Is SAS a database or a data analysis software application?

[angelac44]

I am new to SAS and speaking to some experienced SAS users within my organization, I was told that SAS is a non-relational database. I looked up "non-relational databases" and found some information about NoSQL databases, but I still do not think that SAS is a non-relational database. It appears to me that SAS datasets are flat files within a library with no relational structure, therefore I do not understand how it could be considered a database. I'd appreciate any input that would help me understand this better?

[Reeza]

SAS is not a DB. SAS stood for Statistical Analysis Software and was originally designed to analyze data.
It's primary function is still to analyze and process data.

[ballardw · Accepted solution]

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@angelac44 wrote:

I am new to SAS and speaking to some experienced SAS users within my organization, I was told that SAS is a non-relational database. I looked up "non-relational databases" and found some information about NoSQL databases, but I still do not think that SAS is a non-relational database. It appears to me that SAS datasets are flat files within a library with no relational structure, therefore I do not understand how it could be considered a database. I'd appreciate any input that would help me understand this better?

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I would say "Give me YOUR definition of database" before attempting an answer.

If you build tables properly those can be relational through the use data views, again somewhat depending on your definition of "relational".

I would not in general say that SAS data sets are "flat files" because the metadata stored about the datasets that can be accessed with different tools.

Just like any database software, you can make "good" databases or poor ones. Believe me, I have inherited some very interesting Access "databases".

[angelac44]

Thanks for the clarification - that depending on the set up (if SAS is set up with relationships) it could be considered database. Yeah it comes down to having a clear definition of "database" or "relational". Also appreciate the information about the metadata aspect of SAS datasets.

[SASKiwi]

@angelac44 - SAS includes some features that are common to relational databases including table indexing and integrity constraints defining primary and foreign keys.

In general RDBMSs are often optimised for transactional processing whereas SAS is optimised for analytical processing. Many RDBMSs can now also be optimised for analytics.