Q. What is the SAS Electronic Software Delivery (ESD) process?
A. The SAS ESD provides a way for you to download your SAS software from the Internet instead of receiving it via physical media. With this delivery option, you receive your software faster; shipping time and expense are both reduced.

Q. How many times can I download the SAS installation package?
A. The process of downloading your software from SAS should not be used as a mechanism for distributing your software across your organization. The SAS download site limits the number of downloads that may be performed per order. If you need to distribute the software image internally, download it to a networked location that is available to all systems where the software needs to be installed. Alternatively, you can create your own media from the downloaded image using the tools provided. With either method, the number of installations that you can perform is subject to the number of users or copies you have licensed.

Q. How long does the download take?
A. The amount of time it takes to download the software depends on a number of factors, including the products you have licensed and the available bandwidth of your network. The full order of all products is between 5 and 14 Gigabytes, which could take approximately 1 to 3 hours on a T3 line. If you are using a dial-up modem with 56 Kb of bandwidth, it could take several days. Many orders will be smaller in size (averaging 3-4 Gigabytes), which will not take as long to download.

Q. Does the entire SAS Software order have to be downloaded?
A. SAS 9.2 does. SAS 9.3 does not. Each SAS 9.2 Software order must be downloaded in its entirety before it can be subsetted or used to install. In SAS 9.3, orders can be subsetted upon download. Please see the SAS^® Deployment Wizard and SAS^® Deployment Manager 9.3: User’s Guide or see "Creating a SAS Software Depot" in the SAS 9.3 Intelligence Platform: Installation and Configuration Guide.

Q. I am no longer the SAS Representative for my company, but I received the SAS 9.2 upgrade e-mail. How should this be handled?
A. Please contact SAS Contracts Support to have your company's information updated.

Q. What if I'm the SAS rep but someone else is receiving notifications from SAS?
A. Please contact SAS Contracts Support to have your company's information updated.

Q. I am the SAS Representative for my company, but I am not the one who installs the software. What should I do with the Software Order e-mail (SOE)?
A. An SOE will be sent automatically to the SAS Representative for each new order, add-on order, and license renewal. The SOE should be forwarded to the person who will be installing, updating, or renewing the licensed software.

Maintenance update orders are handled a little differently. The SAS Representative requests an SOE using the self-service application for maintenance link on the Maintenance Release Announcement for SAS 9.2 page. An SOE will be sent once the request has been processed. The SOE should be forwarded to the person who will be installing, updating, or renewing the licensed software.

Q. How many SOEs will I receive?
A. You will receive an SOE for each new order, add-on order, licensed renewal, and update (maintenance).

Q. May I request physical media, such as DVDs?
A. The preferred method for acquiring the software is by using the SAS ESD system. By downloading the software over the Internet, you are able to receive your software faster. In addition, this helps you and SAS to make changes to protect our environment by eliminating the need to expend resources on a physical shipment. Once the software is downloaded, you have the option of creating physical media onsite if needed. We encourage you to try the ESD system. If it doesn't work for you, then contact your account manager.

For additional ESD information and troubleshooting, see SAS KB0036210, "General Information and Troubleshooting for Electronic Software Delivery (ESD)."

Operating System and Release Information