2.1. Why SharePoint Integrated Mode?
When you have SharePoint in your organization, this is one of the main questions you will find yourself trying to answer. The short answer is that it's easier to maintain, easier to secure, and easier to access reports when you already have a SharePoint installation.
Microsoft first introduced SharePoint integrated mode capabilities with SQL Server 2005 SP2. Before integrated mode was available, there was partial integration provided by two web parts: Report Viewer and Report Explorer. Although these web parts offered an easy way to display SQL Server reports within SharePoint, this was not a full integration of technologies. In reality, the major components of both SharePoint and SQL Server Reporting Services, such as security and storage, were not integrated. SharePoint and SSRS handled their storage needs separately by having distinct databases for storage. Security was another component handled separately on both SharePoint and SSRS, so the web parts just provided a window to the report server, not true integration.
With SharePoint integrated mode, users gain several benefits. The following sections detail some of the key features of the integration.
Integrated storage: With SharePoint integrated mode, administrators can manage, secure, and deliver reports to end users using SharePoint. Reports, data models, and data sources are all stored in a document library that enables users to go to one place to get data. You no longer need to send ...
