topic Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories in Administration and Deployment

SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

m_oversteyns — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 15:23:57 GMT

Hi,

I will be installing 2 versions of SAS on the same client computer using response files and different installation directories:

SAS 9.4M2 in C:\Program Files\SASHome94M2

SAS 9.4M3 in C:\Program Files\SASHome94M3

Ofcourse, I will start by installing the oldest version (9.4M2) first.

I was told that, after installing SAS 9.4M2, I should definitely use the command line option -nosasupdate when installing SAS 9.4M3 to avoid overwriting or updating the previous installation in its own 9.4M2 directory. Can somebody confirm this?

I know that the variable SASHOME is defined in the sassw.config file at the root of the installation directory (in my case those will be C:\Program Files\SASHome94M2 and C:\Program Files\SASHome94M3). There is no risk that the 2nd installation, when using the -nosasupdate option, will modify the sassw.config file from the 1st installation, right?

I need to have 2 separate installations, so the configuration files must remain 'separate' as well, if you know what I mean.

Am I overthinking this?

Any comments are very much appreciated.

Thank you,

Michel

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

LinusH — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 15:41:50 GMT

Perhaps it's supported to have different SAS installations on the same host, but to me it's like asking for trouble. There are entries in the system registry etc that might be in conflict.

Why are you ding this? Especially if there just one maintenance level between them...

If you want to verify that everything is working after an upgrade, I strongly suggest to do an upgrade on a clone/test machine instead.

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

m_oversteyns — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 15:46:22 GMT

It's not like I have a choice, this type of installation is imposed on me. I don't like it either, but this is the way it has to be done.

It all has to do with different orders for different maintenance releases with different components. Ofcourse I will be testing on test machines, I have converted several physical machines to virtual in Hyper-V to test uninstallation and installation.

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

JuanS_OCS — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 15:56:31 GMT

Hey @m_oversteyns, Michel,

sorry, but you cannot, not safely. They only way to have such installations is with virtualized/bubble-ed clients. So you can choose, Citrix, Microsoft AppV, ThinApp, etc.

If you choose any other option, you will find serious issues sooner or later.

In case your stakeholders insist and they impose it to you, I would open a track with SAS Technical Support, explaining your conflict, so they can give you an official answer, then let your stakeholders to choose the risk they are willing to accept, since they manage the budgets and deadlines.

And who knows, it is possible there is even a good alternative that I am not aware of! But only SAS Technical Support and SAS Consulting services can confirm or deny safely.

PS. There are some exceptions. Eg: if you install SAS Enterprise Miner 12.2 over a 12.1 version, you can safely install both. Although some dependent components as the Private Java JRE will be only on the last maintenance.

Juan

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

m_oversteyns — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 16:10:54 GMT

Hi Juan,

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely be opening a track.

There will only be like 5 or 6 computers where there will be 2 versions installed at the same time.

For you information, we have already succesfully installed a mix of 2 (even 3) SAS releases on the same machine without any issues:

SAS Foundation 9.3 and Enterprise Guide 5.1 (+ other components) in C:\Program Files\SAS

SAS Foundation 9.4 and Enterprise Guide 6.1 (+ other components) in C:\Program Files\SASHome

SAS Enterprise Guide 7.1 in C:\Program Files\SASHome2

We install them in the correct order, and let the setup program do its work, detecting any previous version. It's not ideal, I know, but we, the IT technicians, have to follow whatever the client imposes on us, and this is by contract.

(The SAS consultants who helped at the time with the installation (9.3 and 9.4) told us that there would not be an issue when installing 2 versions on the same machine, but only if we perform the installations in the correct order (first 9.3, then 9.4) in separate directories.)

Fortunately the client has finally seen the light and agreed to align the project and versions and take a fresh start...

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

JuanS_OCS — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:17:20 GMT

Hello @m_oversteyns,

thanls for your feedback. Indeed, SAS EG is one of the client components that allow the installation on that way.

The biggest challenge when you install on Windows, are the Windows registry keys: they mess up quite often. But if the software do not mess up windows registry keys, mostly you are safe 🙂

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

ronan — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 13:55:27 GMT

Hi Michel,

I am quite confident it can work as expected at one condition :

don't try to install the newest version M3 on the same PC using the SDW like the first one M2.

