SQL Server Reporting Services interview questions
With Reporting Services, you can create interactive, tabular,
graphical, or free-form reports from relational, multidimensional,
or XML-based data sources.............
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Reporting Services runs as a middle-tier server as part of the
existing server architecture.
SQL Server 2000 should be installed for the database server, and
Internet Information Services 6.0 as a Web server............
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answer
The phases of the Reporting Life Cycle involve:
Report authoring
This stage involves creation
of reports that are published using the Report Definition language.
RDL is an XML based industry standard for defining
reports..............
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Following are a few ways you can tune up Reporting Services:
You can expand your current Server or avail the reporting service
database on another server. Depending on report characteristics and
application logic, it is sometimes better to have a copy of data
separate to improve the performance............
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answer
SSAS database backups can be taken using SQL Server Management
Studio (SSMS). In order to create a backup using the SSAS backup
option, a SQL Server Agent Job needs to be created and
scheduled.............
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answer
Auto incremental numbers in a SSIS package can be provided using
script components. The script component should be dragged and
dropped to the data flow and Transformation should be the component
type...............
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answer
Lookup transformation combines data from two sources. The fields
of these sources are matched. The lookups performed by the
transformation are case sensitive................
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Execute Process Task in the Control Flow task can be used to
unzip a file. The execute process task needs to be dragged and
dropped to the control flow followed by configuration of Executables
to specify the path of application, Arguments to extract zip files
(path) and Working directory...............
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SQL Server Reporting Services interview
questions - posted on September 30, 2009 at 15:50 AM by
Vidya Sagar
What can SQL Server Reporting Services do?
SQL Server Reporting Service is one of the server-based software
systems that generate reports developed by Microsoft. It is used for
preparing and delivering interactive and variety of printed reports.
It is administered through an interface that is web based. Reporting
services utilizes a web service interface for supporting and
developing of customized reporting applicatons. It can be competed
with Crystal Reports and other business intelligent tools.
Explain the architecture of reporting services.
Reporting services architecture is comprises of integrated
components. It is multi-tiered, included with application, server
and data layers. This architecture is scalable and modular. A single
installation can be used across multiple computers. It includes the
following components:
- Report Manager, Reporting Designer, Browser Types Supported by
Reporting services, Report server, Report server command line
utilities, Report Server Database, Reporting Services Extensibility,
Data sources that is supported by Reporting Services.
Describe Reporting Lifecycle.
The Reporting Lifecycle includes
- Report designing – The designing is done in Visual Studio
Report Designer. It generates a class which embodies the Report
Definition.
- Report processing – The processing includes binging the report
definition with data from the report data source. It performs on all
grouping, sorting and filtering calculations. The expressions are
evaluated except the page header, footer and section items. Later it
fires the Binding event and Bound event. As a result of the
processing, it produces Report Instance. Report instance may be
persisted and stored which can be rendered at a later point of
time.
- Report Rendering: Report rendering starts by passing the Report
Instance to a specific rendering extension (HTML or PDF formats).
The instance of reports is paged if paging supported by output
format. The expressions of items are evaluated in the page header
and footer sections for every page. As a final step, the report is
rendered to the specific output document.
What are the ways to tune Reporting Services?
To tune-up the Reporting Services, follow the below mentioned
ways:
- Expand the Server or utilizing the reporting services of
another database server. For better embedding of report contents,
report application’s logic and characteristics can have a duplicate
copy of data.
- Replication of data continuously. Using nolock, the issues of
locking can well be resolved and the performance of the query can be
improved. This can be done by using dirty read at the time of
duplicating the data is unavailable.
How to schedule SSAS Database backup.
SQL Server Management Studio is used for taking backup of SQL
Server Analysis Services database. SSAS backup option can not
perform the SSAS database backup operation. To perform this task,
create SQL Server Agent Job and schedule that job as per custom
requirement. The following is the process:
• Right click the job folder of the SQL Agent node in SSMS.
•
Select the option New job
• Specify the Job name for
identification purpose.
• Go to Steps Page and click the New
button.
• Select SQL Server Analysis Services command as the
type of job after entering the name of the step and enter the server
name.
• Enter the following command.
<Backup
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/analysisservices/2003/engine">
<Object>
<DatabaseID>AdventureWorksDW</DatabaseID>
</Object>
<File>AdventureWorksDW.abf</File>
<AllowOverwrite>true</AllowOverwrite>
<Password>password</Password>
</Backup>
• Click on OK
• Goto the Schedule page for creating schedule
as per the requirements.
How to Generate an Auto Incremental Number in a SSIS
Package?
SSIS package does not support any function to generate auto
incremental numbers. A script component can be used for the
designated task. The steps are as follows:
1. Drag and drop the Script Document to the Data flow and select
the Script Component Type as Transformation.
2. Double click the
Script Component.
3. Select the column which is to pass through
the script component, in the Input Columns tab.
4. Add a column
with an integer data type, in the Inputs and Outputs tab.
Lookup's are a key component in SQL Server Integration Services
(SSIS). Explain its purpose
Data from two sources is combined by Lookup Transformation. There
are matching fields from these sources. Case insensitive
transformations is performed by the lookups. For the purpose of
accessing additional information in relation to the tables is one of
the purposes of lookups. Lookups can be used in data warehousing.
Lookups are used for the following purposes
- Data Cleansing
- Error Tolerance
- Data search in data
warehouse
- Optimizations using cache modes
How to unzip a File in SSIS?
The following is the process for Unzip a file in SSIS.
- Use Execute Process Task in the Control Flow Task.
- From
BIDS, drag and drop an Execute Process Task to the control flow and
configure.
In the Execute Process, perform the following configurations:
- Executable: The path of the application that is being
used.
- Arguments: Need to supply the arguments to extract the
zipped files. –o+ is the default parameter for overwriting files if
they exist.
- Working Directory: The current directory for all
process.
Also read
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dividing them into cursor types: forward-only, static,........
Answer - Stored procedures provide performance
benefits through local storage, precompiling the code, and
caching......
Answer - Truncate command is used to remove all
rows of the column.The removed records are not recorded in the
transaction log......
Answer - Shared Lock allows
simultaneous access of record by multiple Select statements. Shared
Lock blocks record from updating and will remain in queue waiting
while record is accessed for reading......
Answer - Column with identity
property contains unique system generated value in the table. Column
with identity property is similar to AutoNumber field in MS
Access....
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