SAS Server 9.3 installation on Linux

[inclias]

Hi to all,

I am newbie here and SAS, made a search around the web on the forum but couldn't find a source document with screennshots on how to install SAS Server 9.3 on Linux Environment. I work in a company where we use SAS Servers on windows environment that users connect from windows domain. I want to install and try a Linux SAS Server for that existing domain users but documentation on SAS website made me a bit confused. It is because of the lack of my knowledge on Linux and SAS Servers. I have installed two SAS 9.3 servers on Windows 2008 by following a step-by-step  document with screenshots that my senior co-worker had made. But when it comes to Linux installation i am stuck. I desperately need assistance on this. I will be very pleased and grateful if you share a guide with screenshots. Thanks in advance.

[alexal]

@inclias ,

This page contains everything you need to know about SAS 9.3 installation: Documentation for installing SAS® 9.3 in UNIX operating environments.

[inclias]

Thanks sir i have made a quick look at the document on te page you suggested but at some points it is not easy for me understand.

[SASKiwi]

I'm curious to know why you are installing SAS 9.3 which is over seven years old, rather than moving to SAS 9.4M6, the current release. 

I also hope you are moving off Windows Server 2008 completely as Microsoft no longer supports it: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/windows-server-2008

[JuanS_OCS]

Hi there,

I don’t normally question the “why”, although some background can help sometimes, as you work with Windows, but you ask for Linux, and both the Operating Systems and SAS are quite old.

Nonetheless, me, as a person who installs more SAS than breathes, I understand well the need to still work with old versions, due to many reasons.

Here is my 2 cents:

* Follow the advise you are receiving here, good insights.
* In the link provided by alexal you might want to give a good look to the Configuration guide, it is gold
* You need some basic and advanced Knowledge of Linux administration, specially to connect users with the Active Directory (LDAP, Realm, PAM, SSSD, Quest ... )
* Look up first the OS requirements for Linux (distro plus version) and the specific recommendations for each of them. Requirements is the key for an easy installation.
* Install with the latest hot fixes. In 9.3 a lot was resolved, also for installation purposes, through the latest SAS depot and hot fixes.

In any case, I think you might have already to have a good start. When you have more specific questions, let us know! 🙂

And good luck, it is always exciting when you install something the first time!

[inclias]

Thanks for the answer. The reason we are still using verison 9.3 is our licence is valid up to 2040 and company doesn't want to pay for the new one. They didn't want to bother renew the licence on each year so they decided to but it for long-term. A misscalculation and the results i can say.

[SASKiwi]

@inclias  - That is a very unusual licence! Please bear in mind that there have been many improvements since 9.3 and it is very likely SAS will stop supporting that release long before your licence finishes.

I suspect the reason why you are re-installing on Unix is because the only Windows Server versions officially supported for 9.3 are now no longer supported by Microsoft. The same could well happen with Linux. For example if you are using Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (as the latest supported release mentioned in the SAS 9.3 doc), standard support for that ends Nov 2020, with the possibility of extended life-cycle support (if you pay for it) to Jun 2024. What Linux software and version are you installing on?  

[inclias]

I am planning to install on RedHat 6 as you mentioned sir. I want to campare the performance. Windows spends so much source, at least i wanna see the result on Linux.

[SASKiwi · Accepted solution]

@inclias - Here are the support life cycle dates for Red Hat Linux 6: https://access.redhat.com/support/policy/updates/errata

Product retirement is on 30 Nov 2020.