SSRS 2012 - uninitialized server

Question

I have been experiencing random connection/handshake problems w/ a hyper server VM running SQL and SSRS

So the network guys suggested building a new VM and trying it there. (Have you tried rebooting? )

I asked that they rename the old server (--> SQLBKUP) and name the new server to the current name (--> SQL) so all my connection strings will continue to work.

Regardless the wisdom of that approach, that is all now done.

All of our applications work. (and the weird handshake issue is gone,joy) I have reinstalled SSRS and I thought I was home free.

We backed up and restored the ReportServer and ReportServerTemp databases to the new server.

If i try to point to these databases , I keep getting this error

The report server installation is not initialized.     (rsReportServerNotActivated) Get Online Help 

Any all information I can find about this for 2012 says that the initialization happens automatically when you configure a database.

I tried creating a new database, and presto, everything works fine. I reconfigured SSRS to point at the old database and I again get the rsReportServerNotActivated error.

I also 'powered down' SQLBKUP in case it was causing some confusion, I cant imagine what that might be, but why not... This did NOT correct the problem.

Any ideas on why the databases that were working on 1 server wont work on the new one?

Searching the interweb for this issue I find two results for 2012 SSRS (many hits for 2005 issues/resolutions )

this article details how the RSExec role should be configured, I have verified that is all correct. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc281308.aspx

this article details the mechanics of various ways to move a database. The back up and restore operations went off w/oa hitch. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms156421.aspx

neither article mentions cleaning up any server names, ip addresses, etc. that might be in a config table. Inspecting the tables in SSMS, I dont see any tables that look like they might need such attention.

I can always recreate the environment, I am aout to that point, at least I will know what I have in front of me. If anyone has any suggestions, i would appreciate it, Im sure I will be up for a while... :-)

tyia greg

Answer 1

You are getting that error because you haven't moved the old encryption keys to the new server. SSRS uses encryption to secure credentials and connection information. You'll need to get the encryption keys from the old server and restore them to the new one OR if you don't have the keys anymore you can create new ones but you'll need to setup your connection information again.

First backup your old encryption keys:

1. Start the Reporting Services Configuration Manager, and then connect to the report server instance you want to configure.
2. Click Encryption Keys, and then click Back Up.
3. Type a strong password.
4. Specify a file to contain the stored key. Reporting Services appends a .snk file extension to the file. Consider storing the file on a disk separate from the report server.
5. Click OK.

Then restore the keys to the new server:

1. Start the Reporting Services Configuration Manager, and then connect to the report server instance you want to configure.
2. On the Encryption Keys page, click Restore.
3. Select the .snk file that contains the back up copy.
4. Type the password that unlocks the file.
5. Click OK.

You can also use the rskeymgmt utility, see the MSDN article: Back Up and Restore Reporting Services Encryption Keys .

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If you don't have access to the older server you'll need to delete and recreate the encryption keys. Once you delete the keys the server will automatically re-initialize itself and you'll need to re-enter all of the lost encrypted information.

The following things will occur when you delete the encryption keys:

• Connection strings in shared data sources are deleted. Users who run reports get the error "The ConnectionString property has not been initialized." Stored credentials are deleted. Reports and shared data sources are reconfigured to use prompted credentials.

• Reports that are based on models (and require shared data sources configured with stored or no credentials) will not run.

• Subscriptions are deactivated.

Steps to delete the keys:

1. Start the Reporting Services Configuration tool, and then connect to the report server instance you want to configure.

2. Click Encryption Keys, and then click Delete. Click OK.

3. Restart the Report Server Windows service. For a scale-out deployment, do this on all report server instances.

This is from MSDN - Delete and Re-create Encryption Keys . The article has a lot more useful information.

For more information also read Configure and Manage Encryption Keys