SSRS Refresh UAT (DEV, QA) from Production - sql-server

I have multiple SQL Server Reporting Services instances (Production, UAT, Development, QA, etc...). I'd like to be able to "refresh" them from a master (Production) in the same manner as other SQL Databases.
Normally a backup from Production, restore to Development works, but with Reporting Services there seems to be an issue (user accounts, permissions, etc...) plus I'd like to keep the Data Sources pointing to Development on Development after the restore.
Have others run into this issue with SSRS and how do they resolve it?

You can implement a window form application or console application to help you deploy report to any ssrs server.
You can ref to this hyperlink to see how to create folder, catalogitem or set permission
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/reportservice2010.reportingservice2010_methods%28v=sql.120%29.aspx
Hope this help.

I've found a process that seems to work for us. This enables the replication of any environment to any other environment (for testing/confirmation/etc...).
Note: it does keep all the same data, so connection string will be pointing to the original environment, but that can be resovled (see optional step)
Backup Production Databases
Backup ReportServer
Backup ReportServerTempDB
Backup Production Encryption Keys (Reporting Services Configration Manager -> Encryption Keys -> Backup)
Restore Production Database to Target Environment
Restore ReportServer
Restore ReportServerTempDB
Target Report Server Configuration
Open Reporting Services Configuration Manager
Connect to target environment Server
Perform Database Update
Select Database
Click Change Database
Choose an existing report server database
Follow Prompts Selecting Restored Database
Perform Encryption Keys Restore
Select Encryption Keys
Click restore button
File Location: your-encyrption-key-file.snk
Password: [password entered on extraction]
Exit Reporting Services Configuration Manager
Start and Stop Reporting Services Service
Open SQL Server Configuration
Select SQL Server Reporting Services (MSSQLSERVER)
Right-click and select Stop
Right-click and select Start
Final Data Clean-up/Processing
Remove production keys: DELETE FROM Keys WHERE MachineName = '[ProductionServerName]'
(Optional) Remove subscriptions: DELETE FROM Subscriptions
(Optional) Remove connection string information: UPDATE DataSource SET ConnectionString = NULL, UserName = NULL, [Password] = NULL WHERE Extension = 'SQL'
The two optional ones are just to prevent duplicate subscriptions running and creation of reports/emails. The connection string is a bit of a brute force to stop connections from the new environment to the old environment (then user re-key that information as is in local), this likely could be "automated" as well.

Related

Cannot create a copy of a database with a new name by restoring from backup: "the database is in use"

I have two sets of databases for my different testing environments (internal qa and uat). I'm trying to bring qa up to date by restoring it from the latest uat backups. I encountered an issue with the qa DBs getting stuck in "restoring" mode and ended up deleting them, so I'm trying to create a brand new database now by restoring from the UAT backup and changing the name, but it keep failing.
Restore database
Source: device > latestUATbackup.bak
Destination: database > change name from UAT.Web to Dev.Web
Files > check off Relocate all files to folder
Options: Close existing connections to destination database
"Restore of database Dev.Web failed. Access could not be obtained because the database is in use"
I tried taking UAT.Web offline but then it fails with the error "UAT.Web cannot be opened because it is offline"
Why would it matter if the database is in use when I'm using a backup? What do I need to do?
You can't restore a database that is in use because the restore would put it in an inconsistent state. You need to disconnect all active connections (including all SSMS query windows and other applications) from the database in order to restore it. If it already exists make sure to check "Overwrite existing database" on the Options tab of the restore window.
On a side note, up to you but I would recommend not using a '.' in the database name. It can get confusing when using fully qualified object names that include the database.
Go to Options and tick the 'Close existing connections to destination database' option before restoring.

How to fix Recovery Pending State in SQL Server Database?

