 2010 Reporting. Instead, start Essentials 2010 Setup again on the remote computer that has SQL Server 2008 Database Services and Reporting Services installed and install Essentials 2010 Reporting there.
See Also
Tasks
How to Install System Center Essentials 2010 Reporting on a Remote Database Server
Concepts
Selecting Database Locations in System Center Essentials 2010
Supported Topologies and Performance Guidance for System Center Essentials 2010
System Requirements and Supported Platforms for System Center Essentials 2010