I suppose your specification requires you to allow strict comparison runs between the two releases.

Maybe it's designed to test the M2 before de-commisionning and switching eventually to the newer M3.

You'll have to choose which version you want to keep after a dual run, most likely the M3 (?).

Then you could try to follow this sequence accordingly :

1. install the M3 as usual on the target PC - let's call it "PC Alpha" - with SDW and SASDepot M3

2. find a second machine - "PC Beta" - and install on this one the previous M2 version with SDW and SASDepot M2 (and the SASHome path folder SASHOME94M2)

3. Copy the M2 installation from PC Beta to PC Alpha ( sashome = SASHOME94M2 )

4. manually add the corresponding shortcuts to launch M2 SAS sessions (Start Menu, or even user Desktop as you wish)

If you're lucky, then you'll get this dual configuration on the same machine :

I) a SAS Foundation at M3 level fully and properly installed, thus respecting the SAS TS policy

II) a SAS Foundation at M2 level, in a "portable" install (invisible to the registry) which is 100% operational perhaps at the exception

only of the SAS Enhanced Editor (the shared component WYSIWG editor , not absolutely required ). And even I still wonder if the M3 Enhanced Editor previously installed could not run anyway whith the M2 DMS ...

then you just have to delete the M2 SASHome once your tests are over and you go on using the M3 version.

If I were you, I would never try to re-install two different releases on the same machine using the SDW, with or without the -nosasupdate option. You might likely end up with two non supported, altered and conflictual SAS installations.

HTH

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:03:59 GMT

Be aware that if you have more than just SASFoundation and Enterprise Guide (basically, as soon as the Metadata Server is involved), you'll run into trouble with the configured ports, so just copying things won't work.

I have regularly run multiple installations in parallel, but it requires lots of work.

(our maximum was SAS 8.2, 9.1.3 and 9.2 side-by-side, on AIX)

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

m_oversteyns — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 14:47:59 GMT

Hi @ronan,

This is quite a different approach, but one that may actually work -- the idea of a portable version never struck me.

I'll keep it in mind -- it's worth a test. Have you actually tried and tested your scenario?

Thanks again for your idea.

Michel

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

m_oversteyns — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 14:54:58 GMT

For your information, this is what Tech Support answered me:

If you really want to install two different versions you can start the SAS Deployment Wizard using options -changesashome -nosasupdate . This will allow you to choose a different SASHome location for your second installation and will not trigger an automatic update of the first installation. On the other hand, if you use the SAS_HOME parameter in the response file and -nosasupdate in the command line option you should be fine, there is no need to mention the -changesashome option.

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

m_oversteyns — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 14:55:39 GMT

In the meantime, I have had some additional info and it seems that there has been some kind of communication problem -- we will not be installing 2 versions on the same machine in separate directories, only 1 version. So we'll have either version 9.4M2 or version 9.4M3.

Thank you to everyone who answered with tips and advice!

Michel

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

JuanS_OCS — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 15:33:26 GMT

Thanks for the feedback, quite useful!

Re: SAS 9.4M2 and SAS 9.4M3 installation on the same client but in different directories

ronan — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 13:00:09 GMT

With the official guidance of SAS TS, you're covered against any trouble that may happen. Good for you.

I have installed portable versions of SAS PC for years - and presently I am also doing so.

That's why I felt quite confident to advise you in the same way.

On the contrary, knowing a little bit about the inner details of SAS Foundation installations on PC, I'll firmly

keep my initial stance and never recommend to have multiple releases Mn / Mn+1 of the same principal version installed on the same machine.

For instance, SAS Foundation comes with a handful of Shared Components, sometimes even shared with other SAS Software (SAS EG, SAS Add-In). However the Windows Registry keys (dozens of them) associated with these shared components cannot have multiple values ...

Of course, what SAS calls "peaceful coexistence" of different versions doesn't apply here : SAS 9.3 and SAS 9.4 PC can share the same PC (almost) without any issue. But even then, the Shared components sometimes can create some conflict.

All the best

Ronan