Blogging about all things SAS

So had a good update at the SUNZ 2009 conference today on 9.2.

So it looks like:

• Release 27th February, for limited numbers of customers
• General Release to be announced at SAS Forum on 22 March, but likely to be general availability on that day
• Install downlaods likely to be available in Apri
• Includes Enterprise Intelligence Platform (eDI and eBI), but not Enterprise Miner or Forecast Server
• Solutions released throughout the 2009 year, SOM likely in July and ABM near the end of the year
• First service pack/maintenance release for EIP in September

So will you be first?

So it looks like 9.2 (Phase 2) is immenient.

Joe added a comment to my previous blog that 9.2 was being released on the 28th February.

It also seems that internal 9.2 training is underway in the US which is also a good sign, so that coupled with the fact that 9.2 demo’s are available means it is almost at the end of my product delivery continuum. What product delivery continuum? Thought you would never ask

Software vendors seem to follow this continuum in regards to software delivery :

1. Get an idea, issue a press release announcing the new product/release
2. Build some powerpoint presentations outlining the new functionality
3. Write a whitepaper outlining the business benefits of the new functionality
4. Perhaps issue screenshots or static demo’s
5. Wait 1 to 4 years (called development)
6. Issue a beta version
7. Wait another 1-2 years (called further development based on customer feedback)
8. Show ‘live’ demo’s at user conference
9. Delay release due to testing issues
10. Announce the release as a surprise, with little notice
11. Train the sales/presales teams
12. Create SWAT teams for initial implementations
13. Wait 3 to 6 month, train the rest of the implementation teams
14. 3 to 6 months after releases, issue a whole raft of hot fixes.

Actually SAS is not so bad as some vendors when it comes to this continuum, they definitely try not to pre announce product (its just a pity SAS 9.2 was at the latter end of point 5)

I remember in my Oracle days (a long time ago I admit) I would have had to add an extra step, issue blank (or corrupt) install CD’s to meetthe release deadline required to recognise the revenue. (ah the heady days of 90′s software sales!)

Chris Hemedinger has blogged a number of very good reasons why you would move fomr Base SAS to Enterprise Guide. He has also outlined the things you will loose.

In my experience most SAS programmers are forced by their cpmpanies to move to EG rather than do so willingly (but I amnot saying the move is a wrong one). There are a number of reasons that this move is enforced on them, including:

• Reducing License costs, by moving from desktoplicenses to server ased licenses
• Increased code reuse by non SAS programmers
• Increased documentation, via EG’s semi self documenting features

One of the area I find base SAS Programmers struggle with is the whole idea of Metadata vs Physical table data. So I would recommend spending a bit of time on this with them.

At the moment we would love to move our DI Studio code to EG for one of our projects. The reason?

In EG you can see the log file as the code run’s, in DI Studio you have to wait until it finishes (assuming it does finish).

DI Studio provides the ability to see where in the process flow your job is at, but for now we write our code in DI Studio, then grab it and run it in EG so we can keep up with what it is doing.

Well I have been saying that SAP, HP, SAS or Teradata have to merge for a while now, or they will get a hiding from the big boys of Oracle, IBM and Microsoft.

HP have brought EDS, they are still flogging Neoview and I am dropping them off my list of merger candidates for 2009.

So that leaves SAP/SAS/Teradata.

SAP have a partnership with SPSS, via BO so it would make sense for them to purchase SPSS to give them the embedded analytics pedegree they need.

SAS and Teradata are playing very nicely at the moment, given Teradata;s new inDB oferring with SAS. (There is talkof an Oracle version of this arriving soon, wonder how that will effect the relationship)

Oracle brought Thinking Machines (an analytical/data mining company) ages ago so they won’t be looking to buy SAS (but then who would think the would buy JDE, Peoplesoft and Siebel).

So a prediction for 2009, SAP will buy Teradata and then form a partnership with SAS, which will enable them to buy SAS in 2010/2011.

Its been a bit quiet on the blogging front as you may have noticed (assuming anybody is out there

We are at the sharp end of delivery for a couple of projects so have our heads down and bums up at the moment, leaving little time for blogging.

Luckily our developers are still going crazy and we have a raft of new portlets that are currently undergoing beta testing, if I get time ill post some screenshots here before we put the details up on the site.

If anybody else has any good blogging material about SAS that they think will benefit the SAS community send it to me via the contact us link and I will post it (with full credits to you of course!)

Well last I heard SAS 9.2 – Phase 2, was still due Q1 2009 (anybody heard otherwise?).

So one month and a bit to go.

The Team from SAS Australasia are doing SAS 9.2 overviews at the New Zealand User group conference on 27th Feburary (checkout the impressive sponsors, especially top right .

And Bill Gibson is doing the open session, should have a lot more insight on 9.2 after those.

There are rumours we might even see some 9.2 based solutions released this year, can’t wait!

So are you preparing to upgrade to SAS 9.2 this year? Leave a comment and let me know!