Glossary

access method

See communications access method.

authentication

See client authentication.

autoexec file

a file that contains SAS statements that are executed automatically when SAS is invoked. The autoexec file can be used to specify some of the SAS system options, as well as to assign librefs and filerefs to data sources that are used frequently. See also fileref.

client authentication (authentication)

the process of verifying the identity of a person or process for security purposes.

client session

a SAS session that is running on a client computer. A client session accepts SAS statements and passes those that are submitted to the server for processing. The client session manages the output and messages from both the client session and the server session.

command file

a file that contains operating system commands to be executed in sequence.

communications access method (access method)

an interface between SAS and the network protocol or interface that is used to connect two operating environments. Depending on the operating environments, SAS/SHARE and SAS/CONNECT use either the TCP/IP or XMS communications access method. See also TCP/IP.

control program

a low-level software interface, such as SAS/CONNECT software, between communications hardware and applications programs. A control program works in conjunction with an adapter.

Cross-Memory Services (XMS)

a cross-task communication interface that is part of z/OS. XMS is used by programs that run within a single z/OS operating environment. XMS is also the name of the SAS communications access method that uses XMS for client/server communication.

data set

See SAS data set.

descriptor information

information about the contents and attributes of a SAS data set. For example, the descriptor information includes the data types and lengths of the variables, as well as which engine was used to create the data. SAS creates and maintains descriptor information within every SAS data set.

DNS

See Domain Name System.

domain name resolution (name resolution)

in a TCP/IP network, the process of converting a server name to an IP address. See also Domain Name System.

domain name resolver (name resolver)

in a TCP/IP network, client software that uses one or more domain name servers to convert a server name to an IP address or vice versa. See also domain name server, domain name resolution.

domain name server (name server)

an Internet server program that converts domain names to IP addresses. See also Domain Name System.

Domain Name System (DNS)

a distributed database system on the Internet that maps domain names to IP addresses. The Domain Name System also provides information about which TCP/IP services are available to the server host, the location of the domain name servers in the network, and other information about server hosts and networks. See also domain name server, TCP/IP.

encryption

the conversion of data by the use of algorithms or other means into an unintelligible form in order to secure data (for example, passwords) in transmission and in storage.

external file

a file that is created and maintained by a host operating system or by another vendor's software application. An external file can read both data and stored SAS statements.

file reference

See fileref.

fileref (file reference)

a name that is temporarily assigned to an external file or to an aggregate storage location such as a directory or a folder. The fileref identifies the file or the storage location to SAS. See also libref.

firewall

a set of related programs that protect the resources of a private network from users from other networks. A firewall can also control which outside resources the internal users are able to access. See also socket inheritance, port, SAS/CONNECT spawner.

Integrated Object Model server (IOM server)

a SAS object server that is launched in order to fulfill client requests for IOM services.

Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4)

a protocol that specifies the format for network addresses for all computers that are connected to the Internet. This protocol, which is the predecessor of Internet Protocol Version 6, uses dot-decimal notation to represent 32-bit address spaces. An example of an Internet Protocol Version 4 address is 10.23.2.3. See also IP address.

Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6)

a protocol that specifies the format for network addresses for all computers that are connected to the Internet. This protocol, which is the successor of Internet Protocol Version 4, uses hexadecimal notation to represent 128-bit address spaces. The format can consist of up to eight groups of four hexadecimal characters, delimited by colons, as in FE80:0000:0000:0000:0202:B3FF:FE1E:8329. As an alternative, a group of consecutive zeros could be replaced with two colons, as in FE80::0202:B3FF:FE1E:8329. See also IP address.

IOM server

See Integrated Object Model server.

IP address

a unique network address that is assigned to each computer that is connected to the Internet. The IP address can be specified in either of two formats: Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) or Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). See also Internet Protocol Version 4.

IPv4

See Internet Protocol Version 4.

IPv6

See Internet Protocol Version 6.

library reference

See libref.

libref (library reference)

a SAS name that is associated with the location of a SAS library. For example, in the name MYLIB.MYFILE, MYLIB is the libref, and MYFILE is a file in the SAS library. See also SAS library.

name resolution

See domain name resolution.

name resolver

See domain name resolver.

name server

See domain name server.

operating environment

a computer, or a logical partition of a computer, and the resources (such as an operating system and other software and hardware) that are available to the computer or partition.

port

in a network that uses the TCP/IP protocol, an endpoint of a logical connection between a client and a server. Each port is represented by a unique number.

Remote Library Services (RLS)

a feature of SAS/SHARE and SAS/CONNECT software that enables you to read, write, and update remote data as if it were stored on the client. RLS can be used to access SAS data sets on computers that have different architectures. RLS also provides read-only access to some types of SAS catalog entries on computers that have different architectures.

return code

a numeric value that indicates whether a request was successful. A return code can also indicate a specific error or warning.

RLS

See Remote Library Services.

SAS data file

a type of SAS data set that contains data values as well as descriptor information that is associated with the data. The descriptor information includes information such as the data types and lengths of the variables, as well as the name of the engine that was used to create the data. See also SAS data set.

