Understanding Metadata Objects

A metadata object is a definition in metadata of a SAS resource that is used by SAS applications. Definitions for servers, libraries, and users are all examples of metadata objects. After an object is defined on a metadata server, the object is then available for use by any SAS application that has access to the server, which enables applications to use a consistent set of resources throughout your organization.
Metadata objects are defined and managed by SAS Management Console, which is the primary application for administering metadata. However, you can also use SAS Enterprise Guide Explorer to manage library definitions. The following objects are managed by SAS Management Console and used in a SAS Enterprise Guide environment:
Servers
includes SAS Application Servers, SAS spawners, database servers, OLAP servers, WebDAV servers
Libraries
includes SAS libraries and database libraries
Users
users who have access to the resources that are defined in metadata (note that the Login Manager enables the current SAS Enterprise Guide Explorer user to manage some parts of their login information)
Groups
users grouped by job function, access level, or other criteria
Security settings
controls that specify which users and groups can access resources that are defined in metadata and how users and groups can use those resources
Other metadata objects might be defined by SAS Management Console plug-ins or by other SAS applications such as SAS Data Integration Studio or SAS Information Map Studio. For information about creating these objects, see the online Help for SAS Management Console or the SAS Intelligence Platform administration guides that are listed in the Recommended Reading section.