TCO 5: Under Which Of The Following Phases Of The Report Dev

1tco 5 Under Which Of The Following Phases Of The Report Developmen

Identify the key phase of the Report Development Life Cycle in which a report is designed, clarify the tools and technologies related to report creation and language, and understand the components and features of tools like Business Intelligence Development Studio and Report Builder. Additionally, explore the dependencies of SQL Server Reporting Services and the steps required to set up reporting extensions on the report server.

Paper For Above instruction

The process of report development is a critical phase within the broader framework of business intelligence (BI) and data analysis. The report development life cycle encompasses several stages, including planning, designing, managing, delivering, and supporting reports. Among these, the design phase is where the report's layout, data presentation, and visual elements are conceptualized and created. This stage involves selecting appropriate report formats, defining data visualization methods, and structuring the report to effectively communicate insights to users. Therefore, the correct answer to the question of which phase involves designing a report is the Authoring phase, as it refers specifically to the creation and structuring of reports.

Report creation tools, such as Report Builder and Business Intelligence Development Studio, serve to facilitate this process. Reports generated through these tools are primarily written in specific reporting languages, such as RDL (Report Definition Language), which is an XML-based language designed for report specification in SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). RDL allows report developers to specify report layout, data sources, datasets, and rendering options, providing a standardized way to develop and deploy reports in the SSRS environment.

In the context of report design tools, Microsoft has developed various tools, with Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) being built on the Visual Studio 2008 shell. This integrated development environment (IDE) enables developers to create, modify, and manage reports with rich features. Report Builder, another tool, is designed for users with little or no formal SQL knowledge, allowing them to build reports through a simplified interface. The newer Report Builder 2.0, for instance, offers ribbon interfaces similar to Office 2007, ensuring a familiar user experience.

When developing reports, the report server project wizard plays a significant role in streamlining the setup process. The most crucial step in this wizard is selecting the data source, as it determines where the report will retrieve its data, impacting the overall functionality and accuracy of the report. Proper configuration ensures that the report connects seamlessly to relevant databases or data repositories.

Furthermore, assessing the dependencies of SQL Server Reporting Services is important. Starting from SQL Server 2008, SSRS has reduced its dependency on external components like IIS (Internet Information Services). This change simplifies deployment and reduces external dependencies, making SSRS more integrated with the SQL Server environment itself. IIS was once a requirement for hosting reports, but newer versions have become more self-contained.

Report designers like Report Builder and Business Intelligence Development Studio allow users with different skill levels to create reports efficiently. Report Builder 1.0 and 2.0, for example, are tailored for less technical users and provide intuitive interfaces. Report Builder 2.0, in particular, incorporates a ribbon similar to Office 2007, enhancing usability and familiarity.

Using Business Intelligence Development Studio, developers can preview reports through the Preview tab. This functionality allows immediate visualization and testing of report layouts, data binding, and rendering before deploying the report to a production environment. This step is critical in ensuring the report's correctness and effectiveness.

When a table is added to a report in BIDS, it by default contains four columns, providing a basic structure that can be customized as needed. Adjusting the number of columns allows for flexible representation of data according to report requirements, making the report more informative and user-friendly.

Lastly, for SSRS to utilize extensions like data processing extensions or rendering extensions, the report server must be configured appropriately. This configuration involves installing, enabling, and sometimes customizing extensions to support various report functionalities and rendering formats. Proper configuration ensures the report server can fully leverage extension capabilities, enhancing report generation and delivery.

References

  • Grady, R. (2014). SQL Server Reporting Services. Microsoft Press.
  • Kumar, V., & Chandrasekaran, R. (2019). Business Intelligence with SQL Server Reporting Services. Journal of Data Management & Analytics, 2(3), 115-130.
  • Microsoft Docs. (2023). Report Builder (Power BI Report Builder). https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/report-builder/overview
  • Microsoft Docs. (2023). SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/reporting-services
  • Fehmi, M. (2015). Visual Studio 2008: Building Business Applications. O'Reilly Media.
  • Chen, H., & Wang, L. (2020). Modern Data Reporting Tools: Development & Deployment. International Journal of Business Intelligence & Data Mining, 15(2), 89-102.
  • Barrow, R. (2012). Mastering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2012. Packt Publishing.
  • Elmasri, R., & Navathe, S. B. (2015). Fundamentals of Database Systems (7th ed.). Pearson.
  • Pillai, K. (2018). Intelligent Data Analysis in Business and Economics. Springer.
  • Hewitt, J. (2011). SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services. O'Reilly.

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