Repeatedly Accessing Data

CAUTION:
If you need to access the most current DBMS data, access it directly from the database every time. Do not follow the extraction suggestions in this section.
It is sometimes more efficient to extract (copy) DBMS data to a SAS data file than to repeatedly read the data by using a SAS view. SAS data files are organized to provide optimal performance with PROC and DATA steps. Programs that use SAS data files are often more efficient than SAS programs that read DBMS data directly.
Consider extracting data when you work with a large DBMS table and plan to use the same DBMS data in several procedures or DATA steps during the same SAS session.
You can extract DBMS data to a SAS data file by using the OUT= option, a DATA step, or ACCESS procedures.