How to fix Recovery Pending State in SQL Server Database?
Execute the following set of queries:
ALTER DATABASE [DBName] SET EMERGENCY;
GO
ALTER DATABASE [DBName] set single_user
GO
DBCC CHECKDB ([DBName], REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS) WITH ALL_ERRORMSGS;
GO
ALTER DATABASE [DBName] set multi_user
GO
For more info: https://www.stellarinfo.com/blog/fix-sql-database-recovery-pending-state-issue/
When your Database .mdf file name is renamed, this issue is occurred. To solve:
Restart SQL EXPRESS in Services, Pending issue is solved.
In our case it was caused by the disk drive running out of space. We deleted some junk to free space, then fixed the "Recovery Pending" by stopping and restarting the SQL Server Service.
Detach, re-attach, solved !
ALTER DATABASE MyDatabase SET EMERGENCY;
EXEC sp_detach_db MyDatabase
EXEC sp_attach_single_file_db #DBName = MyDatabase, #physname = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\DATA\MyDatabase.mdf'
While using SQL Management Studio, there is an intermittent issue when a user is changing the Database Names then sometimes SQL Server uses the same DB file for two different Databases. If SQL Server is in this state then you would be probably seeing the following error if you try Mahesh's answer:
"The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process"
To fix this issue:
Stop MSSQLServer service from the Services Console MMC
Rename the DB and the Log files (Database Properties -> Files)
In the Object Explorer window in SQL Management Studio, refresh the 'Databases Folder', if you see that there is another Database node (in addition to the one which you are trying to rectify this issue) which is shown in 'Recovery Pending State' then proceed to the next step. If you do not see this error then you need to try something else to resolve this issue
Make a backup of the DB and Log files for new offending node from step 3 and !!Careful!! delete the database
Restore the Db File names which you changed in Step 2
Now start the MSSQLServer service from the Services Console
Re-try the steps from Mahesh's answer
In my case, this affected the secondary server in a High Availability SQL Server cluster.
The primary was Synchronizing but the secondary was Recovery Pending.
After checking in cluadmin.msc, realised that the secondary server wasn't healthy in the cluster.
Then determined Cluster Service had failed to start on the second cluster box after a Windows Update enforced reboot (may have happened because the file share witness was rebooting after a similar Windows Update at the same time).
Starting the Cluster Service brought the databases back into Synchronizing status.
Ensure that the "Log On" account for the "SQL Server (201x)" service (listed in Windows Services (Manager)) has sufficient rights. You may try changing it to another Logon. In my case, changing it from "This account" to "Local System account", restarting the "SQL Server (xxxx)" service and SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), and logging into SSMS again resolved the issue.
Background (in my particular case):
I had 3 different instances of SQL (2008r2, 2012 and 2014) running on my local PC, and was busy moving a folder (which I later discovered contained some SQL data & log database files) to another PC. Halfway through, I stopped the SQL Services in Service (Manager), hoping that the files would move across without issues - since they would now, no longer be in use. I realized that I needed to confirm the database names, and file locations in SQL (in order to set them up again on the new pc), so I copied the SQL data and log files back (to the original locations). After restarting the PC - the majority of the databases on various instances all showed as: "Recovery Pending" in SSMS. After first trying the procedure from stellarinfo (listed as an answer here by #Mahesh Thorat) on 2 of the databases, and still not having any luck, a post SQL SERVER – Where is ERRORLOG? Various Ways to Find ERRORLOG Location on Pinal Dave's SQL Authority website and the post: Operating System error 5(Access is Denied) on SQL Server Central gave me an idea that it could be rights related after looking at the SQL Errorlog and finding "Operating system error 5: "5(Access is denied.)". Another post Msg 3201, Level 16 Cannot open backup device. Operating system error 5(Access is denied.) at SqlBak Blog seems to support this.
I was using azure, the mdf and log file are in different disk and not attached that disk with which it is not able to figure that files and hence the file Recovery Pending
This could happen due to insufficient permissions for a folder with database files (in my case due to a domain migration).
Just give access to the folder for an SQL service's account.

