TFS Report Server problems

Question

Hello,

A few months ago, we changed our TFS setup from a single server setup with the application tier and data tier on the same server to a dual server model.  We moved the TFS databases to a separate database server that was better suited for the load from TFS.  I followed the published procedures for separating the data tier off onto another server and everything seemed to work without any problems. 

Fast forward a few months and the developers have started trying to create new projects.  The process gets almost all the way through but then errors out.  I have looked through the logs and found what I believe is the problem:

Exception Message: An internal error occurred on the report server.  See the error log for more details. ---> An internal error occurred on the report server. See the error log for more details. ---> The server principal "<DOMAINNAME>\TROY$" is not able to access the database "ReportserverTempDB" under the current security context.

At first glance, it appears that it's a simple matter of not having the permissions set up correctly.  However, I believe that this has something to do with our database names.  When I migrated the databases, I move the reporting server databases over to the new database server.  Since we already had an instance of SSRS running on that server, I had to rename the databases to TFS_ReportServer and TFS_ReportsServerTempDB.  I left the SSRS running on the TFS server (the application tier server) and pointed it to the database on the new database server.  So when I read that error message, I see that TFS is trying to access ReportServerTempDB and not TFS_ReportServerTempDB.

Is there any way to get TFS pointed to the correct temp DB?  Is there another way that I should have done this?  Thanks for any help that anybody can give.

Regards,
John

Answer 1

Hi John,

Thanks for reporting this issue,

According to MSDN documentation: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms159093.aspx
"Renaming a report server database is not supported because the report server databases are considered internal components."

AFAIK, in the report server primary database, it will hardcode the temp DB name in its stored procedure. So if you want to use another name of report server, you'd better create a new one instead.

Repairing TFS will reconfigure the reporting service. Hope it helps.

 

Hongye Sun [MSFT]
MSDN Subscriber Support in Forum
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Answer 2

Hi Hongye,

Thank you for your reply.  Two quick questions:

1.  Can I just recreate the SSRS databases?  It looks like that would be the easiest way.

2.  You mention "repairing TFS."  Is there documentation for the procedure that you can point me to?

Thank you for all of your help.

Answer 3

Hi John,

1. Yes, you can recreate one.

2. Repair TFS AT can be found at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms252468.aspx

Hongye Sun [MSFT]
MSDN Subscriber Support in Forum
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Answer 4

Hi Hongye,

Thanks for your response and your help.  I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a few more questions.

1. I recreated the SSRS databases. It worked like a charm, but they are blank and all of the reports that were originally created are not there. This makes perfect sense, of course, but I didn't think about that before I did it.  Is there a way to get those populated again with the correct stuff?
2. The TFS Repair looks like a destructive repair.  I noticed that it said in the instructions that if you repair the Application Tier, the Data Tier gets repaired as well.  We don't want to lose any data.  We are fine with how TFS is working, with the exception of the reporting services.  If I did a repair, would we lose all of the data in the TFS databases? 

Thanks for any help that you give; I really appreciate it.

Regards,
John

Answer 5

Hi John,

For the 1st question, the following link should be what you are looking for:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb522762.aspx

"You cannot rename the report server database. The identity of the database is recorded in report server stored procedures when the database is created. Renaming either the report server primary or temporary databases will cause errors to occur when the procedures run, invalidating your report server installation.

If the database name from the existing installation is not suited for the new installation, you should consider creating a new database that has the name that you prefer, and then load existing application data using the techniques in the following list:

• Write a Visual Basic script that calls Report Server Web service SOAP methods to copy data between databases. You can use the RS.exe utility to run the script. For more information about this approach, see Scripting (Reporting Services).
• Write code that calls the WMI provider to copy data between databases. For more information about this approach, see Reporting Services WMI Provider.
• If you have just a few items, you can republish reports, report models, and shared data sources from Report Designer, Model Designer, and Report Builder to the new report server. You must re-create role assignments, subscriptions, shared schedules, report snapshot schedules, custom properties that you set on reports or other items, model item security, and properties that you set on the report server. You will lose report history and report execution log data."

For the 2nd question, you won't lose any data in data tier. However, you'd better backup the db before you do any operation againt it.
You may only lose some build data in the data warehouse database. Here is the explanation:
http://blogs.msdn.com/dstfs/archive/2009/05/07/use-of-setupwarehouse-exe-rebuild-can-cause-data-loss-in-team-foundation-server-2008.aspx

Hope it helps.

Hongye Sun [MSFT]
MSDN Subscriber Support in Forum
If you have any feedback on our support, please contact msdnmg @ microsoft.com

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Answer 6

Hi Hongye,

I wasn't able to get to this today, but I will try it on Monday and let you know how it works.  Thanks again for all of your help!

Regards,
John

Answer 7

Hi John,

Is this issue resolved? Please feel free to let me know if you need any help on this.

Hongye Sun [MSFT]
MSDN Subscriber Support in Forum
If you have any feedback on our support, please contact msdnmg @ microsoft.com

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