Blogging about all things SAS

SAS 9.1.3 Client Metadata Profile Paths

Shane Gibson — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:41:34 +0000

I have been doing an install of SAS 9.1.3 clients on a a Citrix server (yes I know it is not supported) and all worked fine with Enterprise Guide etc but all the Java clients wouldn’t run.

Everytime they started up they couldn’t find some path and just gave an error saying path could not be found.

We troubled shooted it to the fact that we had changed the Citrix server layout from the last server and had used different drive mappings. As part of this we had moved where the SAS Client Metadata Profile settings (.swa files) were stored.

So when SAS Data Integration Studio, Management Console etc started they looked for the .swa files in the location defined on the previous Citrix server (as the Citirix profile travels with the user across servers).

The fix was to edit the app.smc file in the users directory (for us C:\Documents and Settings\~user). In that file is a line:

WorkspacePath=C:\\Documents and Settings\\~user\\Workspaces

Which defines where the Metadata profile files (.swa) are stored.

the other options (thanks SAS tech Support) is to put the following option on the clients .ini file (i.e C:\Program Files\SAS\SASManagementConsole\9.1\sasmc.ini):

-Duser.home=C:\SAS

This will then make all users access the .swa files under a workspace dir under this path. But of course they all access the same ones, so lock them down so they can’t be changed.

Trick for young players on that one, make sure it is after the “-Dsas.app.class.dirs=” option as if you add it at the end it gets ignored for some reason.

And of course do it for each of the SAS clients.

One of the

Graph Visualisation

Shane Gibson — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:04:11 +0000

We have been looking at the options to add additional graph types to our Flash Graph Portlet.

We would prefer to OEM something as it will give us a better long term strategy.

In researching options I found this Interesting blog post 28 Rich Data Visualization Tools.

Some we had already found some we hadn’t.

Still no Google Motion Chart options (aka SAS JMP chart), which I really want to include as a graphing option.

SAS Strategy Management (StM) 5.1 is out (formerly know as SPM)

Shane Gibson — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:09:15 +0000

Well finally got confirmation that SPM 5.1/9.2 (now known as StM 5.1) has been released.

Doco is available on the SAS Support site here:

http://support.sas.com/documentation/solutions/performmanagement/stm/index.html

You will need to email your friendly SAS Support team for a password (only if you have a SPM license though)

Jigging with Dataflux

Shane Gibson — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:03:30 +0000

I have read a few “how to” and “case Study” books on Data Warehousing over the last few years, and they all pretty much state if the quality of your data is rubbish, then the success of your Data Warehouse will be limited.

However it is often difficult to get an organisation to rectify all the Data Quality issues, before they embark on delivering reports and information to the business users who need it.

One of the interesting sessions at next years SAS Users Conference in New Zealand is by Zeeman van der Merwe who is talking about the work he is doing at ACC. I had the pleasure of meeting Zeeman a while ago and to talk to him about his project and he is definitely taking the recommended approach of sponsorship from the top and covering areas such as Data Governance, Data Stewardship and Data Quality reporting.

One of the Data Warehouse projects we are working on has a sister project dealing with Data Quality. It is fair to say we that we have yet to get the organisation to fully understand the impact data quality has on the business and the necessity to rectify the issues. Everybody does of course agree there are a lot of issues with the quality of the data which is a good start.

I always remember in my presales days at SAS the words customers always uttered “yes we have major data quality issues” shortly followed by “but we don’t have any money to pay to fix them”.

Anyway on this project we are lucky enough to have SAS Enterprise Data Integration Server at our beck and call and so have the ability to use Dataflux on the Warehouse data. So we have done a number of tactical Data Discovery and Data Validation pieces of works.

So far we have completed:

Validation of Phone Numbers
Validation of Addresses
Customer/Person matching

The Phone Number validation was the first one we did and we picked it as it was a discrete piece of work we could time bound, while we worked through the process to use Dataflux. We are now looking to close the loop by updating the augmented phone number data Dataflux produced inot the source system, and changing the business rules in the source system to rectify some data entry issues we identified.

I really recommend the idea of picking something small to start out with.

We are now looking at how we productionise the Data Quality routines into out standard Data Warehouse load and reporting processes. So far the options (in 9.1.3) look like:

Purchase the full use Dataflux Integration Server
Schedule Dataflux routines to run on a PC
Manually run the jobs
Rewrite the Dataflux jobs in SAS DI Studio

Interesting thing to note is that in SAS 9.2 the Dataflux Integration Server component is bundled in eDI so you can just deploy the Dataflux Architect jobs and run them in your Warehouses standard process flows.

