Because SAS data sets are UNIX files, the size of a SAS data set is limited by the maximum size of a UNIX file for that operating system.

Originally, most 32-bit UNIX vendors limited the maximum UNIX file size to be 2.1 Gigabytes. However, the following major UNIX vendors raised this limit in later releases of their operating-system levels:

• HP/UX 10.20
• Solaris 2.6
• AIX/R 4.2

In SAS, large files are supported in the following:

Release 6.11 TS040 (MABI, IABI, AOSF): Support for large files is available if the operating-system level supports files that are larger than 2.1 Gigabytes, for example, AOSF and IRIX (MABI).

Release 6.12 TS020 to TS070 ( AIX/R, HP/UX, Solaris ): If the operating system supports large files, add the -LARGEFILE VLFS syntax on the UNIX command line when you start SAS, or add this syntax to the CONFIG.SAS612 SAS file to enable SAS to write out SAS files that are larger than 2.1 Gigabytes.

Version 7 TSP1 ( AIX/R, Compaq Tru64, HP/UX, Solaris ): As a minimum, to run the SAS System Version 7 TSP1, operating systems are required that support large files by default and do not require any additional SAS setup to write out SAS files that are larger than 2.1 Gigabytes.

Version 8 TSM0 and above: (AIX/R, Compaq Tru64, HP/UX, IABI, Solaris ): As a minimum, to run the SAS System Version 8 TS0M0 and higher, operating systems are required that support large files by default, and do not require any additional SAS setup to write out SAS files that are larger than 2.1 Gigabytes. NOTE: At this time, the IABI UNIX operating system MP/RAS does not support native large files and Version 8 SAS software releases are still limited to the maximum file size limitation of 2.1 Gigabytes.

If Release 6.11 TS040 or Release 6.12 production is installed on an operating system that does not have support for large files, SAS has implemented an experimental method named partitioning. This method splits SAS data sets into multiple pieces across the file system and then manages these pieces as an individual file. This is an alternative for SAS users if the operating system they use does not have support for large files.

Operating System and Release Information