Running a SAS program on a PC using data stored on the cloud

[brandsxb]

We want to share SAS datasets with several international locations where SAS is installed on a PC.

We are considering storing these shared SAS datasets on cloud storage. I am concerned that speed of

execution will be slow because we are using a VPN connection.

Does anyone have experience using a similar configuration? I am open to any suggestions (i.e alternatives to VPN,

company with fastest cloud storage transfer rate, anything...). 

I don't want to set this up and find out it is taking hours to run a program that woud take minutes if the

data was stored on a local server.

Thank you

[SASKiwi]

I suggest you need to try this for yourself as no one else can reproduce the same IT environment. It also depends on the volume of data you want to process and the bandwidth and latency of your internet connection. Are you able to try before you buy?

A better option would be to use SAS in the cloud with the data in the same location. That should give similar performance to local SAS and data.

[jakarman]

You didn''t mention any of the technical requirements you are trying to solve only a technical solution (cloud).

Some questions:

- is the data sensitive classified? Think on the private clioud (own datacenter) or gof for the due dilligence on data management.

- is teh data relative small (<1 Mb) or big ( > 10 Gb) if the first situation a download/share could perform enough on the network in the latter downlaod times easily are a hurdle.
- Is the data being created once and than distributed (slow once time acceptable) or is continous changing arround the world (the updating time and distribuion are critical).

For some situations your approach of SAS on a desktop and data in the could could work. (small data, not updated much).
In local environments there is a move form desktops as being too cumbersome wiht their data  into server based environments (old mainframe like concepts).  Even wiht those server-based IO (network) is the one that brings the most perfomance/usability limitations

So to advice do that technical requiements check.  Other options are:
-  Full web-based on a server (SAS-VA  SAS-studio)

-  thin client using Eguide on the desktop connected to some SAS server

-  Mix your local SAS desktop wiht the Eguide usage and a SAS server side connection