We still havent decided whihc option will work the best, but are thinking it is going to be the DI Studio option in the interim as consistency and stability of loads is one of our major focuses.

I have to say I love Dataflux and all that it does (I even believe the Dataflux team now have a stringer presence in the development of SAS Data Integration Server under the “Project Unity” banner).

I note that Dataflux jumped to the top of the Gartner Magic Quadrant in 2009. I always struggle to find this when I need them, so here are the Data Quality ones for 2008 and 2009.

Gartner 2008 Data Quality Magic Quadrant

Gartner 2009 Data Quality Magic Quadrant

TEC Online BI Software Evaluation – Where is SAS?

Shane Gibson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:11:05 +0000

Technologyevaluation.com sent me an email inviting me to use an online BI evaluation capability to see which BI vendor best meet my needs.

All the standard vendors (i.e SAP/BO, Oracle, Microsoft) are there but SAS is prominent in the fact that it is missing. Even more so when there are a number of small BI Vendors in the list (Yellowfon, Oco) I have never heard of.

http://demo.technologyevaluation.com/register/freetrial/start.asp?tecreferer=TEC_BIE&siteID=130&contentOnly=false

(You will need to register)

Also interesting to note there are a number of Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings included.

Summary of SAS 9.2 Migration Course Tweets

Shane Gibson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:17:14 +0000

Well course is over and I passed, so wahoo for me!

I am blogging all my tweets from the course so it is easier for me to search them in the future.

SAS 9.2 Folder tree permissions may remove the requirement to have multiple application server definitions to secure libraries about 2 hours ago from web

You can review the DI Studio migration reports at \Lev1\Logs\Config\ETL~.log about 2 hours ago from web

When migrating you lose all your WRV/WRS report schedules and will need to recreate them about 2 hours ago from web

EG automated migration mappings don’t work (yet) – Last bit on this page http://tinyurl.com/m48bzx about 3 hours ago from web

Users Subscription Profiles (Publish and Subscribe) have to be recreated in SAS 9.2 by an Admin user. about 3 hours ago from web

An error occurs when you exit SAS® Enterprise Guide http://support.sas.com/kb/33/988.html about 3 hours ago from web

Migrating EG 2.x to EG 4.2 http://support.sas.com/kb/35/922.html about 3 hours ago from web

EG migration support note: http://support.sas.com/kb/37/956.html, about 3 hours ago from web

Special Considerations for Customers Upgrading to SAS 9.2 http://tinyurl.com/yc7hlmc about 3 hours ago from web

Remember to clear the WRS Query Cache before doing SMU about 4 hours ago from web

Wonder what this new SAS 9.2 web url does? /SASBIPortlets about 4 hours ago from web

SASMeta has a workspace server to run promotion/replication and backups about 4 hours ago from web

SAS 9.2 SMC now has a metadata analyse and repair utility built in. Metadata Manager > Active Server (right Click) about 4 hours ago from web

You should probably run Proc Metacleanse before the migration: http://support.sas.com/kb/33/577.html about 20 hours ago from web

In 9.2 by default there are now 2 application servers, SASApp and SASMeta. about 20 hours ago from web

SMU will migrate Portal Content, Partial/Manual promotion won’t. about 22 hours ago from web

Partial/Manual promotion won’t migrate users Data explorations about 22 hours ago from web

Users folders move to new My Folder about 22 hours ago from web

BIP Tree structure in 9.2 is the same as 9.1.3 about 22 hours ago from web

Export cubes via OLAP Cube Studio (SP4) export function and import into 9.2 about 23 hours ago from web

M2 should look for STP .sas files outside config path and migrate them. about 23 hours ago from web

Macro libraries outside config path need to be manually migrated. about 23 hours ago from web

SASContent server defaults to web app server (i.e 7001) so publish to webdav code needs to be chnaged from 8300 about 23 hours ago from web

Collection Portlet links may need to be updated, new tool in M2 to automate this. about 23 hours ago from web

Upgrade LSF and apply SMC hotfix before migration. about 23 hours ago from web

DI jobs need to be manually redployed about 23 hours ago from web

Issue with AD load, fixed in M3. http://support.sas.com/kb/37/099.html 3:50 PM Nov 30th from web

AD syncronisation scripts will need to be changed 3:49 PM Nov 30th from web

OMAbackup has been changed 3:49 PM Nov 30th from web

Security migration auditing and validation http://tinyurl.com/ylo6hnw 3:42 PM Nov 30th from web

