SAS installation services for custom SAS environments

As a SAS Silver partner and a company that has worked with countless customers from around the world, our SAS installation services have been one of our most sought out services. From helping small organisations kick their analytics off at their infancy to supporting large organisations within the insurance and higher education segments, our team of SAS experts has seen it all.

One especially common question many of our clients ask us at the SAS installation stage is how to determine the specific type of environment their organisation needs. Do you need a remote SAS configuration? How about an on-site one? However, there are some instances during which the one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work, which is where custom SAS environments become a requirement.

That’s why choosing a reputed SAS partner that has a team well-versed in offering customised solutions that meet the unique needs of your organisation is an added bonus.

All this begs the following question: What factors decide whether your SAS installation services need to comprise a focus on setting up a custom SAS environment? In the following sections, we deep dive into four key factors that either individually or in combination with one another may determine whether or not you need a custom environment.

Your environment will need to accommodate a large number of users

This first factor is quite straightforward. Organisations that have a large number of users, would most likely require a custom SAS environment capable of handling this magnitude. This doesn’t necessarily mean that all large, heavily staffed organisations would require a custom environment. Only organisations/businesses that have a large number of staff members leveraging their SAS environment would require a custom configuration.

You need SAS installation services that offer flexibility

To begin with, one of the first decisions organisations need to make is whether they need a remote configuration or an on-site configuration. This will determine how we allocate resources in a manner that gets your environment up and running as soon as possible. Remote configurations are typically meant for organisations that operate in other parts of the world – we can have them set up remotely as opposed to going to a specific location and setting things up on-site.

However, there are instances during which both remote and on-site configurations are required. This is typically common in organisations that operate in multiple parts of the world, yet still, require the analytics prowess of SAS software. In such instances, opting for either the onsite or remote options individually becomes illogical, which is where a custom SAS environment is required because, if configured correctly, it can include both on-site and remote configurations.

There may also be instances in which an organisation has a multi-machine/server setup that demands the integration of data from multiple SAS servers into one single storage area. Instead of focusing on setting up a brand-new SAS environment from scratch, the focus now is on integrating data from a multi-machine deployment. Here’s a great example courtesy of Dave Nader – a SAS Technical Training Consultant.

This requirement would need a custom SAS environment that is capable of pulling data from multiple sources into one. With all the expertise and specialisation that is required to set up such an environment, it’s important that organisations consult the right SAS experts and use the best SAS installation services.

You require complete separation of tiers

In the space of collaborative computing of functions where organisations are at risk of external parties gaining access to internal private communications, specific security measures may need to be built in. This would warrant a full separation of tiers, which would need to be facilitated at the installation phase and, therefore, mandate a custom SAS environment.

For example, if an organisation requires a mechanism that allows it to detect and address breaches in advance, it may require a demilitarised zone (DMZ) or perimeter network. A DMZ acts an isolated network positioned directly between the organisation’s private network and the publicly accessible internet – it serves as a buffer/additional layer that gives administrators extra time to identify and respond to breaches. External parties can only access the DMZ, allowing the rest of the organisation’s private network to be protected.  

You have more complex and custom SAS usage requirements

Nothing spells custom SAS environment better than having your own customised features and functionality added in. While our base SAS installation services comprise a comprehensive array of inclusions, there may be certain instances during which you simply would need more custom additions.

From setting up Single Sign-On (SSO) to setting up additional levels to strengthening web application security by configuring HTTPS to having us come on board to complete previously incomplete or unsuccessful installations, we understand the importance of flexibility. That’s why a big part of our SAS installation services is centred on leaving room for the provision of additional services and functionality for your custom SAS environment.

With a decade’s worth of experiencing operating as a SAS partner, in addition to countless years of shared SAS experience among our team members, our position as a SAS installation services provider both here in Australia and beyond is constantly being leveraged by many organisations. Through our services and our role as a Silver partner, we have enabled several of our clients to benefit from significant savings – sometimes in the range of millions of dollars.

If you would like to know more about our SAS installation services, our company and our work with SAS, in addition to how you can leverage our other SAS administration and hosting services, feel free to reach out to us, or stay tuned to this feed.