Moving and Accessing SAS Files between Operating Environments

Deciding to Access a SAS File across Operating Environments

In some instances, accessing instead of owning and maintaining your own copy of a file might be preferable. Alternatively, you might need to read data from a locally mounted tape that was created elsewhere, or you might need to read, write, or update data that is remotely mounted on your network.

Note: Do not confuse the term access with the product SAS/ACCESS. In the context of moving or accessing SAS files across operating environments, access means to reach and process SAS files. SAS/ACCESS enables users to use third-party DBMS files. [cautionend]

You can use these methods to access remote SAS files:

CEDA (Cross-Environment Data Access) enables you to process SAS 8 and later SAS files.
Using SAS/SHARE on your client enables you to access a remote SAS file that resides on an operating environment that a SAS/SHARE server runs under. SAS/SHARE facilitates a transparent concurrent access to remote data among multiple users. Restrictions apply to cross-release access of SAS data.

In addition, SAS/SHARE enables you to access certain third-party DBMS files by means of engines that are supported by SAS/ACCESS.
Without the aid of SAS/SHARE or CEDA, you can rely upon network services for access to remote files (both SAS files and third-party DBMS files). Usually, the client and the server must share a compatible architecture, and they must run the same release of SAS software. The operating environment, the network software, and the security software might control users' permissions to access specific remote files. For more information, see the SAS companion documentation that is appropriate to your operating environment, and see the third-party documentation for the network software and security software that you use.

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