9.1.3 to 9.2 migration guide http://tinyurl.com/dypcjo 3:30 PM Nov 30th from web

Port remap utility is part of M2 3:28 PM Nov 30th from web

All other hotfix levels (windows) are in \windows\vpd.properties 2:52 PM Nov 30th from web

Check hotfix level (windows), \Program Files\SAS\SAS 9.1\core\sasinst\hotfix 2:47 PM Nov 30th from web

To check Service Pack level for foundation invoke base SAS on the server 2:45 PM Nov 30th from web

Must add -davtier when running SMU on web tier 2:31 PM Nov 30th from web

Always run SMU on metadata tier first 2:31 PM Nov 30th from web

SMU doesnt doesnt bring across settings in the WRS LocalProperties file 1:49 PM Nov 30th from web

Rename the “SAS Administrators” group before running the Automatic Migration 1:36 PM Nov 30th from web

When migrating from 32 bit windows to 64 bit windows, you should run Proc Migrate on the datasets to upgrade them to 64 bit format 1:12 PM Nov 30th from web

SAS Deployment Wizard (SDW) has a capture/replay capability to record the install and automate it. 7:17 PM Nov 29th from web

Browser based SMC http://server:port/SASAdmin 6:23 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS 9.2 you can turn object spawner logging on and off in SMC without having to restart the object server 6:09 PM Nov 29th from web

9.2 supports 2 external Token Authentications, WebSeal and Siteminder 6:04 PM Nov 29th from web

Internal Accounts allow access to metadata realm, SAS Token Authentication allows access to SAS Compute Server realm 6:02 PM Nov 29th from web

You need to use Kerberos in 9.2 to utilise Integrated Windows Authentication (IWA), which is windows based SSO as you need more than one hop 5:58 PM Nov 29th from web

By default Workspace Server doesn’t use Token Authentication, the other servers (i.e OLAP, STP, Table, Content, Pooled Workspace) do. 5:46 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS Token Authentication doesn’t work for outbound authentication (i.e Oracle) 5:43 PM Nov 29th from web

After default install change Policy “Allow user login from web logoff page” in config mgr, SAS Application Infrastructure – right click 5:33 PM Nov 29th from web

9.1.3 Inhertitance toolpool plugin for SMC is now std in 9.2 SMC 5:29 PM Nov 29th from web

New metadata permission “WriteMemberMetadata” allows you to create tables in a library, but not change permissions on library. 5:27 PM Nov 29th from web

Access unregistered plugins grants access to non-standard jars/plugins in SMC 5:26 PM Nov 29th from web

Public is automatically added to all roles in the default install. You then need to start removing them to lock things down. 5:17 PM Nov 29th from web

User and/or group can be assigned to roles. Roles are additive, you have to be assigned a role with the capability to use the function. 5:16 PM Nov 29th from web

New metadata security type = roles (think groups). Roles maps to capabilities (think applications/menus/functions). 5:14 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS 9.2 Deployment Manager Tool allows you to change a SAS system account password in all places at once. 5:10 PM Nov 29th from web

sassrv must stay as a externally authenticated account as it it needs to authenticated externally to run STP, Workspace servers etc 5:05 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS Metadata now does authentication (for/titled internal accounts), must user username@saspw construct. 4:52 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS have a script to backup Content Server, part of SAS Consulting install, not base install 3:37 PM Nov 29th from web

There is a new Web Administraton Console, cut down version of SMC 3:30 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS Logon Manager (part of Web Infrastructure Platform – WIP, used to be WIK) now handles login for all mid-tier applications 3:30 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS has paid for JBoss support subscription. So tech support can leverage this for patches where required (so be nice to tech support 3:25 PM Nov 29th from web

Still cant promote Pages & Portlets in 9.2 2:56 PM Nov 29th from web

You can promote OLAP Schema’s/Cubes 2:55 PM Nov 29th from web

You can promote EG projects (if they are stored in Metadata) 2:55 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS 9.2 has batch promotion functionality, yeeha! 2:54 PM Nov 29th from web

BI Manager disappears, Import/Export now part of folder options. 2:53 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS 9.2 Metadata repair/validation tool based on Proc Metacleanse 2:50 PM Nov 29th from web

Metadata Server is now in UTF-8 compressed format, should reduce disk space (quite a bit-ish!) 2:47 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS Table Server is multi-user read/write based on firebird. 2:41 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS Table Server provides a mapping to SAS Datasets, removes the ability for users to see where the SAS Datasets are stored. 2:39 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS 9.1.3 Web Report Viewer disappears in 9.2 and is now part of Web Report Studio. 2:36 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS 9.2 Web/Java apps moved from .WAR to .EAR 2:36 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS 9.2 Content Server replaces WebDav (Xythos/Apache) 2:32 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS Foundation Services (9.1.3) allowed Java apps to talk to the metadata server, effectively an interface/translator for Java 2:28 PM Nov 29th from web

