SSRS Failed Subscription Notifications « Jeff Prom’s SQL Server Weblog
Great little query against your ReportServer db that you can create a report from to see subscription failures. A little tweaking and creativity and you’ve got the makings of a set of subscription management reports.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Here are a few interesting links and articles from around the web.
Popularity: 13% [?]
If you do remote assistance/support, chances are that you have used a variety of tools. These tools runs the gambit from quick and dirty to enterprise solutions. Over the past 2 years, I have come to really love a particular solution, Bomgar (formerly Network Streaming). This solution has been very successfully used by myself and colleagues to resolve client issues from across town to across the world.
The folks at Bomgar are quick Education and Missions friendly and the tools are great. Again for missions or ministries utilizing Bomgar, training budgets can be very tight. so, in an effort to provide the best of the free, we have compiled the following resource to help you get the most out of the tool and your staff.
YouTube – BomgarBox’s Channel
Great little series of videos about Bomgar use from the YouTube user, BomgarBox. Of course you can get the originals from theBomgar videos page.
Bomger User Guide – PDF
User Guide in PDF Format. 35 Pages of yummy, user centric goodness.
Supporting the Campus Remotely, from Bomgar – White Papers, Webcasts and Case Studies – ZDNet
Good whitepaper on the use of Bomgar in an education setting. 30 Minutes and Bomgar is ready to go.
Besides, you can follow the Founder and CEO on Twitter. 
BTW, one of my favorite features of Bomgar is the remote reboot. Reboots the client machine and “auto-magically” re-establishes the Bomgar remote session upon reboot. Love it!
Popularity: 11% [?]
The MSDN Webcast from September 8, 2008 is the third in a series entitled “SQL Server 2008 Tips & Tricks” focuses on Reporting Services 2008.
Presentation and slide content by IT Mentors
1. SSRS 2008 Architecture/Runtime
2. Configuration
3. New Controls
a. Tablix
b. Gauges and Indicators
4. Deployment
### Benefits of Eliminating IIS from the SSRS Architecture
* Easier configuration
* IIS settings for other applications impact SSRS
* Better resource management
* IIS designed for static or dynamic HTML pages, not report execution for large reports to many concurrent users.
* Memory management easier to implement outside of IIS
* Consolidation of two services into one
* Communication process between services eliminated
* More efficient allocation of memory across server
* Elimination of deployment obstacles
* SQL Server DBAs lacking IIS skills
* IT policies prevent IIS and SQL Server on same server
### Architecture
* HTTP Listener
* Uses HTTP.SYS directly from the operating system
* Accepts requests directed to the configured URL and port
* Authentication Layer
* Confirms identity associated with request
* Supports Windows, Basic, or anonymous Access with a custom authentication
* Application Domains
* Provide a front-end component with Report Manager
* Process reports interactively with Report Server Web service
* Support scheduled operations with background processing
* Application Domain Management
* Replaces IIS functionality
Notes: Speaker does not discuss the complications that running IIS and SSRS 2008 on the same server. Instead he talks about how they both can run on the same server. Might want to be sure you understand the complications that can arise from both on the same server, especially when it comes to SSL needs.
### Configuration
* Memory Management
* Disabling Features
Notes: Speaker states the obvious about the importance of these items. Disabling features = reducing surface area.
### Memory Management
* Memory Broker monitors and responds to memory pressure fluctuations
* Memory events trigger switch from RAM to file system cache as needed
* Configurable thresholds determine report server response to memory pressure changes
Notes: Good simplistic explanation of these by the speaker. Might want to research a bit more if you really need to tweak memory optimization for peak performance.
* Low Memory Pressure
* Current requests continue
* New Requests accepted
* Background low priority
* Medium Memory Pressure
* Current requests continue
* New requests _might_ be accepted
* Memory allocations reduced for all applications
* Background items get the largest reduction
* High Memory Pressure
* Current requests continue
* No new requests accepted
Notes: Good explanation and slide for this concept.
### Configure Memory Settings
Notes: Speaker shows you the what to change in the config file but neglects to say which config files is being changed and where it is located. The correlating MSDN article on this topic is located here.
