Understanding the Components of SAS Information Delivery Portal

Overview

The SAS Information Delivery Portal runs in a Web application server, and requires a Java Software Development Kit (SDK). The portal uses the SAS Web Infrastructure Platform for authentication, security, and other common Web infrastructure services. The portal also uses the SAS Foundation Services for both local and remote service functionality. Finally, the portal connects with the SAS Metadata Server in order to store and obtain user, resource, and security information.

Main Components of the SAS Information Delivery Portal

Here are the main components of the SAS Information Delivery Portal:

The portal, which includes the following:
- Portal Java Classes:
  
  The foundation of the portal consists of Java classes contained in the Portal API. For complete documentation of the Java classes included in these SDKs, see the Portal API class documentation. You can use these classes to develop your own custom portlets for deployment in the portal. For details, see “Using the Portlet API” in Developing Portlets for the SAS Information Delivery Portal.
- Portal Java Servlets, JSPs, and JavaBeans:
  
  The portal Web application servlets, JSPs, and JavaBeans are the active components of the portal. Using the portal Web application Java classes, these servlets , JSPs, and JavaBeans interact with the metadata server, and the SAS Workspace Server to deliver portal functionality and content to users.
- Package Viewer:
  
  The Package Viewer enables users to display packages in the portal.
Custom Themes:

Themes control the appearance of SAS Web applications including the portal. A theme consists of cascading style sheets (CSSs) and graphical elements, including the portal's banner, background image, and logo. You can create your own custom themes. For information about themes, see Administering SAS Web Application Themes in SAS Intelligence Platform: Middle-Tier Administration Guide.
SAS Stored Process Server Web application:

The Stored Process Server Web application enables users to run stored processes. The Stored Process Web application can run as a stand-alone process or through the portal. The Stored Process Web application uses the Stored Process Viewer to provide input to and display output from stored processes.
SAS Documentation Web application:

The SAS Documentation Web application is a Web application that manages SAS documentation for the portal and other Web applications.
SAS Preferences Web application:

The SAS Preferences Web application manages user preferences for the portal and other SAS applications.
SAS Web Report Studio (optional):

SAS Web Report Studio is a Web application that enables users to create and view reports stored in the SAS Report Model format.
SAS Content Server:

The Web server also manages content that is accessible to HTTP clients. This content might be accessible through Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), or it might be accessible only through Web applications. WebDAV provides services to help manage and locate content stored on the Web server. WebDAV enhancements to the HTTP protocol enable the Web to serve as a document database. Through this database, users in remote locations can collaborate in creating and editing documents (such as SAS Reports, word processing files, images, and SAS packages) that are stored in folders (called collections) within a hierarchical file system. The portal requires WebDAV to enable users to do the following:
- run stored processes in the background and save stored process results to a WebDAV server
- use the portal alert features
- use the WebDAV Navigator portlets
- access files
- access WebDAV-based publication channels
- use WebDAV-based subscription management
- publish content to WebDAV
Custom Portlets (optional):

You can develop your own custom portlets that take advantage of the portal's content, metadata, and security services. For details about developing portlets, see Developing Portlets for the SAS Information Delivery Portal.
Other SAS Solutions Web Applications:

The middle tier might also manage other Web applications, such as solutions or custom Web applications.
Custom Applications (optional):

You can develop your own custom Web applications using the SAS Foundation Services (and other Business Intelligence Services). When a foundation service-enabled Web application is invoked from the portal, the portal passes the application the session and application context, which can then be used to obtain the authenticated user (and allow single signon).
SAS BI Portlets:

Portal users can use SAS BI Portlets to access, view, or work with content items that reside in either the SAS metadata server or the SAS Content Server. SAS BI Portlets, which are available with the October 2009 Release and later, are also compatible with the WebSphere Portal. The suite of SAS BI portlets that are compliant with JSR 168 include the SAS Collection Portlet, SAS Navigator Portlet, SAS Report Portlet, and SAS Stored Process Portlet.

Beginning with the November 2010 Release, two new portlets are available: the Dashboard Portlet and the Diagnostics Portlet. These portlets are compliant with JSR 168.