Create the RSExecRole

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Reporting Services uses a predefined database role called RSExecRole to grant report server permissions to the report server database. The RSExecRole role is created automatically with the report server database. As a rule, you should never modify it or assign other users to the role. However, when you move a report server database to a new or different SQL Server Database Engine, must re-create the role in the Master and MSDB system databases. 

Using the following instructions, you will perform the following steps:

  • Create and provision the RSExecRole in the Master system database.

  • Create and provision the RSExecRole in the MSDB system database.

Note

The instructions in this topic are intended for users who do not want to run a script or write WMI code to provision the report server database. If you manage a large deployment and will be moving databases routinely, you should write a script to automate these steps. For more information, see Access the Reporting Services WMI Provider.

Before you start

  • Back up the encryption keys so that you can restore them after the database is moved. This is step does not directly affect your ability to create and provision the RSExecRole, but you must have a backup of the keys in order to verify your work. For more information, see Back Up and Restore Reporting Services Encryption Keys (SSRS Native Mode).

  • Verify you are logged on as a user account that has sysadmin permissions on the SQL Server instance.

  • Verify SQL Server Agent service is installed and running on the instance of the Database Engine instance that you plan to use.

  • Attach the reportservertempdb and reportserver databases. You are not required to attach the databases to create the actual role, but they must be attached before you can test your work.

The instructions for manually creating the RSExecRole are intended to be used within the context of migrating a report server installation. Important tasks such as backing up and moving the report server database are not addressed in this topic, but are documented in the Database Engine documentation.

Create RSExecRole in Master

Reporting Services uses extended stored procedures for SQL Server Agent service to support scheduled operations. The following steps explain how to grant Execute permissions for the procedures to the RSExecRole role.

To create RSExecRole in the Master system database using Management Studio

  1. Start SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the Database Engine instance that hosts the report server database.

  2. Open Databases.

  3. Open System Databases.

  4. Open Master.

  5. Open Security.

  6. Open Roles.

  7. Right-click Database Roles, and select New Database Role. The General page appears.

  8. In Role name, type RSExecRole.

  9. In Owner, type DBO.

  10. Click Securables.

  11. Click Search. The Add Objects dialog box appears. The Specific Objects option is selected by default.

  12. Click OK. The Select Objects dialog box appears.

  13. Click Object Types.

  14. Click Extended Stored Procedures.

  15. Click OK.

  16. Click Browse.

  17. Scroll down the list of extended stored procedures and select the following:

    1. xp_sqlagent_enum_jobs

    2. xp_sqlagent_is_starting

    3. xp_sqlagent_notify

  18. Click OK, and the click OK again.

  19. In the Execute row, in the Grant column, click the check box, and then click OK.

  20. Repeat for each of the remaining stored procedures. RSExecRole must be granted Execute permissions for all three stored procedures.

Database Role Properties page

Create RSExecRole in MSDB

Reporting Services uses stored procedures for SQL Server Agent service and retrieves job information from system tables to support scheduled operations. The following steps explain how to grant Execute permissions for the procedures and Select permissions on the tables to the RSExecRole.

To create RSExecRole in the MSDB system database

  1. Repeat similar steps for granting permissions to stored procedures and tables in MSDB. To simplify the steps, you will provision the stored procedures and tables separately.

  2. Open MSDB.

  3. Open Security.

  4. Open Roles.

  5. Right-click Database Roles, and select New Database Role. The General page appears.

  6. In Role name, type RSExecRole.

  7. In Owner, type DBO.

  8. Click Securables.

  9. Click Add. The Add Objects dialog box appears. The Specify Objects option is selected by default.

  10. Click OK.

  11. Click Object Types.

  12. Click Stored Procedures.

  13. Click OK.

  14. Click Browse.

  15. Scroll down the list of items and select the following:

    1. sp_add_category

    2. sp_add_job

    3. sp_add_jobschedule

    4. sp_add_jobserver

    5. sp_add_jobstep

    6. sp_delete_job

    7. sp_help_category

    8. sp_help_job

    9. sp_help_jobschedule

    10. sp_verify_job_identifiers

  16. Click OK, and the click OK again.

  17. Select the first stored procedure: sp_add_category.

  18. In the Execute row, in the Grant column, click the checkbox, and then click OK.

  19. Repeat for each of the remaining stored procedures. RSExecRole must be granted Execute permissions for all ten stored procedures.

  20. On the Securables tab, and click Add again. The Add Objects dialog box appears. The Specify Objects option is selected by default.

  21. Click OK.

  22. Click Object Types.

  23. Click Tables.

  24. Click OK.

  25. Click Browse.

  26. Scroll down the list of items and select the following:

    1. syscategories

    2. sysjobs

  27. Click OK, and the click OK again.

  28. Select the first table: syscategories.

  29. In the Select row, in the Grant column, click the checkbox, and then click OK.

  30. Repeat for the sysjobs table. RSExecRole must be granted Select permissions for both tables.

Move the Report Server Database

After you create the roles, you can move the report server database to new SQL Server instance. For more information, see Moving the Report Server Databases to Another Computer.

If you are upgrading the Database Engine to SQL Server 2012, you can upgrade it before or after moving the database.

The report server database will be upgraded to the SQL Server 2012 automatically when the report server connects to it. There are no specific steps required for upgrading the database.

Restore Encryption Keys and Verify Your Work

If you have attached the report server databases, you should now be able to complete the following steps to verify your work.

To verify report server operability after a database move

  1. Start the Reporting Services Configuration tool and connect to the report server.

  2. Click Database.

  3. Click Change Database.

  4. Click Choose an existing report server database.

  5. Enter the server name of the Database Engine. If you attached the report server databases to a named instance, you must type the instance name in this format: <servername>\<instancename>.

  6. Click Test Connection.

  7. Click Next.

  8. On the Database, select the report server database.

  9. Click Next and complete the wizard.

  10. Click Encryption Keys.

  11. Click Restore.

  12. Select the strong file (.snk) that has the backup copy of the symmetric key used to decrypt stored credentials and connection information in the report server database.

  13. Enter the password and click OK.

  14. Click Report Manager URL.

  15. Click the link to open Report Manager. You should see the report server items from the report server database.

See Also

Tasks

Create a Native Mode Report Server Database (Reporting Services)

Concepts

Moving the Report Server Databases to Another Computer

Back Up and Restore Reporting Services Encryption Keys (SSRS Native Mode)

Other Resources

How to: Start Reporting Services Configuration Manager