The FIM 2010 R2 Reporting Architecture is composed of the following:

• FIM Service Database – This is the required database for the FIM 2010 R2 Reporting feature. When the reporting feature is selected, it will install reporting cache tables and request log table as part of the FIM Service.
  
  
• Binding Objects – The “DataWarehouseBinding” object definition in FIM. The ExportLogBinding table in SQL. For additional information see FIM 2010 R2 Reporting Data Warehouse Binding later in this document.
  
  
• Report Log – The ExportLog SQL table.
  
  
• FIM Reporting Administration – PowerShell cmdlets and scripts that interact with the FIM Service for administering the Reporting feature.
  
  
• Management Packs - A System Center construct that can be used to define:
  
  
  • New Schema in the data warehouse
    
    
  • Report meta data and reference to RDL
    
    
  • Custom transform code used to manipulate data during ETL
    
    
  • Localization for report headers and filtering parameters
    
    
• System Center Service Manager - an integrated platform for automating and adapting your organization’s IT service management best practices.
  
  
• SQL Server Reporting Services RDL - SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Report Definition Language used to define a report that is delivered from SQL Server.
  
  

The FIM Reporting service installation does two important things that are necessary to understand how reporting works:

• It installs the FIM Reporting service, which allows data to be extracted from the FIM database, and to be moved to the SCSM Data Warehouse database.
  
  
• It updates the SCSM configuration with a set of pre-defined management packs. These management packs define the FIM schema to SCSM, and also define the out-of-box reports.
  
  

Data flows from FIM 2010 R2 to SCSM using the following general steps:

• Initial ETL – This process reads data directly from the FIM database and stages it to SCSM. An initial synchronization should be run immediately after a fresh FIM installation. This provides the SCSM database with a clean baseline with which to process future changes.
  
  
• Incremental ETL – The process reads data from the FIM Reporting export log, which tracks deltas to the database, and stages the changed data to SCSM. This process can be scheduled to run at regular intervals, or can be performed ad hoc. By default, this process runs every 8 hours, starting at 12P:00 PM FIM Service server time.
  
  
• Initial-Partial ETL – The process moves over any new schema elements that have been added as part of extension into SCSM. This process should be run after adding new schema elements to the SCSM store.
  
  
• SCSM Export, Transform, Load – (ETL) – This process runs on the SCSM server, and exports the staged data, transforms it to the correct format, then loads it into the Data Warehouse.
  
  

Once the data has synchronized between FIM and the Data Warehouse, you can use the SCSM Service Manager console to run and view the out-of-box reports. These reports were defined in the SCSM management packs that were automatically deployed during the FIM 2010 R2 RC installation, and will appear in the SCSM Service Manager console under Forefront Identity Manager Reporting.

For additional information on the ETL process see FIM 2010 R2 Reporting ETL Process later in this guide.