1. Best Practices for Configuring the
SharePoint 2013 BI Stack
#SPSBE16
Mark Macrae
April 26th, 2014

2. @m_macrae

3. Thanks to our sponsors!
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4. Planning & Prep
Standards
• 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!!

5. Planning & Prep
Service 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.

6. Planning & Prep
Server 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 Profile
Excel
Services
Search …….
Server OS
SQL Server
SharePoint Foundation
DB SSAS SSIS SSRS PP

7. Planning & Prep
Server 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 Profile
Excel
Services
Search SSRS PP

8. Planning & Prep
PowerPivot
• 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

9. Planning & Prep
SSRS
• 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

10. Planning & Prep
Desktop / 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.

11. Setting Up
Excel 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

12. Setting Up
PowerPivot
• 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

13. Setting Up
SSRS
• 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

14. Setting Up
PerformancePoint
• 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

15. Setting Up
Visio 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

16. 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

17. 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?

18. 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?