Glossary

Base SAS

the core product that is part of SAS Foundation and is installed with every deployment of SAS software. Base SAS provides an information delivery system for accessing, managing, analyzing, and presenting data.

data set

See SAS data set.

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.

identity

See metadata identity.

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.

metadata identity (identity)

a metadata object that represents an individual user or a group of users in a SAS metadata environment. Each individual and group that accesses secured resources on a SAS Metadata Server should have a unique metadata identity within that server.

metadata object

a set of attributes that describe a table, a server, a user, or another resource on a network. The specific attributes that a metadata object includes vary depending on which metadata model is being used.

metadata repository

a collection of related metadata objects, such as the metadata for a set of tables and columns that are maintained by an application.

metadata server

a server that provides metadata management services to one or more client applications.

metadata-bound library

a physical SAS library that is tied to a corresponding secured library object. All access from SAS to a metadata-bound library is subject to the requesting user’s effective permissions on the corresponding metadata object.

metadata-bound table

a physical SAS data set (a table or view) that is tied to a corresponding secured table object. All access from SAS to a metadata-bound table is subject to the requesting user’s effective permissions on the corresponding metadata object.

procedure

See SAS procedure.

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.

SAS procedure (procedure)

a type of SAS language element that refers to a self-contained program for performing a specific task, such as to produce reports, to manage files, or to analyze data.

SAS statement (statement)

a type of SAS language element that is used to perform a particular operation in a SAS program or to provide information to a SAS program.

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 table

the visual rendering of a SAS data set in tabular format. See also SAS data set.

SAS view

a type of SAS data set that retrieves data values from other files. A SAS view contains only descriptor information such as the data types and lengths of the variables (columns), plus other information that is required for retrieving data values from other SAS data sets or from files that are stored in other software vendors' file formats. SAS views can be created by the SAS DATA step, as well as by the SAS SQL procedure.

secured data folder

a SAS metadata object that serves as a specialized container for secured library objects, as part of the metadata-bound libraries feature. In each metadata repository, the first secured data folder is Secured Libraries, in the System folder. Additional secured data folders can be added only beneath a Secured Libraries folder.

secured library object

a SAS metadata object to which a physical SAS library is bound. Metadata-layer permissions on each secured library object manage access to its corresponding physical library. Secured library objects are stored beneath a repository’s Secured Libraries folder.

secured table object

a SAS metadata object to which a physical SAS data set (a table or view) is bound. Metadata-layer permissions on each secured table object manage access to its corresponding physical data set. Each secured table object is stored beneath a secured library object.

statement

See SAS statement.

submit

to perform an action that causes a software application such as SAS to compile and execute a program.

system option

See SAS system option.