Steps to set up Scale Out SSRS in Azure VM’s.
Copy all the SSRS reports from Old Production server to New server along with the data sources.
Steps:
1. Create 2 Azure VM’s with SSRS installed on them. Use MarketPlace Template or design custom. The SSRS Service account must be a domain account. If using templates then watch out for InstallationID which is a GUID in both rsreportserver.config files, they should not be same.
2. Options
a. Option #1 Azure SQL Managed Instance, Create an Azure SQL Managed Instance by following this. Configure the 1st SSRS VM to use this SQL MI for Report Server database. Configure the 2nd SSRS VM to also use this same database and configure “Scale Out” mode. This is done using SSRS Configuration Manager.
b. OR Option #2 Azure SQL on VM please follow these steps to setup AlwaysOn Availability Group OR Failover Cluster in Azure (FCI). Configure the 1st SSRS VM to use this SQL Server DB. Configure the 2nd SSRS VM to also use this same database and configure “Scale Out” mode. This is done using SSRS Configuration Manager.
3. Configure View State Validation for SSRS by following these steps. Please note that steps are different for different versions.
4. Create and configure an Azure ILB for both SSRS VM’s using Portal or PowerShell. Add the endpoints on your http(s) ports on the server in step 3. Set the endpoint IdleTimeoutInMinutes to 30 on both endpoints, the endpoint MUST also have DirectServerReturn Set to $true.
5. Create a Host record in your AD DNS for the Azure ILB IP Address.
6. Configure URLRoot in rsreportserver.config as shown here. (Hostname configuration not needed)
7. Configure the authentication method in rsreportserver.config
<RSWindowsExtendedProtectionLevel>Off</RSWindowsExtendedProtectionLevel>
<RSWindowsExtendedProtectionScenario>Any</RSWindowsExtendedProtectionScenario>
