Reporting Service
Theme: Configure
Who Is It For? Business Analyst, Operations Staff
What Is It?
The Reporting Service is a Windows Service that extracts data from the OpCon database, transforms it, and loads it into a dedicated Reporting database. This isolates reporting queries from the operational database and makes the data viewable and downloadable through Solution Manager.
Overview
The reporting service is a Windows Service that processes OpCon reporting data viewable and downloadable through Solution Manager. It extracts data from the OpCon database, transforms it, and loads it into a dedicated Reporting database, isolating reporting queries from the operational database for better performance.
The service processes data immediately on startup and daily at 2:00AM.
This document covers the reporting service for on-premises Windows customers. Cloud users can configure the reporting service within Solution Manager. For details, see Reporting Service Cloud Configuration.
Installation
- The reporting service is installed automatically as part of the OpCon installer. No separate steps are required
- The service executable is named ReportingService
The reporting service must be installed by a user with SA privileges
Configuration
The service uses appsettings.json in the service installation directory, which contains:
- TimeZone - Your timezone
- Connection strings - Database connection information (encrypted passwords)
- OpConDb - Connection to the OpCon database (source data)
- ReportingDb - Connection to the Reporting database (target data)
- Logging settings - Log level configuration
Example appsettings.json:
{
"Scheduling": {
"TimeZone": "America/Chicago"
},
"ConnectionStrings": {
"OpConDb": "Server=localhost,1433;Database=OpConxps;User Id=sa;Password=<encrypted>;TrustServerCertificate=True",
"ReportingDb": "Server=localhost,1433;Database=Reporting;User Id=sa;Password=<encrypted>;TrustServerCertificate=True"
},
"Logging": {
"LogLevel": {
"Default": "Information",
"Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore": "Warning"
}
}
}
Connection String Configuration Tool
Use the command-line tool to securely configure database connection strings:
ReportingService configure-connection --name OpConDb --server localhost --database OpConxps --user sa --password myPassword
Or with Windows Authentication:
ReportingService configure-connection --name OpConDb --server localhost --database OpConxps --winauth
Passwords are encrypted using Windows DPAPI and stored in appsettings.json. Encryption is machine-specific and user-specific.
Logging
The service writes logs to:
- Windows Event Log - Service-level information
- File logs - Located in a
logdirectory relative to the service installation path
Troubleshooting
Service Won't Start
- Check Windows Event Viewer for error messages
- Verify connection strings in
appsettings.json - Ensure database servers are accessible
ETL Processes Not Running
- Check database connectivity (both OpConDb and ReportingDb)
- Review log files for error messages
Connection String Issues
- Use the
configure-connectioncommand to encrypt and set connection strings - Ensure the service runs under the same user account that encrypted the passwords (DPAPI is user-specific)
- For Windows Authentication, verify the service account has database access
Configuration Options
| Setting | What It Does | Default | Notes |
|---|
FAQs
Q: What does the Reporting Service do?
The Reporting Service extracts data from the OpCon database, transforms it, and loads it into a dedicated Reporting database. This isolates reporting queries from the operational database for better performance. Reports are then viewable and downloadable through Solution Manager.
Q: When does the Reporting Service process data?
The service processes data immediately on startup and then daily at 2:00 AM.
Q: Why might the Reporting Service fail to start after a password change?
Passwords are encrypted using Windows DPAPI, which is machine-specific and user-specific. If the service account changes or the passwords are re-encrypted under a different user, you must re-run the configure-connection command under the same user account that runs the service.
Glossary
Solution Manager: OpCon's browser-based graphical user interface for managing automation data, performing operational actions, and administering the system.
OpConxps: The standard installation directory name for OpCon program files, configuration files, and output data on Windows machines.
Machine: A platform defined in the OpCon database that has an agent installed. OpCon routes job execution requests to machines via SMANetCom, and machines report job completion status back to SAM.
OpCon: Continuous' workflow automation platform. The OpCon server includes the database, SAM and Supporting Services (SAM-SS), and graphical user interfaces. agents installed on target platforms run jobs and report results.