The SAS Federation Server Database

Overview

The SAS Federation Server database is a transactional database, or system catalog that contains configuration metadata. Configuration metadata includes the list of created data services, DSNs, privileges, and other information generated as a result of configuring the Federation Server. This information is stored in a Federation Server Database since the metadata must always be in a consistent state and thus requires the use of ACID transactions (atomicity, consistency, isolation and durability).

The system catalog, SYSCAT, contains information about the configuration of SAS Federation Server. This information can be returned to the user through queries against information views.

Creation of the SAS Federation Server Database

The SAS Federation Server database is created once when SAS Federation Server is initially invoked. At that time, a set of system tables is created to hold various objects that are created as the server is configured. For example, when a data service is created, system tables will be updated to hold the definition of the new data service. Each time a change is made to the server configuration, the system tables in the database are modified. The Database can be backed up at any time to capture and preserve a particular server configuration. The default location of the database is <installation root>\SASHome\SASFederationServer\version\var and is called SYSCAT.TDB. The name and location can be modified in the dfs_serv_common.xml configuration file. Other configuration files are affected if the location of the database changes.

If you need to change the location of the SAS Federation Server database, there are three files to modify:

dfs_serv_common.xml

Change the value for the TranPath option to point to the new location. This changes the location for the SYSCAT transactional database.

dfs_log.xml

Change the value of the DFS_DBAPPENDER_DB entity to point to the new location. This changes the location of the SQL_LOG transactional database.

dfs_log_SQL_Logging.xml

Change the value for the FIREBIRD_LOCK environment variable to point to the new location. This changes the location for transactional database lock files for both the SQL_LOG and SYSCAT transactional databases.

Note: It is a best practice to periodically back up the system catalog database, SYSCAT.TDB.