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SAS/SHARE Is a Multi-User Data Server

SAS/SHARE software provides a multi-user data server that offers several advantages for local and remote SAS clients and other clients. The multi-user SAS/SHARE server enables two or more clients to write to the same SAS file (for example, a data set or a catalog) at the same time. This feature is traditionally known as concurrent update access.

The traditional scenario for using SAS/SHARE is an environment in which multiple client sessions all want to share (read and write) records in the same SAS data set.

The following list includes a sample of the types of operations that multiple clients can perform at the same time:

• While one user is creating a member in a data library, other users can create, read, delete, and update members in the same library.

• While one user attempts to use the SAS Explorer window on a data library, other users can open the same window to browse, delete, edit, or re-name members in the same library. You can also copy a member from the SAS Explorer window.

• While one user opens the CATALOG window on a catalog, other users can open the CATALOG window to browse, copy, delete, or rename entries in the same catalog.

• While one or more users are using the FSEDIT procedure, the FSVIEW procedure in edit mode, the UPDATE statement in the SQL procedure, or an SCL program to update a SAS data set, other users can
  • update the SAS data set using the MODIFY, REMOVE, or REPLACE statement in a DATA step

  • read the SAS data set as input data using the SET statement in a DATA step

  • add observations to the SAS data set using the APPEND or SQL procedure or remove observations with the SQL procedure

  • copy the SAS data set that is being updated (as well as other members of the library) into another library by using the COPY or the CATALOG procedure.

SAS/SHARE Offers a Path to Remote Data

The multi-user SAS/SHARE server also offers remote clients a path to shared data, even if they want only to read that data, without the overhead of a SAS/CONNECT sign on.

In this scenario, you might have a network of client machines that need read access to a data set that resides on a central server system machine. You could use SAS/CONNECT and have each of those clients create a remote session on the central server machine. However, if you need to read only a small-to-moderate amount of data, the overhead for each client that is signing on to the central host and starting a SAS session may be significant. Also, the additional load on the central machine that comes with each of these SAS sessions may be undesirable. You can avoid this overhead and additional load by having those client sessions access data through a SAS/SHARE server that is running on the central machine. Because the server is already running and it serves multiple users, connecting to the server and accessing the data takes very little time.

SAS/SHARE Server Is the Hub between Data and Its Clients

A SAS/SHARE server may be thought of as a hub that serves clients with data from many different sources. For example, a server must use a SAS/ACCESS engine to ORACLE in order to access data that is stored in an ORACLE DBMS. As another example, a server can get to SAS data through a Native Library engine. See your SAS/ACCESS documentation for details about how to specify an engine to access specific data. Data Sources for a SAS/SHARE Server shows a sample of the data sources that a SAS/SHARE server can provide to its clients.

Data Sources for a SAS/SHARE Server

With an identified DBMS, a SAS/SHARE server supplies the requesting client with data for its data processing needs. In Version 7, support extends to clients other than the classic SAS client.

With a license for SAS/SHARE*NET software, you may send requests to a SAS/SHARE server from a client that is not a SAS application. A SAS/SHARE*NET server is a SAS/SHARE server for which SAS/SHARE*NET software is licensed. SAS/SHARE*NET software includes the Data Services component of SAS/IntrNet software.

Examples of clients that are not SAS applications are:

htmSQL

runs a Web server and offers a gateway to your SAS data from a Web browser. It enables you to incorporate data into a Web page by using SQL queries.

Java applet or application

uses SAS/SHARE*NET Driver for JDBC, which enables you to write Java applets or applications that can view and update data through a direct connection to a SAS/SHARE*NET server.

C program

uses the SAS SQL Library for C, which is an API that enables you to create applications that use SQL queries and statements to access data in SAS data sets and in other database management systems.

Application that uses the ODBC driver, such as Microsoft Excel

uses the ODBC driver, which provides ODBC-compliant Windows applications with read and write access to local and remote SAS data sets.

Each of the preceding client interfaces or applications has its own documentation.

SAS/SHARE Server Clients shows a sample of the types of clients that a V7 server supports. The diagram shows a SAS/SHARE server that is running in a SAS session in a supported operating environment. A server administrator starts the SAS/SHARE server session. SAS/SHARE clients can connect to the server from any machine on your network. SAS clients use the REMOTE engine to access data through a SAS/SHARE server.

SAS/SHARE Server Clients

The term other client refers to a client that is not a SAS application. For each of these clients, the appropriate client-side drivers and libraries must be invoked, as appropriate.

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