Troubleshooting the Re Creation of ReportServerTempDB

RESOLVED SEE EDITS:
Like a total noob I deleted our ReportServerTempDB by accident (I have a backup of ReportServer but not ReportServerTemp, live and learn). (Using SQL Server 2008 R2)
To recreate the database I followed several online guides that gave the several steps:
created a new database with the name ReportServerTempDB, and with the same collation as ReportServer (collation was key)
made a new Database Role called RSExecRole with same users as my ReportServer (also key to make sure this role has the correct permissions to the tables)
ran the CatalogTempDB script which ran without a hitch (the version of CatalogTempDB was not sufficient to recreate all of the objects necessary)
Used Reporting Services Config Manager to Change Database and picked ReportServer
Just for good measure turned off and on the SQL Server Reporting Services a few times
But I am still getting an error when I try to load my Reporting Services Home page:
An error occurred within the report server database. This may be due to a connection failure, timeout or low disk condition within the database. (rsReportServerDatabaseError) For more information about this error navigate to the report server on the local server machine, or enable remote errors
What am I forgetting? As an alternative can I simply "create a new report server database" and import a back-up of my original ReportServer? TIA
EDIT: I reviewed the RSExecRole and made sure that it had permission to edit tables and execute stored procedures (online sources did not spell this out very clearly) and after restarting the Reporting Services my error has changed to "An error occurred within the report server database. This may be due to a... Invalid object name 'ReportServerTempDB.dbo.TempCatalog'. Could not use view or function 'ExtendedCatalog' because of binding errors. "
Further reading is suggesting that the name of the temp Report Server is hardcoded into many stored procedures in ReportServer, but my new temp report server has the same name: ReportServerTempDB. Where is the disconnect?
EDIT2: So the script I used, CatalogTempDB, did not create all of the tables necessary to rebuild my temporary Report Server db. I created a new Report Server and ReportServerTempDB (which an altered name) and compared the object in my ReportServerTempDB built using CatalogTempDB to the one the SQL wizard created. Then used the import wizard to add in the missing tables and re-started the Report Service with my original. Voila.
Happy to provide more details about any of these steps.
To recreate the database I followed several online guides that gave the several steps:
created a new database with the name ReportServerTempDB, and with the same collation as ReportServer (collation was key and you need to assign it when yout are creating the db)
made a new Database Role called RSExecRole with same users as my ReportServer (also key to make sure this role has the correct permissions to the tables and stored procedures)
ran the CatalogTempDB script which ran without a hitch (the version of CatalogTempDB was not sufficient to recreate all of the objects necessary, several tables were missing)
To replace the missing tables I created a second ReportServer instance (using Reporting Services Configuration Manager)and compared the temporary db to my re-built temporary db and filled in the holes
Moral of the story: Keep a back up of BOTH ReportServer and ReportServerTempDB

SQL Server backup to Azure stopped working after moving DB files

I have a database in SQL Server 2014 on premises. For that database I have a backup to Azure storage configured using smart_admin.sp_set_db_backup procedure.
Recently I had to move the database files from one disk to another. I detached database, moved files, reattached it.
After that my backup stopped working. The function smart_admin.fn_backup_db_config shows that database backup record exists but database marked as is_dropped = 1
Any attempt to enable or disable backup for this database fails with error:
SQL Server Managed Backup to Windows Azure cannot configure the database, 'DATABASE_NAME', because it either does not exist or is offline.
Any way I can remove backup configuration information and create a new one? One of the ideas I found is rename the database, but I cannot do that in production.
Vad's answer is close, but there can be more than one record in autoadmin_managed_databases for a given db_name. You need to get the last record, which is the one with the max autoadmin_id. I picked the wrong one, and SQL Server repopulated the drop_date after I ran smart_admin.sp_set_db_backup or the 15 minute interval ran.
use msdb;
go
update [dbo].[autoadmin_managed_databases]
set drop_date = null
where [autoadmin_id]= (select max(autoadmin_id)
from [dbo].[autoadmin_managed_databases]
where db_name = '<DROPPPED_DATABASE_NAME>')
go
Managed Backups - is_dropped flag set to Yes after detaching database
and reattaching DB
Rename the database and set up managed backup again.
Reference
As I mentioned earlier I was not allowed to rename the database on the Production. So I found where it's marked as dropped and changed the value. That helped. Automated backups for the database started working again. IMO what happened looks like a bug in SQL Server 2014.
use msdb;
go
update [dbo].[autoadmin_managed_databases]
set drop_date = null
where [db_name] = '<DROPPED_DATABASE_NAME>'
go

How do I change "Database default locations" for LocalDB in SQL Server Management Studio?

