System Center Configuration Manager 2007 : Using Microsoft Management Console 3.0 (part 3)

5. Launching Reports

With Configuration Manager 2007 Release 2 (R2), you have the capability to view either classic or SQL Reporting Services (SRS) reports using the Configuration Manager console.

The ConfigMgr Report Viewer allows you to navigate the reporting site, enter parameters for reports, and render the reports for viewing in a web browser. Accessing this functionality either from the console or from a web browser requires IE 5.01 Service Pack (SP) 2 or later to host the Report Viewer ActiveX control.

Microsoft provides over 300 ready-made reports that you can use or modify for your reporting requirements. The next sections discuss viewing classic and SQL Reporting Services (SRS) reports available with ConfigMgr 2007 R2.

Viewing Classic Reports from the ConfigMgr Console

To view ConfigMgr classic reports from the console, perform the following steps:

1.	Expand the Configuration Manager console tree to System Center Configuration Manager -> Site Database -> Computer Management -> Reporting -> Reports. The Reports pane on the right displays a list of available reports. The “Look for” list box allows you to filter the list of reports.
2.	Right-click the report you wish to run and choose Run from the context menu.
3.	The console now invokes the Report Viewer, which permits you to enter any required or optional parameters for the selected report and launch the report. Notice that the Report Viewer, displayed in Figure 4, provides a Values button, allowing you to view and select from the list of values corresponding to the parameters that are stored in the database. You can enter a partial string using the wildcard characters _ (to match a single character) and % (to match zero or more characters) to narrow the list. Figure 4. The Report Viewer By default, the Report Viewer displays a list of up to 1,000 values. The DWORD Registry value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\SMS\Reporting\Values Rowcount on the reporting server specifies the maximum number of values returned in the values list. This DWORD value does not exist by default. To specify that Report Viewer should display all values, set Values Rowcount to 0xffffffff.
4.	Click the Display icon in the upper-right section of Report Viewer to display the report. By default, the Report Viewer will display up to 10,000 rows of data in the report. The DWORD Registry value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\SMS\Reporting\Rowcount on the reporting server specifies the maximum number of rows returned by Report Viewer. To specify that reports should display all values, set Rowcount to 0xffffffff.
5.	You can use the Show Tree button in the upper-left corner of Report Viewer to display the reporting hierarchy as a tree control. This is the same tree displayed by IE when you open the reporting point URL.

Viewing SRS Reports from the ConfigMgr Console

To view ConfigMgr SRS reports from the console, perform the following steps:

1.	Expand the Configuration Manager console tree to System Center Configuration Manager -> Site Database -> Computer Management -> Reporting Services -> <servername>, where <servername> represents your reporting services point.
2.	The All Reports folder displays a list of reports similar to that in the Reports console tree node used for classic reporting. SRS also provides a folder called Report Folders containing reports arranged in subfolders by folder category. Locate the report you wish to run under either folder structure, right-click the report, and choose Run from the context menu.
3.	The report viewer pane displayed in Figure 5 is functionally equivalent to the Report Viewer control provided with classic reporting. Enter the required parameters and any optional parameters you choose to supply, or use the Values links to use the selection list, and then click View Report to open the report. Figure 5. The SRS report viewer pane with the compliance for a computer by configuration baseline report selected

6. Using Internet Explorer to View Reports

You can also use a web browser (Internet Explorer 5.01 SP 2 or later) to view reports. This enables individuals to view reports who do not otherwise need access to the ConfigMgr console.

Perform the following steps to view ConfigMgr classic reports using Internet Explorer (IE):

1.

Launch Internet Explorer and enter the reporting point URL. The default URL is http://<servername>/SMSReporting_<Site Code>, where <servername> is the name of your reporting point server and <Site Code> is the ConfigMgr site code.

2.

The Report Viewer tree control will open as shown in Figure 6. You can use the tree control to navigate to the reports in your reporting folder. The reports are arranged in folders under the Reports node of the tree control . Figure 6 shows the reporting point website as displayed in Internet Explorer. Figure 6. The Reporting Point website, with the tree control expanded to the report Computers with a specific network adapter

Perform the following steps to view ConfigMgr SRS reports using Internet Explorer:

1.	Launch IE and enter the SRS URL. The default URL is http://<servername>/reports/, where <servername> is the name of your reporting services point server.  The default report folder name is ConfigMgr_<Site Code>.
2.	The SRS home page will open, as displayed in Figure 7. You can click the category links to open the corresponding report folders. Figure 7. The Reporting Services page for the central site server (Bluebonnet), displayed in Internet Explorer