How to have SAS EG 7.15 and SAS EG 8.4 working on the same machine (app distribution: AppV)

[Rick_NL]

In preparation of upgrading to SAS EG 8.4, we would like to give our users the opportunity to work with their current version of SAS EG (v7.15) whilst also having our new version of SAS EG (8.4) also available - for testing purposes. We distribute SAS EG via AppV. However, when using SAS EG 7.15 and SAS EG 8.4 successively, this generates error messages. 

Steps on the same machine:

1) Starting SAS EG 8.4 and opening dataset. OK

2)Starting SAS EG 7.15 and opening dataset. OK

3)Closing both SAS EG 8.4 and SAS EG 7.15

4)Starting SAS EG 7.15 and opening dataset OK

5)Starting SAS EG 8.4 -> "Unable to connect to the server [NAME] - An error occurred when accessingdata from the server"

6) Closing the error message. SAS EG Explorer shows only one of three available SAS Servers and libraries.

7) On click to expand the Libraries -> "Unable to load the children for the item named Libraries - The requested operation could not be performed by the SAS server"

[JuanS_OCS · Accepted solution]

Hi @Rick_NL ,

as you may know, those virtualisation aspects are not officially supported by SAS.

The published AppV cookbooks are generally coming from trial and errors from the professionals attempting to make them work.

I have been working with one of those professionals for quite a while, and I do highly estimate and respect that work done, with an analytical mindset and deep understanding of the underlying Microsoft technologies - Windows, COM, DCOM, etc - where I provide the deep understanding in SAS with a broad familiarity with Microsoft technologies.

I cannot give you the solution, you need SAS+AppV+overral Microsoft expertise to look at the issues, sorry.

What I can tell you is that most of the issues circumvent these main aspects:

- EG versions are compatible on themselves, for as long as SASHOME are different (to ensure no jar issues, dlls, etc)

- Different EGs on itself normally dont give issues

- SAS Integration Technologies client can give some issues, although normally resolved by above

- The registration of COM and DCOM components (normally registered with eguide / register) are around 90% of the times the culprits of the issues, since AppV is not really up to the task

- You need to create the AppV packages then test, not test before creating the package, else elements are registered

All 3 issues seem to point to SAS Integration Technologies and the COM/DCOM components, which manage client-server connectivity.

You probably should test first the SAS Integration Technologies Configuration Wizard and test SAS servers and/or configure default SAS Metadata server, to discard or fix the issue on SAS Int Tech, then, once all is clear, check the AppV logs for errors in COM and DCOM registrations.

[Rick_NL]

Hi Juan, thank you for your quick response. Much appreciated. I'll forward the info to our administrators.