Connect to LocalDB in SSMS
Open Server Properties -> Database Settings
Change Data/Log/Backup locations -> click OK
When I click OK I get this error:
Found some blogpost and changed this in regedit but it didn't help.
Anyone got any other ideas I could try?
I do not believe that these default paths for SQL Server LocalDB are changeable. This is quite unfortunate due to what appears to be a bug with SQL Server Express 2017 LocalDB ** (fixed as of CU 6 for SQL Server 2017), as per this question (and my answer to it) on DBA.StackExchange:
LocalDB v14 creates wrong path for mdf files
HOWEVER, you do not need to use the default paths. Those are used when you create a Database without specifying the physical locations. If you specify the physical location, then you should be able to create the files to any folder / directory that you have read / write access to.
After making that change in the registry try restarting the sql instance.
Also I would make sure that the account running SQL Server has the ability to write to that folder.
for an easy test you could go to the folder properties -> security then add the account 'everyone' then give them full control. then try making that change. If it works it was a permissions issue to that account. Accounts generally don't have access to other users accounts without some level of admin.
After 10 years this is still an issue for the current version(15.0) of Microsoft SQL Server Express.
After a bit of investigation I discovered, there is an issue with permission inside the registry. The process sqlservr.exe cannot create entries in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL15E.LOCALDB\MSSQLServer.
On my computer this process is running under my account, so I opened regedit and gave myself Full Control permission to this key. And it worked like a charm. I hope this will help you as well.
Changing these paths in RegEdit or SSMS doesn't work, SQL LocalDb won't respect these values for existing databases. One has to move the databases manually. Here is the reliable way to change a database location for any LocalDB instance.
First, make sure you work with a correct instance of SQL Server LocalDB. In command prompt enter:
sqllocaldb info
It will show the LocalDB instances you have on your machine. Let's assume that the instance name is MSSQLLocalDB.
Next, execute this script on your database (let's call it TestApp), using SqlCmd tool or SSMS:
alter database TestApp
modify file (name = TestApp, filename = 'C:\NewDataLocation\TestApp.mdf');
go
alter database TestApp
modify file (name = TestApp_log, filename = 'C:\NewDataLocation\TestApp_log.ldf');
go
Now, stop the SQL LocalDB instance, in command prompt:
sqllocaldb stop MSSQLLocalDB
Move the database files to the new location that you specified in the script. From %UserProfile%\TestApp.mdf (which is where they are located) to C:\NewDataLocation\TestApp.mdf, same for LDF file.
Start the SQL LocalDB instance again:
sqllocaldb start MSSQLLocalDB
Now your database is working from a new location. Repeat the steps for any other databases.
Paths Cannot Be Changed in SQL Server LocalDB "Automatic Instance" Types
In case anyone in 2023 finds out they cannot change their default database file storage paths, this article is for you!
This error applies to Microsoft SQL Server not being able to allow you to change the default file folder location on your PC where the SQL Server Database Files are saved (database and logs files, .mdf and .ldf).
Most developers often need control over where local database files are saved. Most prefer to store them in a central location, another drive, or simply the main SQL Server database repository inside the C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\{sql version name}\MSSQL\DATA, since that is where system data storage goes. One example of the problem of not being able to customize database file storage might be using Entity Framework Core, which runs "migration" scripts that create databases in SQL Server. When it does so, where those scripted databases get stored is heavily dependent on SQL Server's default file path settings. When the location of those EF code-first database files using LocalDB is locked down, developers are stuck with SQL files in multiple locations on their PC's.
THE PROBLEM
Apparently, when Microsoft installs SQL Server / SQL Express on your device, it attempts to install a default instance of the server as a specialized type called a "LocalDB Automatic Instance". They do this to get the user up and running fast with a "LocalDB" sql server instance, which is a one-time, "light", custom created server running as a public instance, complete with default settings which are customized for the user (or developer) so he can get up and running fast. The automatic type has the advantage that its granted permissions to the user as administrator in SQL, as well as granting all applications on the user's device public access to the server instance. (You will notice that IIsExpress works this way using ApplicationPools as dummy Windows User Accounts, creating default accounts next to your User Account in Windows to run app pools in IIS.) These SQL Server LocalDB binaries do not run as a service but on-demand. But only one of the "automatic" types may be installed per version per device. The other SQL Server LocalDB type is the named instance and is not as restricted as the automatic one, apparently.
