System Center Configuration Manager Reporting Unleashed

by Jones, Garth; Toll, Dan; Meyler, Kerrie

• ISBN13: 9780672337789
• ISBN10: 0672337789
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2016-04-26
• Publisher: Sams Publishing

Summary

Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager’s SQL Server database contains valuable information about your users, computers, hardware, operating systems, applications, compliance status, and much more. Microsoft has provided excellent tools for extracting this information in meaningful ways, including SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) and SQL Server Data Tools Business Intelligence (SSDT-BI). System Center Configuration Manager Reporting Unleashed shows you how to make the most of these tools.

World-renowned System Center reporting guru Garth Jones and his expert coauthors guide you through all facets of custom reporting with System Center. You’ll walk through installing and configuring SSRS, using SQL views to find the data you need, writing SQL queries, creating basic and advanced reports, and using role-based administration to securely deliver those reports to the correct individuals.

Jones brings together reliable, comprehensive, and up-to-date System Center reporting techniques you’ll find in no other book or website. Using this guide, you can consistently retrieve the right information to solve immediate problems and quickly respond to management concerns.

Detailed information on how to…
• Install and configure SQL SSRS for optimal System Center reporting and easier troubleshooting
• Understand the data stored in the ConfigMgr site database
• Efficiently retrieve ConfigMgr data by writing SQL queries in SQL Server Management Studio
• Learn best practices for developing and designing System Center reports
• Create report templates, customize content with report parameters, and embed charts
• Customize logos, color palettes, and other report elements for your own organization
• Construct advanced drillthroughs to provide deeper understanding
• Strengthen report security by integrating ConfigMgr role-based administration into SQL queries
• Leverage reporting to measure KPIs and gain a better understanding of your environment
• Tailor your reports to the needs of end-users or management
• Foreword by Wally Mead, Principal Program Manager, Cireson

The only book entirely dedicated to Configuration Manager reporting, this guide complements Meyler's System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Unleashed, offering far more in-depth coverage of reporting than the single chapter in that book. Most of the content in this new guide will be equally valuable in both System Center 2016 and 2012 environments.

Author Biography

Garth Jones (System Center Enterprise Client Manager MVP) is Chief Architect at Enhansoft, a company that develops products and services to extend the value of System Center Configuration Manager. He started working with System Center in 1996 when it was still known as SMS. A member of the myITforum Community Council, he founded the Ottawa Windows Server User Group. An active participant in Microsoft's forums, he also participates on OWSUG.ca, SMSug.ca, FAQshop.com and myITForum.com. He has presented at OWSUG, MMS, EnergizeIT, ITProTeach, and Techdays; and creates webcasts for SMSUG.ca and myITForum.com.

 

Dan Toll is a Configuration Manager administrator who has worked with the product since its SMS 2003 version. He specializes in OS Deployment for workstations and servers using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) with ConfigMgr; and in Configuration Manager reporting. He is currently his organization's SME for deployment, functionality and maintenance of systems, their operating systems, applications, patching compliancy, and reporting.

 

Kerrie Meyler (System Center Cloud and Datacenter Management MVP) is lead author of numerous System Center books in the Unleashed series, including System Center 2012 Service Manager Unleashed (2014), System Center 2012 Operations Manager Unleashed (2013), System Center 2012 Orchestrator Unleashed (2013), System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Unleashed (2012), and System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Unleashed Supplement (2014). Now an independent consultant with 17+ years of IT experience, she was responsible for evangelizing SMS while a Senior Technology Specialist at Microsoft, and has presented on System Center technologies at TechEd and MMS.

Table of Contents

1. Installing SQL Server Reporting Services
2. Installing Configuration Manager Reporting
3. Understanding Configuration Manager Data
4. Transact-SQL Primer
5. Basic Report Design
6. Building a Basic Report
7. Intermediate Reporting Concepts
8. SSRS Reporting Features
9. Role-Based Administration and Reporting
Appendix A. Glossary
Appendix B. Lab Answers