Summary

This knowledge base article provides a procedure for how to reconfigure Reporting Services when it's being protected by Neverfail Engine. 

Procedure

High-level workflow:

• Starting configuration: Neverfail Engine is installed and replicating on the protected SQL Server cluster. SQL Server Reporting Services are configured and working correctly an all the Engine nodes (when active)
• Action: Reconfigure SQL Server Reporting Services using the Report Server Configuration Manager.
• Resulting configuration: Reconfigured SQL Server Reporting Services is working correctly on all the Neverfail Engine protected nodes (when active) 

Procedure Steps:

Requirement: The account which will be used to configure Reporting Services must meet the following conditions:

• its associated profile must be created across all the Engine nodes in the cluster
• for user and domain accounts: Logon as a Service policy for the new service account must be effective on all the Engine nodes in the cluster

1. On the active server, using the Neverfail Engine Advanced Management Client:
   
   • Go to Applications> Plug-ins> and: Enable Protect Reporting Services Private Keys option for SQL Server Plug-in (from Edit plugin wizard). 
   • Go to Application> Summary> Configure...> and: switch to Unprotect services and stop monitoring all applications (for manual application maintenance)
2. Configure Reporting Services using Report Server Configuration Manager
3. Go to Application> Summary> Configure...> and: switch back to Protect services and monitoring all applications (recommended)

(optional): To test the Reporting Services reconfiguration was successful:

• Wait for (or manually execute) the SQL Server> File Filter Discovery task
• Make Active one of the passives servers
• Check Reporting Services are working properly

If reconfiguring the Service Account:

This procedure depends on Reporting Services  Service Account reconfiguration, more precisely:

• is user profile for the service account (intended to be used) already created on all the Engine nodes?
• is Logon as a Service policy effective on all the Engine nodes for the service account (intended to be used) ?

There may be situations when the above mentioned account requirements are not met, i.e.:

• local user is created on active post Engine install
• account profile not created on all the Engine nodes (i.e. existing user which never logged on the server)
• existing account without Logon as a Service policy effective on all the nodes (i.e. user account never used as a logon account for any service)

In all these scenarios, prior of reconfiguring Reporting Services, the Engine cluster must be configured to meet the requirements. This can be achieved by any of the following procedures:

1. Reclone the passive servers after reconfiguring Reporting Services on the active server
2. Prepare the service account on the passive servers as indicated below (the above apply to a local user account):
   1. Disable (If enabled) Protect Reporting Services Private Keys option for SQL Server Plug-in (from Edit plugin wizard). Leave Engine running/replicating on the cluster.
   2. Create the new local user account on the active server (if it's not already created)
   3. Configure Logon as a Service policy for the new local user account
   4. On each passive server:
      1. Login using the new local user account
      2. Shutdown Engine on the local passive server only
      3. Restart passive server
3. At this point passive(s) server(s) are ready for the Reporting Services configuration change replication
4. Enable Protect Reporting Services Private Keys option for SQL Server Plug-in (from Edit plugin wizard)

Applies to:

Neverfail for SQL Server Plug-in v201.5.13 (or newer)