Using the Promotion Tools

Preparing to Use the Promotion Tools

Before using the Export SAS Package and Import SAS Package wizards (or the batch import and export tools), make sure that the appropriate servers are set up and running, as follows:

The object spawner must be running in both the source environment and the target environment.
If you are promoting physical content that is associated with stored processes, tables, jobs, libraries, or external files, then a workspace server must exist in both the source environment and the target environment.
If your stored processes create packages that are stored permanently on the SAS Content Server, then a SAS Content Server must exist and must be running in both the source environment and the target environment.
If you are promoting reports and want to store report content on a SAS Content Server, then a SAS Content Server must exist and must be running in both the source environment and the target environment.

Ensure Appropriate User Credentials

Make sure that the user who launches the wizard (or whose credentials are specified in the batch export or import command) meets the following criteria:

The user must have ReadMetadata access to the objects that are being exported and WriteMetadata access to the objects that are being imported.
The user must have WriteMemberMetadata access to the folders where objects are imported.
The user must have the appropriate access to associated content (for example, tables and source code files) that is being exported or imported.
To export or import physical content that is associated with stored processes, tables, jobs, libraries, or external files, the user must have the necessary credentials to access the workspace server. For information about these credentials, see Requirements for Accessing a Standard Workspace Server.

Ensure Adequate Memory

If you are planning to export or import a large number of sizable objects, such as information maps or SAS Data Integration Studio jobs, then you might need to increase the amount of memory that is allocated to the import or export process. Follow these steps:

Open the appropriate INI file in a text editor, as follows:
- If you are using SAS Management Console, open sasmc.ini, which is located in SAS-installation-directory\SASManagementConsole\9.2.
- If you are using SAS Data Integration Studio, open distudio.ini, which is located in SAS-installation-directory\SASDataIntegrationStudio\4.2.
- If you are using SAS OLAP Cube Studio, open olapa.ini, which is located in SAS-installation-directory\SASOLAPCubeStudio\4.2
- If you are using the batch import or export tool, then open ImportPackage.ini or ExportPackage.ini. These files are located in SAS-installation-directory\SASPlatformObjectFramework\9.2.
Locate the following line:

JavaArgs_1=-Xmx512m
Replace 512 with a higher value (for example, 1024), and save your changes.

Note: If your desktop applications run in the Citrix application delivery environment, then you can increase the size of your Java heap to the Citrix limit. While some versions of Citrix support higher limits, all versions support a maximum Java heap size of 512 megabytes.

As an alternative to increasing memory, you can perform multiple imports or exports that include a smaller number of objects instead of importing or exporting all of your objects at the same time.

Set Up Folders on the Target Metadata Server

If you will be using folders to control access to metadata, then you might want to set up folders in the SAS Folders tree on the target metadata server before you import your metadata. When you use the wizards, you should import objects at the same level in the folder hierarchy that you exported them from.

For Reports, Set Up Content Mapping on the Target Metadata Server

The SAS Deployment Wizard automatically sets up content mapping on the metadata server. Content mapping establishes the location of the XML (.srx) files that define the reports. The location can be either a path on a SAS Content Server or a path on the file system.

If you are importing reports, then you should check the target metadata server to make sure that content mapping has been set up properly. Generally, content mapping is specified in the root folder (SAS Folders). To check the content mapping:

Right-click SAS Folders (or a specific folder, if applicable) and click Properties.
Open the Content Mapping tab, and make any necessary changes. If you specify a location on the SAS Content Server, you must enter the user ID and password for the SAS Trusted User (sastrust) in the appropriate fields.

Set Up Security for the Folders or Objects

To implement security for promoted objects, you can choose from a variety of options, including the following:

Option 1: Apply ACTs and ACEs to folders and objects in the source environment, and promote the access controls along with the folders and objects.

This option assumes that you have done the following in the source environment:

You have set up user groups that mirror the groups that will exist in the target environment, and you have defined a small number of users in each group for testing purposes.
You have created ACTs that define the permission levels for each user group, applied the ACTs to objects and folders, and tested the ACTs to ensure that the appropriate level of security is applied.
Instead of (or in addition to) ACTs, you have applied ACEs to folders and objects to define the permission levels for each user group, and you have tested the ACEs to ensure that the appropriate level of security is applied.

If you use this option, then your promotion process needs to include the following steps:

Create copies of the ACTs in the target environment. Be sure to assign the ACTs the same names in both environments.
When you import the objects, select the Include access controls option in the Import SAS Package wizard (or specify -includeACL in the batch import command). The ACT associations and ACEs will be promoted and will be re-established in the target environment.

Note: In order for the ACT associations and the ACEs to be promoted, you must promote the objects or folders to which the ACTs were directly applied. Inherited ACT associations and ACEs are not promoted.

Option 2: Apply ACTs or ACEs to folders and objects directly in the target environment.

For this option, you need to define user groups, ACTs, and ACEs only in the target environment instead of in both environments. You do not select Include access controls in the Import SAS Package wizard or specify -includeACL in the batch import command.

This option involves fewer steps, but it does not provide the opportunity to test your security settings before promotion.

Create Directories for Physical Files on the Target System

On the target system, set up directories for the physical content that you plan to promote with the metadata. For example, you might need to create the following:

directories for physical locations of libraries
directories for physical files and external format files (EFFs) that are associated with external files
directories for custom code that is associated with jobs, if the code is stored outside of the metadata
directories for source code repositories for stored processes

The user who will execute the import should have Write access to these directories.

Create Directories and Move Physical Files for Cubes

If you are promoting cubes, then you must create directories on the target system for the associated physical files (including cube header files, MOLAP aggregation tables, drill-through tables, and ROLAP aggregation tables). Then you must copy the files to the target directories. For important details about these and other tasks that are associated with promoting cubes, see the SAS OLAP Server: User's Guide.

Create Directories and Move Physical Files for Prompts

If you promote an object (for example, a stored process or a shared prompt) that includes a File or directory prompt, then you must do the following:

After the promotion is complete, you must edit the prompt to ensure that a valid workspace server is specified.
If the File or directory prompt has a default file or directory value specified, then you must move the associated physical file or directory to the target environment, if it is not already present. After the promotion, you must edit the prompt to associate it with the correct file or directory.

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