The problem is, when they create this special LocalDB automatic instance, it locks down certain settings and applies certain permissions and settings that are unique just for this instance. This then limits what the user can do as far as customizations, one of which is the "Database default locations" in the Properties dialog box that appears when you right-click your sql server instance and choose properties.
Anyone using the full SQL Server version, or who has created a new instance of LocalDB, deleting the old one, will not experience this issue, so most of those people are scratching their heads.
But for local developers, what this means is your Sql Server LocalDB databases running under this instance of the server will typically store their databases under a locked down path...either the path you chose on install or default to the user-friendly account paths under C:\Users\{YourName}.
When users attempt to change the path in the properties box for the instance, many users online the past 5-6 years have noticed a nasty RegCreateKeyEx() returned error 5 Access is denied that would appear when saving a default path. Microsoft doesn't bother to tell you, but that is intentional. They don't expect to allow you to save paths to the registry for the instance, and assume everyone is ok with the default path.
You can fix the key error by going into your registry and changing permission on the Microsoft SQL Server registry keys, assigning the "Everyone" group account to the registry node managing these keys. In the Registry, add Everyone group account to this node below then try and save a new default path in the properties box for your sql server localdb instance:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server
The location of the default database file path keys (2019) in the Registry in Windows for an instance of the localdb server of are located here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL15E.LOCALDB\MSSQLServer
You are then able to save the new default paths in SQL, and the error goes away. Saving your default path in the Properties box works now, and the new values appear in the registry.
Even though you can change these paths, they will not stick, however, and reset back to the User Account Path, by default. Even if you save a new default sql path for your databases, when you create a new database it still reverts to the old path. Again, this applies ONLY for users who are running under the default "Automatic" LocalDB instance created on install of SQL Express.
So even after restarting SQL, restarting your PC, or restarting the SQL Service, those registry values will still not pull the registry keys into the SQL Server instance settings for Default file paths.
As proof, run these two scripts below in your SQL Server LocalDB instance. The first one returns the actual LocalDB default file paths SQL Server stores internally. The second script returns what is stored in your registry for the LocalDB default file path. If you saved new default path registry keys, they should be the same and shown in SQL Server instance properties, but they are different! That means Microsoft has decided not to allow you to change them for those running the "automatic" instance type of LocalDB on install. Below is the T-SQL to run to test this:
-- GETS THE PATH STORED IN SQL SERVER FOR "DefaultData" path
SELECT
[Value] = 'DefaultData',
[Data] = SERVERPROPERTY('InstanceDefaultDataPath')
-- DefaultData C:\Users\YourAccountName\
-- GETS WHATS IN THE REGISTRY FOR "DefaultData" path
EXECUTE [master].dbo.xp_instance_regread
N'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE',
N'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQLServer',
N'DefaultData'
-- DefaultData C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL15.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA
-- Note: If the second one returns `NULL` it just means you
-- have not yet tried or succeeded in saving a new file path
-- to your registry.
Why isnt SQL Server LocalDB pulling in the registry values?
What this means again, is sorry you can't change these default paths. Your best bet is to simple "detach" your databases, copy the .mdf and .ldf files to your new prefered folder, then reattach. When you create new databases, the console allows you to change the database file path there, as well. There are also some elaborate SQL scripts you can run to set paths before saving files.
But just know this is by design.
I think one of the purposes of LocalDB is that it is very convinient in bundling a demo database along with the source files of an application. The database file and its log, of course, are somewhere in the source file directory.
Take a Visual Studio solution for example, in web.config or app.config, you can see something like this:
<connectionStrings>
<add name="DefaultConnection" connectionString="Data Source=(LocalDb)\v11.0;Initial Catalog=aspnet-XXXXXX-20140609153630;Integrated Security=SSPI;AttachDBFilename=|DataDirectory|\aspnet-XXXXXX-20140609153630.mdf" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />
Now that the location of every LocalDB is specified in the config file, I don't think "default location" makes much sense.

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