CEDA is a simple strategy for file access across a network. CEDA
enables you to read a network-mounted SAS file from any directory-based
operating environment that runs SAS 8 or later, regardless of the
file format of the SAS file being accessed. For example, CEDA enables
a PC to read network-mounted SAS files that are in UNIX file format.
Note: Before SAS 8.2, CEDA was
packaged with
SAS/CONNECT, which requires a separate license. CEDA
is now included as part of Base SAS.
CEDA runs transparently.
You can access a supported SAS file without knowing the file's format.
CEDA detects the format of the accessing computer and automatically
translates the “native” format to the representation
of the “foreign,” or accessing, computer.
CEDA is most useful
in a heterogeneous networked enterprise in which multiple applications
read data from a centralized SAS file, process the data, and then
generate reports. For example, a SAS data set can reside on a UNIX
computer and be accessed by computers that represent data in a format
that is foreign to the UNIX computer. For example, UNIX and Windows
computers represent data differently. Without CEDA, a SAS file could
not be dynamically translated when accessed. Instead, a transport
file or a file in foreign format would have to be generated for the
accessing computer.