Information on the RSReportServer.config file can also be found on MSDN.
### Disabling Features
* Report Manager
* RSReportServer.config
* IsReportManagerEnabled
* On Demand Processing
* RSReportServer.config
* IsWebServiceEnabled
* Scheduled Events and Report Delivery
* RSReportServer.config
* IsSchedulingService
* IsNotificationService
* IsEventService
* Report Builder
* SQL Server Management Studio
* Server Properties
* Report Server Windows Service
* SQL Server Configuration Manager
Notes: One might want to consider the “Why?” on each of these to determine appropriate use cases for enabling or disabling. Now the speaker shows where the config file is.
Demos were done for memory configuration settings and the Tablix control.
Lots of good gauges and indicators available thanks to the new Dundas obtained controls.
Finally discussion about the rs command line tool for deployment.
Popularity: 47% [?]
We just got done upgrading the firmware on one of our Netscreen devices. Good news, it went flawlessly. Only about 4.5 minutes of downtime.
The funny part is this. When looking to find the correct firmware, Juniper has Screen OS version 6.1 out. Latest is the one right? Wrong! As you can see below, depending on the device you are working with, quite likely the version recommended is an older version. For instance, our device was recommended to be on version 5.4.
So…I guess it really does pay to “read the instructions”. 
Popularity: 8% [?]
Some of you may already be on the bandwagon but as usual, I’m late to the party. Thanks to beeradb who showed me today the node for Drupal 7 referring to the refactoring of node rendering in Drupal 7. BTW, this is no small task since most of Drupal is about the node. Now in Drupal 7 we will hopefully see more emphasis on fields which is great for us data folks.
First, a big hurrah to the team. I for one believe this is a great continuation of the work started in Drupal 6 toward this goal. By abstracting and fully creating the node object we allow much more flexibility when it comes to the display / presentation side of the house.
Now there is alot to read through there with the 112 comments already in place. Take the time though and go through it. Moshe illuminated what again to me was a revelation that if this goes forward you’ll replace your node op view pieces with the preprocess function: MODULE_preprocess_page(&$variables)
Drupal goodness!
Popularity: 6% [?]
another from Drupalcon Boston…
SimpleTest: Because clicking on forms is for suckers
Session Discussion (Courtesy of Lullabot)
Popularity: 6% [?]
DrupalCon Boston 2008 – Content Links
Listed below are links to some of the findings thus far. As I find more I’ll update them here.
Internet Archive Media for Drupalcon Boston
The State of Drupal
Archive.org Media
Video of Mashup 2008 Demo. Drupal + RDF + SPARQL.
Report from formal Drupal usability testing at the University of Minnesota Libraries
Adobe PDF Report
Introducing Acquia
Adobe PDF Slides
#11 – Panels 2 and Node Queue 2
Slideshow (Slideshare)
Demo Site
Audio
Better Drupal Interaction With Flex
Slideshow (SlideShare)
“No Tears” Method for User Centered Design
Slides Available on urlgreyhot Blog
Adobe PDF – Slides
SimpleTest: Because clicking on forms is for suckers
Session Discussion (Courtesy of Lullabot)
Drupal fun and profit: Making a career out Open Source
Adobe PDF Slides
Druplash and Druplex: Content-Managed Flash and Flex sites powered by Drupal
Adobe PDF Slides
Drupal Client Delight: A Guide to Setting, Managing & Delivering on Client Expectations – Every Time
Slides (online)
Theming with the Theme Developer module
Audio MP3
Pictures
Marketing Open Source Software
Slides
Selling with Drupal: Ubercart
Audio MP3
Information Architecture to Drupal Architecture
Session Overview
Drupal.org Redesign Panel Discussion
Session Discussion (Courtesy of Lullabot)
Using Drupal with External Data Sources
Adobe PDF Slides
Adobe PDF Slides from Chapter Three LLC
Sample Modules
Contributing to Drupal: A guide for everyone
Lullabot Blog from Addison Berry
Adobe PDF Slides
OpenID and Identity in Drupal
Slideshare Slides
Converting Mockups to Drupal Themes
MP3 Audio
Miscellaneous
Popularity: 9% [?]
