Installation of Reporting Services on W2K3 Web Edition

Hi,

The SQL 2K5 setup identifies the O/S of W2K3 Web edition as unsupported for installation (Fair enough), and hence only offers the workstation components.

However - All I would like to install, are the Reporting Services components on the Web Edition server (connecting back to our DB server).

While I acknowledge that MS states SQL2K5 is not supported on Web Edition - surely the Reporting Services could be treated separately from this? - It is after all a web service, and one which many would like to run on a web server?

So - how can I do this (if at all)?

Regards

Steve.

Sorted it!!

This soultion would work for anyone that wants a similiar scenario (Web server front end - with RS on a DB Backend) - even if they are not using W2K3 Web Edition.

1. Managed to get over the install limitation, by directly running the RS msi file (sqlrun_msi) from the installation CD (files only - no config)

2. Use the RS config (GUI) tool to setup the service as you would normally.

In this situation - it created all the correct virtual directories, and setup the RS applications - however it still wouldnt work as expected. Our analysis was (according to the log files) - that perhaps because we subverted the main installation files - it thought it was a trial version (as stated in the error log - with 0 days left).

3. Anyway - once all configured - disable the ReportServer service (instance) that was created.

Then to achieve what we wanted to do anyway....

4. Edit the RSWebApplication.config file - such that the ReportsManager pointed to the ReportsServer on the database server (where RS is installed, configured and working properly). be sure to note that the two parameters in the file for the url and the VD are *mutually exclusive*.

Pointed the RSManager at the RSServer on our DB server, and voila - the web server will deliver reports and report files from the main DB server.

Hope this helps anyone else out there, trying anything similar.

Steve.