Migrating 32-Bit SAS Files to 64-Bit in UNIX Environments

What Is File Migration?

File migration moves libraries forward to a new release of SAS. In many cases, SAS files from previous releases or from other hosts are compatible with SAS 9.3. If the files are not compatible, you can use PROC MIGRATE, a utility procedure, to migrate your files and libraries. Information to consider when you migrate your files includes the release of SAS in which your data currently resides, what member types exist in your libraries, and whether you must move members from 32–bit libraries to 64–bit libraries. PROC MIGRATE streamlines the process of moving files forward.
For information about using PROC MIGRATE and the Compatibility Calculator, see Migration at the Technical Support Web site.

Benefits of Migrating SAS Files

Migrating SAS files enables you to do the following:
  • have Update access to unsupported data files
  • have access to indexes, integrity constraints, and other features
  • use long names for formats and informats
  • use more than 32,767 variables
  • use suppressed transcoding of a specified variable
  • avoid the overhead of reading or writing to 32–bit files in a 64–bit SAS session

How to Migrate a SAS Library

To migrate a SAS library, use the MIGRATE procedure. If you are migrating from a 32-bit to a 64-bit environment, and catalogs are present in the library, you must have access to a 32–bit Release 8 SAS/CONNECT or SAS/SHARE server.
Note: If Release 8.2 files were created on a 64–bit UNIX computer, then these files are native on UNIX in SAS 9 for computers with the same data representation as those files that were created in Release 8.2. You do not need to migrate these files.
For information about the MIGRATE procedure and how to use the PROC MIGRATE Calculator, see Migration at the Technical Support Web site.

Additional Resources

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