Migration SAS 9.4 M6 to new machine.

[kumarsandip975]

Hi Co's, 

I am looking for an inputs on our planning to migrate SAS 9.4 M6.

Existing OS : Linux, RHEL 7

SAS : 9.4 M6

Tier: Metadata+Compute - Mounted on 1 machine and midtier - 1 machine. 

SAS Applications - Client Tools (SAS EG, SAS SMC, SAS DI etc), some web application such SAS VA.

We are planning to reinvest/migrate on new OS version RHEL8, rest everything would be same, like 9.4 M6, and tier architecture would be same. 

I would like to understand, since we have already requested new server/machine as required (mostly clone of existing server. where sas is already running), so on new servers/machines, file systems, id access and all is placed, few more tings need to see with server team to have everything in places, like firewall, ports etc to make server accessible to start installation. 

I have a question - 

1. Can we use same depot as we had used long back, I guess 4 years back to deploy SAS 9.4 M6 on RHEL7, considering we have renewed license keys yearly, ssl certificate renewal, few hotfixes and all, so how will it work setting up new deployment with same site number. or we need to ask new depot . Please note, site number would be same.  

2. For example, it requires old depot or new depot, how that will work in deployment, will we be able to run parallel system on same site? I believe not right, as it is cost dependent, also depot has site dependent as well as hostname/alias n all details, that needs to be discussed with our SAS Partner. 

[JuanS_OCS]

Hi there,

For the 1st question, yes, you can use the same depot, as specified in the support matrix:

https://support.sas.com/supportos/list?requestAction=summary&outputView=sasrelease&sasrelease=9.4&pl...

However:
1. Some prompts or settings might slightly differ for RHEL 8, like SELinux.
2. Keep in mind the reach of end of Standard Support for M6. Would you not want to deploy M8, with additional security, hotfixes, over all functionality, and longer standard support? Just a thought.

I honesty could not understand the last half of your message, sorry. You might not fully trust your SAS Partner? If that’s so I wonder why, if it is a technical aspect. In any case, it is better to discuss that aspect with them and your SAS account manager, in order to get the advise and support you expect and need.

[SASKiwi]

Please note that SAS 9.4M6 full support expires this month. Only SAS 9.4M8 remains in full support as it was released in Jan 2023. If you are going to the effort of migrating to new servers then it would make sense to keep SAS fully supported as well.

[kumarsandip975]

@JuanS_OCS @SASKiwi Thanks for your remarks. We know about that SAS 9.4M6 full support will have limited support. We have to stick to M6 only because of organisation limitations, as SAS application will be anyway decommission in future. We dont want to put much effort into it. We would like to just follow the documentation for M6 and try to deploy the SAS on new servers setup.

My only intention to ask about parallel system, how that deployment works, so if we can use same depot M6 on new server, do we need to turned off existing sas system and deploy on new server? For example, we will do installation and then configuration, and then data migration n all, during which stage, we should keep only one system alive? or It's possible to deploy sas on different system keeping parallel system running? Note : We are going to use same site. 

[SASKiwi]

@kumarsandip975  - If you are sticking with M6 then it would be advisable to request an up-to-date depot so you get the latest fixes. Also I recommend use of the SAS Content Assessment tool to identify SAS content to be migrated.

[JuanS_OCS · Accepted solution]

Yours is a legal question now. Generally speaking, you need different licenses (sites) for 2 parallel environments. However, the best is thst you look into your contract supplements or just ask your SAS representative, since maybe special conditions apply that would allow you to do so.

Again, a legal question, where we could give you some indication, but you should never rely your final decision based on information given here. Let me stress out, the best source is the vendor, SAS.

[SASKiwi]

@kumarsandip975 - From my own experience SAS is very flexible with upgrade projects where you need to have two versions of SAS running in parallel running on separate installations for some considerable while you test and migrate to the new version. We are doing exactly that right now and our current licence covers both.