Hi,
NOTE: the following information is SAS 9.4 related, as I do not know what SAS version you are running.
METADATA OBJECTS:
The objects you are creating in Metadata are stored as datasets in the following path:
SAS config_path\...Lev1\SASMeta\MetadataServer\MetadataRepositories\Foundation (the location is the same for Unix, Linux, Win).
Even tho these objects look like datasets, they cannot be accessed as such. These data sets are in fact XML files, which can only be accessed in the following way:
DATA step functions for reading and writing metadata, or, PROC METADATA, or PROC METAOPERATE, or Metadata Options, or,
Metadata libname, to name some.
See http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrmeta/67971/HTML/default/viewer.htm#p13fzu3tol9zwyn1adi...
for interfaces to metadata.
PHYSICAL DATA AND METADATA
Metadata objects use OS data in such a way that a metadata library, for example, points to a physial location "holding" the data.
Or, another example, metadata users "rely" on user IDs on the OS or any other third party authentication privders/mechanism.
SAS FOLDERS:
Folders are metadata objects that usually do not use a physical location, but store metadata objects such as libraries, tables, reports, EG projects and other content your users use.
If you do use web clients such as SAS WRS, the folders are OS related as such content is stored on a Content Server
For info on Folders, see
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/bisag/68240/HTML/default/viewer.htm#p0m58rt1se8r58n1dd6p...
BACKUPS:
Metadata backups are stored in sas_config_path\Lev1\Backup and / or sas_config_path\Lev1\SASMeta\MetadataServer\Backups,
depending on whether the default path was used during the install.
In cases where you are using a clustered Metadata Server, a Vault backup location, which has to be defined during the install, is used.
For details on backups, see:
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/bisag/68240/HTML/default/viewer.htm#p11n59n3frgizfn1656a...
PLEASE NOTE:
If you are new to administration, backup is one of THE most important topics!!!
SAS takes automatic backups each night at 1am. The backup files are stored in OS folders mentioned earlier.
Behind the scenes, when SAS runs a backup, it pauses the Metadata server, data kept in memory is flushed to disk, then the Metadata server resumes itself (short version).
The process of "emptiying" out the memory is very important: when users request Metadata (skipping the process behind the scenes here), a copy of the data is written to memory and kept there until the metadata server is stopped or paused.
So when you run your OS backup, it is of the utmost important to include the SAS folders you are using to store the backups, OR, to stop the Metadata server before an OS backup (or third party backups)!
If you run an OS backup without stopping the Metadata server, or, w/out including the backup location, your data will be incomplete and a restore might not be possible, if it would become necessary.
Think of it as a puzzle:
not pausing the metadata server, or stopping it, to flush the memory, is like taking pieces out of a puzzle and throwing them away. You will never be able to put the puzzle back together. Makes sense?
I am doing Ask the Expert sessions on "Introduction to SAS Administration tasks", which is a 1h session. See
http://support.sas.com/training/askexpert.html and scroll down to the Administration section.
There are live sessions, and an On Demand one. Maybe you find this helpful.
SAS MANAGEMENT CONSOLE:
SASMC is a desktop administration client/tool, which allows you to administer your entire SAS environment from a single point
of control. It is not mid-tier related/a mid-tier tool/product. SAS Management Console is used to create metadata objects, as mentioned earlier in this post. It is very important to get familiar with SASMC, as it is your main tool.
SASMC connects to the server where your Metadata server is running, via a profile that you create/is automatically created for you during the configuration/installation of SAS.
Such profile includes the metadata server port (8561), the metadata server's machine name, user ID.
For details, please see: http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/bidaag/69541/HTML/default/viewer.htm#p1o5km9djceqann1exc...
NEW ADMIN TOOL IN 9.4:
New in SAS 9.4 is a middle-tier administration tool called the SAS Environment Manager, which provides some of the features SASMC provides.
See the following site for further information on Env Manager:
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/evug/69029/HTML/default/viewer.htm#n1btt6hw4ksjytn19nbyb...
Introduction to SAS Environment Manager.
As a BEST PRACTICE, I would recommend that you'll familiarize yourself with SASMC first, before looking into Env Manager.
This will give you a good foundation!
TRAINING:
If you'd have the chance to attend an admin class, the following would be great:
Getting Started with the Platform for SAS Business Analytics
https://support.sas.com/edu/schedules.html?id=3087&ctry=US
SAS Platform Administration: Fast Track
https://support.sas.com/edu/schedules.html?id=2737&ctry=US
DOCUMENTATION:
About the SAS Intelligence Platform
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/bisag/68240/HTML/default/viewer.htm#n0hqzpura7nhean0ziss...
What is the SAS Metadata Model:
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/omamodref/63903/HTML/default/viewer.htm#whatis.htm
Hope this helps.
Anja
