Best Practices for Configuring the SharePoint 2013 BI Stack

#SPSBE16Mark MacraeApril 26th, 2014

Mark Macraemark.macrae@c5alliance.com@m_macrae

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Planning & PrepStandards

• Take same care with Development as with Production

• Use Naming Conventions Databases Service Accounts

• Script your Actions with PowerShell

• Use Virtual Technology to test, snapshot and refine

• Take pride in your environment• Plan!!

Planning & PrepService Accounts

• Install / Setup Account PowerShell Scripts Cumulative Updates/Service Packs

• Service Accounts BI Services App Pool Account Unattended Accounts

PerformancePoint Excel Services Visio Services PowerPivot Data Refresh

• Standards Naming conventions Descriptions Sensible Names

Understand Service Accounts and the principle of least privileges. Don’t log in using Service Accounts. Create a setup account and do all patching/config with it.

Planning & PrepServer Topology

• Common Mistakes Install SSRS on SQL Server Install SharePoint Foundation on SQL

Server Configure SQL Server as an Application

Server

Plan your server topology.

Server OS

SharePoint Foundation

FE ProfileExcel

Services

Search …….

Server OS

SQL Server

SharePoint Foundation

DB SSAS SSIS SSR

S PP

Planning & PrepServer Topology

• SSQL Server 2012 SP1 Default SQL Instance

Database Engine SSAS SSIS

PowerPivot SQL Instance SSAS SharePoint Mode (PowerPivot)

• SharePoint Server SSRS (SharePoint Mode + Add In) PowerPivot for SharePoint 2013 Add-In Service Applications (SSRS, Excel,

PowerPivot, PerformancePoint)

Good Example of a 2 Server BI Farm.

Server OS

SQL Server

DB SSAS SSIS

Server OS

SharePoint Foundation

WFE ProfileExcel

Services

Search SSRS PP

Planning & PrepPowerPivot

• Analysis Services SharePoint Mode Separate SSAS Instance Grant Service Account as Admin

• SharePoint Server PowerPivot for SharePoint 2013 Add-In Secure Store for Data Refresh Account

Planning & PrepSSRS

• On SharePoint App Servers Install SQL Instance (Same Version of SQL) Reporting Services – SharePoint Reporting Services Add-In for SharePoint PowerShell Commands

Install-SPRSService Install-SPRSServiceProxy

Planning & PrepDesktop / Devices

• Silverlight Power View PerformancePoint Power Pivot Gallery

• Browser Support IE8+ for editing All browsers for browsing

• Excel 2013/O365 required for Power View / Power BI 2010 supports Power Pivot 2007 workbooks will render in Excel Services

Be prepared for the devices and client experience available.

Setting UpExcel Services

• Start Service• Create Service Application

No Database BI Services App Pool Grant Access To Process Identity (Cannot Open

Workbook Error)

• Configuration Global Settings

Set Unattended Secure Store ID Trusted Data Connection Libraries Data Model Settings

Add SSAS PowerPivot Server

• Quick Test Sample Workbook

The best starting point for your BI farm and the base service for PowerPivot

Setting UpPowerPivot

• PreReqs Excel Services Data Model Server (SSAS SharePoint Mode) Secure Store (Unattended Data Refresh Account) Installed PowerPivot for SharePoint 2013 Add-In

• Configuration Grant Access to Central Admin DB (Management

Dash) Install PowerPivot Addin (on every server in

farm) Set Up and Run Configuration Tool Create Service Application Configure Data Refresh Re-run Configuration Tool

• Test Sample Workbook

PowerPivot requires Excel Services and is fundamental to Self Serve BI

Setting UpSSRS

• PreReqs SSRS 2012 (SharePoint Mode) Installed SSRS 2012 for SharePoint Add-In Installed PowerShell if necessary Silverlight (for Power View)

• Configuration Create Service Application Create SSRS Reports Library

• Test Load Report Builder Create Sample report

SSRS integrates with Excel and PowerPivot to provide PowerView

Setting UpPerformancePoint

• PreReqs PPS Service Silverlight (for Decomposition Tree) Set Site as Trusted Sites ADOMD.NET (for SSAS Data Sources)

• Configuration Create Service Application Define Unattended Settings

• Test Connect to SSAS Data Source Create and Deploy Dashboard

PerformancePoint Services gives a graphical view across multi-dimensional cubes in addition to a dashboarding tool

Setting UpVisio Services

• PreReqs Visio Service

• Configuration Unattended Account in Secure Store Create Service Application Global Settings – set Unattended account Set up AD Group for Diagram Authors

• Test Sample Visio File

Visio Services provides alternative visualisations when hooking up Visio stencils to data

Common Issues

• PowerPivot Data Refresh Errors Check Excel Data Model Settings (full instance

name) Ensure AppPool Account has Admin Permissions

in SSAS PowerPivot instance

• Data Sources Check Unattended Accounts have access

• PPS Dashboard Designer Check Site is Trusted Check ADOMD v10 installed on SP Server

The best starting point for your BI farm and the base service for PowerPivot

Next Steps

• SQL 2012 CU 4+ Power View reports against Multi Dimensional

models (SSRS only)

• SQL 2014• Kerberos

Per User authentication Kerberos Guide http://

www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=23176

• Data Management• Self Service Policy

Now the core services are working what next for your farm?

Power BI

• Cloud/Hybrid Only Service Reduced Complexity Cope with Rapid Change Cost Effective (Infrastructure/Management)

• Some Services On-Premises Only PerformancePoint SSRS Integrated

• Focus on Excel and Self Service Power View Power Pivot Power Query Power Map

Microsoft’s roadmap is Cloud Only with PowerBI – Is this a game changer?