SAS 9.2 Mid Tier now uses UDP as well as TCP so firewall must be open to allow this. 2:20 PM Nov 29th from web

New server – Pooled Workspace Server, used by WRS for server side pooling (diff to std workspace server that is spooled) 2:04 PM Nov 29th from web

Stored Process Servers now only uses one port – no longer multiple load balanced ports 1:58 PM Nov 29th from web

9.2 OLAP server drill through now uses OLAP server rather than a workspace server session means double the number of OLAP Server connections

SAS 9.2 Private OLAP Server (playing nice with others and their toys)

Shane Gibson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:55:51 +0000

Enterprise Guide 4.2 and Office Addin 4.2 now have the ability to access OLAP cubes that are not registered in SAS Metadata.

Effectively this allows you to use the SAS tools to access non SAS cubes (assuming you have the OLEDB connector installed)

These are called Private OLAP Servers.

Following extract from 051-2009: What’s New in SAS® Add-In 4.2 for Microsoft Office explains it well.

PRIVATE OLAP SERVERS

Also new in 4.2 of the SAS add-in is the ability to define private OLAP servers. A private OLAP server is a direct connection to an OLAP server, rather than choosing one that is defined in metadata. The SAS Add-In for Microsoft Office now supports connecting to third-party OLAP providers, such as Microsoft Analysis Services or SAP BW, or any other vendor that defines an OLE DB compatible provider.

This is useful for users who have already invested in an OLE DB provider for OLAP. Now it is possible to use SAS to view and analyze that data. In SAS Add-In 2.1 for Microsoft Office, this was not allowed; the SAS add-in was able to connect to only a metadata-defined OLAP provider.

Once the user has opened the cube into the PivotTable, it works the same as any other PivotTable. The user has the full breadth of functionality available to them, such as drill-through, and adding calculated measures and members.

SAS 9.2 External Identities

Shane Gibson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:20:03 +0000

SAS 9.2 now has the concept of External Identities against a user or group.

The following is an extract of the online help:

About External Identities

What is an External Identity?

While logins and internal accounts are involved in the log on process, external identities are not. An external identity is an optional synchronization key for a user, group, or role. If you use batch processes to coordinate SAS identity information with your primary user registry, you need external identities (such as employee IDs) to facilitate matching. This list explains the circumstances in which a user, group, or role needs an external identity:

For a user, group, or role that you maintain interactively in SAS Management Console, no external identity is needed.
For a user, group, or role that you maintain using batch processes, one external identity is needed.

Where do External Identities Come From?

External identities can be added in these ways:

For a user, group, or role that is created by an import process, an external identity is added as part of that process.
For any user, group, or role, you can interactively add an external identity on the General tab of their definition.

In Sydney for SAS 9.2 Migration training – tweet tweet! (I thought I saw a pussy phat)

Shane Gibson — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:58:50 +0000

And my handwriting is crap, so I have decided to try tweeting all the stuff I need to remember (and yes got the idea from Angela at Zencos, thanks Angela)

You can follow my ramblings here:

http://twitter.com/optimalBI

(somebody already has sasInct, grrrrr)

When I worked briefly for Xero the office was full of very smart 20 ish olds who could tweet, icq, blog, drink coke, chat and code at the same time.

Lets see if I can do two things at once, i.e tweet and listen. Of course being a man I can’t guarantee success.

Is SPM 5.1 / 9.2 here?

Shane Gibson — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:47:26 +0000

Had a tipoff from a regular support.sas.com user that there is now a few SPM 5.1 guides and usage notes now on the site.

So is SPM 5.1 released?

I haven’t seen any announcements, but then again I might have missed it.

Here are the docs I have found so far:

Installation Instructions–Release 5.1 of the SAS Performance Management Solutions
Installation Instructions for Release 5.1 of the SAS® Performance Management Solutions Copyright Notice The correct bibliographic citation for this manual is as follows: SAS Institute Inc., Installation Instructions …

http://support.sas.com/documentation/installcenter/en/ikfmofrii/63034/PDF/default/install.pdf, 433KB
37794 – Post-migration steps required for SAS® Strategy Management
The SAS Demo User account must be modified in the SASSDM in order for that user to be able to access SAS Strategy Management content.

http://support.sas.com/kb/37/794.html, 18KB

Let me know if you know.