Usage of Management Console for older Maintenance Level

[Kurt_Bremser]

Can a newer ML of SMC be used to work with an older ML on the backend?

Background: we will be setting up a new server with 9.4M6, and therefore have to install the SMC from the new depot. But during the time of setup, test and migration, the current server with 9.4M5 will still need to be maintained. And AFAIK, only one SMC for a major version can be installed on a single desktop.

[SASKiwi]

We are running SMC 9.4M5 with a SAS back-end of 9.4M2. Yes you get the warning that you are not running a supported configuration but apart from that we haven't had any significant problems. Everything we commonly do still works. I'm not saying you won't run into any problems, but if you do, then the backup plan is just to use SMC installed on our metadata server which is guaranteed to be compatible.

BTW, the reason we run a more recent version of SMC is because it has to be supported on Windows 10 (9.4M2 isn't) our standard PC OS. And we are not going to do an expensive and disruptive SAS server upgrade JUST so we can be on the same maintenance release as our SAS client tools. No such problem with Enterprise Guide though. Loving EG 8.1 even if it is running with 9.4M2 SAS. 

[SimonDawson]

I've personally seen content corruption occur as a result of interacting with objects in a SAS deployment with a mismatched version of the SAS Management Console.

As I personal rule I don't ever use a mismatched version of the SMC with a SAS Metadata Server. SMC is supported to be use on the server for all the platforms I use so I usually run SMC from the server.

[SimonDawson]

I vaguely recall there being some documentation that mentions it is not supported to mix them. If I get a bit of spare time tomorrow I'll try get a documentation reference.

[SimonDawson · Accepted solution]

SAS note 62875 mentions it is "not recommended and could cause unexpected behavior". I'm honestly surprised by this the message popup states it is not a supported configuration. I'm surprised the note doesn't reiterate this. Anyway, @Kurt_Bremser if you have Xserver on your workstation you can run SMC from the various servers you are administering. You'll then have the matching SMC version for sure.

[Kurt_Bremser]

Thanks for the answers, @SASKiwi and @SimonDawson!

I guess we will install the new SMC on the one desktop from which we also initiate the depot download and the installation itself. If problems arise while managing the existing server with the new SMC, we'll use the other desktop or the server-based SMC (X-Windows is present and used all the time for server management anyway).

Basically I do not think that working on the "old" metadata (after all, it's just one ML away) with the "new" SMC will cause problems.

[SASKiwi]

@Kurt_Bremser  - Our use of metadata on SAS 9.4M2 is pretty vanilla - users, user groups, data libraries, server definitions. This could be why we haven't struck any major compatibility issues. I'd be more careful if we were storing VA content for example.

Your approach sounds good to me.

[Technolero]

I have environments running 9.4M6, 9.4M4, and 9.4M3. I will hopefully have them all on M6 by the end of the year.

I have been using Management Console 9.4M6 for all of the environments for quite a while now, and some environments have fairly large, complex metadata repositories, and I have not run into any issues...yet.

It is possible to have multiple versions of the BI clients running on the same PC. When invoking the SAS Deployment Wizard, use the options -changesashome -nosasupdate so SAS does NOT go into update mode, instead it will allow you to install a second instance of the BI clients. I found that tidbit here: https://communities.sas.com/t5/Administration-and-Deployment/SAS-9-4M2-and-SAS-9-4M3-installation-on...

The solution presented by @SimonDawson  would be the preferred way to manage the different versions without potentially introducing any metadata issues.

[Kurt_Bremser]

Very good information, and hint!