SAS data set (data set)

a file whose contents are in one of the native SAS file formats. There are two types of SAS data sets: SAS data files and SAS data views. See also descriptor information.

SAS library

one or more files that are defined, recognized, and accessible by SAS, and that are referenced and stored as a unit. Each file is a member of the library.

SAS system option (system option)

a type of SAS language element that is applied to any of a number of operations during a SAS session. System options can control SAS session initialization, SAS interactions with hardware and software, and input and output processing of SAS files.

SAS/CONNECT client

a SAS session that receives services, data, or other resources from a specified server. The server can run on the same computer as the client or on a different computer (across a network).

SAS/CONNECT server

a SAS session that delivers services, data, or other resources to a requesting client. The server can run on the same computer as the client, or on a networked computer.

SAS/CONNECT spawner (spawner)

a program that runs on a remote computer and that listens for SAS/CONNECT client requests for connection to the remote computer. When the spawner program receives a request, it invokes a SAS session on the remote computer.

SAS/SHARE client

a SAS/SHARE session that acts as a client. The user who runs a SAS/SHARE client accesses data on a SAS/SHARE server through Remote Library Services (RLS). See also server, SAS/SHARE server, Remote Library Services.

SAS/SHARE server

the result of an execution of the SERVER procedure, which is part of SAS/SHARE software. A server runs in a separate SAS session that services users' SAS sessions by controlling and executing input and output requests to one or more SAS libraries. See also server, SAS/SHARE client.

SASProprietary algorithm

a fixed encoding algorithm that is included with Base SAS software. The SASProprietary algorithm requires no additional SAS product licenses. It provides a medium level of security.

script

an external file that contains SAS script statements. The script file is stored on a client and provides instructions for establishing and terminating a SAS/CONNECT session. Script files are executed by the SIGNON and SIGNOFF commands. See also external file.

script statement

a special kind of SAS statement that was developed for use in scripts for SAS/CONNECT software. Script statements are used only in scripts.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)

an encryption protocol for securely communicating across the Internet. SSL uses encryption algorithms RC2, RC4, DES, TripleDES, and AES.

Security Support Provider Interface (SSPI)

a built-in security provider for Microsoft Windows computers. In a network, SSPI transfers user context information from a user's client computer to the server. This enables users who are members of a trusted domain to be authenticated automatically.

server

software that provides either resources or services to requesting clients, possibly over a network.

services file

a file that contains a list of service names and the TCP/IP ports that are mapped to those services. The services file is stored on both the SAS client and the SAS server. The UNIX services file is located in /etc/services. A service can be specified for any of the following: a SAS/CONNECT spawner, a SAS/SHARE server, an MP CONNECT pipe, and a firewall server. See also port, firewall, SAS/SHARE server.

simulated logon

a commonly used method of client authentication that is available in all operating environments. In a simulated logon, the client provides a user ID and password that are checked by the server.

SMP

See symmetric multiprocessing.

socket

the endpoint of a connection in a TCP/IP network. A socket is the combination of a TCP port and an IP address. By analogy, a socket is like a telephone to which a telephone number has been assigned. The TCP port is like a telephone number, and the IP address is like the location of the telephone. See also port, services file, socket inheritance, IP address.

socket inheritance

the mechanism by which a SAS/CONNECT server that is running a spawner uses a single firewall socket (or port) for SAS/CONNECT server-to-client communications. Socket inheritance increases the security of private networks by limiting the number of ports that are used for connections through a firewall. See also SAS/CONNECT spawner, port, firewall.

spawner

See SAS/CONNECT spawner.

SSL

See Secure Sockets Layer.

SSPI

See Security Support Provider Interface.

symmetric multiprocessing (SMP)

a type of hardware and software architecture that can improve the speed of I/O and processing. An SMP machine has multiple CPUs and a thread-enabled operating system. An SMP machine is usually configured with multiple controllers and with multiple disk drives per controller.

system option

See SAS system option.

TCP/IP

an abbreviation for a pair of networking protocols. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a standard protocol for transferring information on local area networks such as Ethernets. TCP ensures that process-to-process information is delivered in the appropriate order. Internet Protocol (IP) is a protocol for managing connections between operating environments. IP routes information through the network to a particular operating environment and fragments and reassembles information in transfers.

TLS

See Transport Layer Security.

Transport Layer Security (TLS)

the successor to Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), a cryptographic protocol that is designed to provide communication security over the Internet. TLS uses asymmetric cryptography for authentication and confidentiality of the key exchange, symmetric encryption for data/message confidentiality, and message authentication codes for message integrity. Several versions of the protocols are in widespread use in applications such as web browsing, electronic mail, Internet faxing, instant messaging and voice-over-IP (VoIP). See also Secure Sockets Layer.

user context

a set of information about the user who is associated with an active session. The user context contains information such as the user's identity and profile. See also Security Support Provider Interface.

user right

any of a set of privileges that are assigned to each user of a client computer and to a server computer in a Windows domain. Setting the appropriate user rights on the server computer enables users to connect to a secure server.

XMS

See Cross-Memory Services.