Setting Up Connection Information
Our next step
is to set up a Data Connection. The good news here is that Reporting
Services can connect with, and create the datasets it needs from, virtually
any ODBC or OLE DB-compliant data source (in addition to the
obvious MSSQL Server and MSAS data stores). .NET-based API's add the
potential for other data sources, assuming that you have a legacy, or otherwise
eccentric, scenario on your hands.
Let's set up
a Connection, and create a Dataset within our practice example.
1.
Select New Dataset in
the Dataset selector at the top of the Data tab, as depicted in Illustration
9.
As soon as we click the New Dataset selection, the Data
Link Properties dialog box appears, defaulted to the Connection tab.
2.
Type the name of the
computer housing the targeted OLTP database, AdventureWorks2000.
My server name, MOTHER1,
appears in this article.
3.
Select the Use Windows NT
Integrated security radio button.
4.
Select AdventureWorks2000
within the Select the database on the server selector.
The settings on the Connection
tab of the Data Link Properties dialog should resemble those shown in Illustration
10.
Illustration 10:
Data Link Properties Dialog - Connection Tab
5.
Click the Test Connection
button to verify connectivity to the data source.
We receive a message
box, indicating a successful test connection, as shown in Illustration 11.
Illustration
11: We Test Positive for Connectivity
6.
Click OK to accept the
settings we have made, and to close the Data Link Properties dialog.
Report Designer next presents us with a dataset design tool, based
upon our newly connected source. Illustration 12 depicts the resulting
view.
We are immediately
positioned to design our query, which brings us to the next step.
» 
